The first day of spring was welcomed with a week of festivities and fund-raisers leading to the March 21 Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence.

Race week opened with Charity Night at the Tables, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and presented by Turfway and the Northern Kentucky Leadership Foundation. More than 700 guests poured into Turfway's Terrace Room for Monte Carlo-style games. The proceeds, $21,000, will benefit Northern Kentucky charities, including Holly Hill Children's Services, Steinford Toy Foundation, Parish Kitchen, Family Nurturing Center, Children's Home of Northern Kentucky and Campbell Lodge Boys' Home.

Celebrity dealers included Tom Sussi, Paul Horton and Rich Apuzzo from Channel 19; Mike Nichols and Mark Massaro from Channel 5; and Eddie Fingers from WEBN. Spinning the music was Steve Bender from MIX 94.1.

Other events included an invitation-only dinner sponsored by the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association for Turfway's horsemen. For the less formally inclined, there was a crawfish boil. Proceeds from both, plus sponsorship by Fifth Third Bank, resulted in $50,000 for the Michael Rowland Fund, established for the family of the jockey who died Feb. 9 after a fall on the Turfway track.

On race day, Maker's Mark hosted the Lane's End VIP Tent, where 1,600 gathered for great food, great racing, bourbon sippin' and cigar smokin'.