simulcast

Churchill Downs will shift simulcast wagering operations to its Trackside Louisville facility at 4520 Poplar Level Road starting Wednesday for the month-long lead-up to Kentucky Derby 136. The necessary annual move is done to minimize inconvenience for customers as track officials prepare the landmark Louisville racetrack for hosting the typical Derby Day crowd of about 150,000.

Churchill Downs recently installed 60 new 47-inch flat screen televisions at Trackside Louisville. Other improvements, including a new roof above the popular hangout “Warner’s Corner,” were made as well.

Simulcast wagering will be offered five days a week (dark Mondays and Tuesdays) for an admission fee of $3 ($1 for Twin Spires Club members and seniors age 60 and up). Admission gates at Trackside Louisville will open at 11:30 a.m. (Note: Churchill Downs’ Gold Room 6 will remain open throughout the month of April for eligible Twin Spires Club Members.)

Simulcast wagering will return to Churchill Downs on Saturday, April 24 for the start of the 42-day Spring Meet. It will remain on-track through Thursday, April 29, before shifting back to Trackside Louisville for Kentucky Derby weekend (Friday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2). Trackside Louisville admission gates will open at 9 a.m. for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, and admission for those days will be $10. Gates will open at noon on Sunday, May 2 and admission will be free.

Simulcast wagering will return to Churchill Downs on Thursday, May 6, following dark days at the racetrack May 2-5.

The temporary relocation of Churchill Downs’ simulcast wagering operation comes just prior to opening day at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, April 2.

    Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will host the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 1 and the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, April 30. The track will conduct its 2010 Spring Meet from Saturday, April 24 through Sunday, July 4. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5 and 6, 2010. Churchill Downs tickets are available at http://tickets.churchilldowns.com or by calling (502) 636-4400. Additional information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.
    
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For the first time since 1999, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be simulcast during Churchill Downs’ Fall Meet. Racing’s year-end global championship event, which consists of 14 races and $25.5 million in prize money, will be run at Southern California’s Santa Anita on Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.
 
Churchill Downs admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) on Nov. 6-7 with the first of 10 live races scheduled for 12:40 p.m. each day.

Led by the undefeated Zenyatta, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Summer Bird, and European standouts Goldikova-IRE and Rip Van Winkle-IRE, 166 horses, including 10 defending or former Breeders’ Cup Champions, were pre-entered for the 26th Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

A simulcast of the nine-race Championship Friday card from Santa Anita will begin at 2:15 p.m. and the Breeders’ Cup will cover Races 3-8. Championship Saturday’s 10-race program will commence at 1:05 p.m., cover Races 2-9 and culminate with the Grade I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 6:45 p.m.

The Championship Friday program will consist of six Breeders’ Cup races, beginning with the $500,000 Marathon, and will be followed by five consecutives races for females, culminating with the Grade I, $2 million Ladies’ Classic.

In addition to the simulcasts interspersed between live races, Churchill Downs will present a stakes race each day. Older horses will be showcased Friday in the 17th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap at one mile. Saturday’s card is topped by a stakes doubleheader for fillies and mares: the 24th edition of the Grade II, $150,000-added Chilukki at one mile and the $60,000-added Dream Supreme, an overnight stakes at six furlongs.

Customers who attend Churchill Downs on Friday will be able to advance wager on the entire Championship Saturday program from Santa Anita. There is no advance wagering on-track Thursday for the Championship Friday program.

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is scheduled to return to Churchill Downs for the first time since 2006 and an unmatched seventh occasion in 2010.

    Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Churchill Downs, which became the first racetrack in the United States to offer simulcasting in high definition (“HD”) last year, will unveil a new graphics package designed specifically for the HD experience when racing returns on Saturday, April 25.

“We were very pleased with the reception that our high-definition signal received last fall, and the positive feedback from customers both on-track and at simulcasting outlets across the country convinced us to move forward with this redesign,” said Kevin Flanery, senior vice president for Churchill Downs Incorporated.  “Our customers were instrumental in helping to create this new look for the Churchill Downs signal through their recommendations and suggestions.  Our ambition is to provide them with the best possible experience when wagering with Churchill Downs, and we believe the new design of and added information within this new HD graphics package will move us closer to that goal.”

Churchill’s new graphics package will be available on both high and standard definition signals.  The new design features bold colors and easy-to-read information in a clean, streamlined presentation, created to maximize visibility and improve the overall end-user experience.  Because high definition offers additional viewing space in the widescreen 16:9 format, the new design eliminates the standard HD “side panels,” shifting the main screen to right and using the additional screen space for exclusive wagering and handicapping information from BRIS.  While this information will not be displayed on traditional standard-definition televisions in order to prevent distortion, both signals will include the same handicapping and wagering information that has historically been available.

The new Churchill Downs graphics were designed by Reality Check out of Los Angeles.  The studio has extensive experience in HD brand-quality graphics, and has designed for ESPN, CBS, FOX, the National Football League, and Major League Baseball.  The look of the new package and the information included was developed based on customer research and feedback.

Churchill Downs continues to work with simulcast outlets across the country to make the HD experience available to as many customers as possible.  “We look forward to continuing our expansion into high definition and making additional improvements,” Flanery added.  “We remain open to any interest from simulcast outlets that may want to offer the Churchill Downs signal in high definition, and look forward to working with them to continue enhancing our product.”

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2009.  The track’s 2009 Spring Meet will take place from April 25 through July 5.  Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5 and 6, 2010.  Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.