Classic Empire In Pursuit Of Third Kentucky Derby Win For ​“Call 811” Message

‘Call before you dig’ safety message will be featured on the attire of jockey Julien Leparoux and the entire Classic Empire team as they race for the Winner’s Circle

WASHINGTON – The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a sponsor of jockey Julien Leparoux and the Classic Empire racing team with the ​“Call 811 before you dig” safety message at this Saturday’s 143^rd running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The organization dedicated to protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who dig near them.

The winning jockey has worn the 811 message at two-thirds of the Triple Crown races between 2014 and 2016, including all three in 2015 for the first Triple Crown win in 37 years. The sponsorships have led to widespread media coverage and record-breaking traffic on Call811.com.

Leparoux will wear the Call 811 safety message on his pants, turtleneck, boots and ball cap (for pre- and post-race interviews), as will some members of the Classic Empire ownership and training team, once again exposing millions of television viewers to the 811 message. 

The 811 service helps homeowners and professionals who plan to dig to notify multiple utility companies with one free phone call. 

Everyone who calls 811 a few days before digging is connected to a local one call notification center that will take the caller’s information and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional utility locating technicians will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint or flags. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas.

Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities increases the likelihood of an unintentional damage, which can cause serious injuries, service disruptions and repair costs. An underground utility line is damaged every six minutes nationwide because someone decided to dig without first calling 811, according to CGA data. 

This sponsorship coincides with the busiest time of the year for digging by contractors and homeowners, due to consistent good weather across the country. 

Pre-race coverage begins Saturday at noon EDT on NBC Sports Network, with NBC picking up the coverage at 2:30 p.m. and continuing through the post-race ceremony.