LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP) is proud to announce that two faculty members have been selected as competitors on the upcoming season of CBS’s Emmy Award-winning reality series The Amazing Race.
Professor and Assistant Dean of Professional Studies Penni Black, PhD, and Professor and Vice-Chair Jeff Cain, EdD, will compete as a team in the long-running global competition, which challenges participants to navigate international destinations while completing physically and mentally demanding tasks.
Should Black and Cain win the show’s $1 million grand prize, they have pledged to donate the entirety of their winnings to support student scholarships at UKCOP.
“Pharmacy school is a huge financial commitment. We talk a lot about investing in the next generation,” Cain said. “This felt like a good opportunity to put some theoretically attainable funds behind that idea.”
The duo—longtime colleagues, next-door office neighbors, and friends for nearly a decade—bring a combination of endurance, intellect, and mutual trust that producers reportedly found difficult to ignore. Both are avid runners and outdoor enthusiasts; together, they have completed multiple marathons and trail races.
“We’ve also spent years helping students think critically under pressure,” said Black. “This just feels like a natural extension of that—only now the pressure includes time zones, language barriers, and, from what I understand, occasional livestock and possibly a horse I am not allowed to adopt.”
Cain added, “I’ve always been interested in performance under stress and decision-making in unfamiliar environments. At some point, you start to wonder if that could be useful for something beyond trail ultramarathons.”
Sources close to production indicate the pair excelled during preliminary simulations, including a mock “Detour” requiring the assembly of a structurally sound object under time constraints and a “Roadblock” in which one team member completed a multi-step task while the other provided instructions that were technically correct but delivered with increasing urgency.
“They’re both incredibly competitive,” said one colleague. “But in a very polite, academically rigorous way. There will absolutely be a moment where one of them says, ‘Let’s revisit the instructions,’ while the other is already halfway down the road.”
In preparation for the race, the team has adopted a training regimen that blends endurance running, strength training, and problem-solving in unpredictable environments. This has included navigating remote areas of Kentucky without GPS, completing complex tasks under timed conditions, and actively working to eliminate the phrase “I thought you said left” from their vocabulary.
They have also begun preparing for performance-based challenges widely known to humble otherwise highly competent adults.
“We are aware there may be singing,” Black said.
“Or dancing,” Cain added.
A pause.
“We have discussed it,” Black confirmed.
“We do not feel great about it,” Cain sighed.
“Penni and Jeff exemplify the very best of our college,” said Interim Dean Craig Martin, PharmD. “Their willingness to take on new challenges and support our students is admirable. Also, we would all pay real money to watch them attempt a choreographed dance routine.”
Filming is expected to take place later this year, with locations spanning multiple continents.
“We’ve been told to expect anything,” said Black. “Physical labor, logic puzzles… possibly eating something we can’t identify.”
Cain nodded. “We’ve agreed not to ask too many questions about that part.”
The UK community is encouraged to follow along this fall and support Team UKCOP as they take on television’s most epic race around the world.
Staying in tip-top physical shape has been one of the team's priorities.
The duo have known each other for nearly a decade and are office neighbors.
APRIL FOOLS’!
While we have no doubt that Drs. Black and Cain would absolutely dominate The Amazing Race, they will remain right here at UK—running meetings, not international legs.
But if you found yourself believing—even briefly—that they might sprint through an airport in matching bandanas, they are issuing a real challenge: support our students by making a gift to the White Coat Challenge Fund today or during One Day for UK (April 23, 2026).
No passports required. Just follow the clue.