Kentucky Oaks

Churchill Downs has set the dates for its trio of three-day betting pools for its 2012 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) and a single pool for the historic track’s Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (“KOFW”).

Dates for the pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is now in its 14^th year, are:

• Pool 1 – Feb. 10-12
• Pool 2 – March 2-4
• Pool 3 – March 30-April 1

 Wagering on each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will open at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday and close on Sunday at 6 p.m.  The KDFW Pools will feature both win and exacta wagering.

The single three-day pool for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, now in its ninth year, is scheduled for March 2-4 and will run concurrent to Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.  Betting on the KOFW pool will open at noon on Friday and is set to conclude on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes after the conclusion of betting on the accompanying Kentucky Derby Future pool.  The Kentucky Oaks Future Pool will also offer win and exacta wagering.

The wagers provide fans of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks opportunities to bet on potential competitors in those great American races at odds that could be considerably more attractive than those available on the days on which the respective races are run.  Winning mutuel payouts on both wagers are determined by the odds that are in place at the conclusion of each respective betting pool.

The 138^th running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), America’s greatest race and the 1 ¼-mile first jewel of the coveted Triple Crown for 3-year-olds, is scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs.  The $1 million-guaranteed Kentucky Oaks, the nation’s top prize for 3-year-old fillies, will be run on Friday, May 4, the eve of the Derby.  Like the Derby, the Kentucky Oaks has been contested annually since 1875 and its 2012 renewal will mark the 138^th consecutive year that the 1 1/8-mile “Derby for Fillies” has been run beneath the track’s historic Twin Spires.

Both the KDFW and KOFW pools consist of 24 wagering interests that include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field, or “all others” interest.  In the Kentucky Derby wager, the mutuel field is made up of all other 3-year-olds – including fillies.  The mutuel field in the Kentucky Oaks bet consists of all other 3-year-old fillies.

All bets in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are $2 minimum wagers.  No refund will be made on any wager placed during the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future pools.  If it is determined during an individual pool that any of the individual betting interests has suffered an illness, injury or other circumstance that would prevent that horse from competing in either race, wagering on that betting interest will be suspended immediately.

Wagering on the Derby and Oaks Future wagers is available through TwinSpires.com and other advance deposit wagering platforms and at racetracks and simulcast centers throughout North America.

Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom, who went off at odds of 20-1 and paid $43.80 for a $2 win wager in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, was listed as an individual betting interest only during Pool 3 of last year’s Derby Future Wager.  He closed at odds of 31-1 in that pool and a $2 future wager on trainer Graham Motion’s colt returned $64.40 on Derby Day.  As a member of the “all others” mutuel field in the first two pools of 2011, he returned $6.20 for a Pool 1 bet and $9.40 for a Pool 2 wager.  Both Animal Kingdom and Derby runner-up Nehro were part of the “all others” interest (#24), so the KDFW $2 exacta payouts for the three pools were:

• Pool 1 – 24-13 (mutuel field over third-place Mucho Macho Man) for $230;
• Pool 2 – 24-12 (mutuel field over third-place Mucho Macho Man) for $388.20;
• Pool 3 – 1-12 (Animal Kingdom over runner-up Nehro) for $3,074.60.

 The Derby Day $2 exacta payout for Animal Kingdom over Nehro (16-19) was $329.80.

Eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty was not an individual betting interest in the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool, but returned $21.80 to win as member of the KOFW mutuel field.  The Peachtree Stable filly trained by Bob Baffert returned $14.60 for a $2 win wager on Oaks Day.  Both Plum Pretty and runner-up St. John’s River were members of the mutuel field, so the KOFW exacta paid to 24-23, with third-place Zazu under the top two “all others” finishers, and returned $142.20 for a $2 bet.  The Oaks Day exacta of Plum Pretty over St. John’s River (12-13) paid $163 for a $2 wager.

Wagering for the three 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools totaled $1,362,101, the fifth highest total since the Derby bet was introduced in 1999 and its largest three-pool betting total since 2007.  Kentucky Oaks fans wagered $92,902 during the single KOFW pool of 2011, second only to the single-pool total of $117,368 recorded in the wager’s introductory year in 2003.

Wagering interests for the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks future pools will be announced on the Wednesday prior to the Friday start of each pool.  Real-time odds and other information on the KDFW will be available at the official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com, and information on the KOFW will be available at www.KentuckyOaks.com.

Headed by the 138^th runnings of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) and the $1 million-guaranteed Kentucky Oaks (GI), Churchill Downs’ schedule of stakes races for its April 28-July 1 Spring Meet will feature 24 events, total stakes purses of $7.275 million and an emphasis on ‘big event’ programs that include the first nighttime running of the multi-stakes event headed by the Stephen Foster Handicap, one of America’s top races for older horses.

All but one of the 24 Spring Meet stakes events has achieved graded stakes status, and five are Grade I contests topped by the Kentucky Derby, America’s greatest race, and its companion Kentucky Oaks.  The Grade I roster is rounded out by the $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic and $300,000-added Humana Distaff, both set for their 26^th runnings on the Kentucky Derby Day program, and the Stephen Foster Handicap, which will carry a purse of $400,000-added when it makes its first appearance beneath Churchill Downs’ permanent lights when the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up is run for the 31^st time on Saturday, June 16.

The spring schedule of stakes races at Churchill Downs features four multi-stakes race programs.  Total stakes purses for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks programs, each featuring six stakes events, will be the largest in the history of those great American races.  Six stakes contests on the Derby Day program on Saturday, May 5, offer total purses $3.525 million, up from last year’s then-record of $3.4 million. Overall stakes purses for Kentucky Oaks Day, Friday, May 4, will surpass $2 million for the first time as its half-dozen stakes races are now worth a collective $2.05 million.  Oaks Day stakes purses hit the $2 million mark for the first time in 2011, when the value of the Kentucky Oaks, America’s top race for 3-year-old fillies, doubled to $1 million.

The value of stakes purses for the 2012 Spring Meet is down slightly from last year’s of total of $7.325 million for 25 races.  Purses for three 2012 races on the popular Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Day programs have been increased, headed by a $100,000 boost for the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes, a race for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs that is now worth $400,000-added.  Purses for five Spring Meet stakes races were adjusted downward, including a $100,000 reduction for the Stephen Foster Handicap and a $50,000 decrease for the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII), a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares ages three and up that is set to return from a one-year hiatus with a $150,000-added purse as one of four stakes races on the Stephen Foster Night program.

Nine of the 12 Spring Meet stakes races outside of its blockbuster Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks programs are scheduled to be run in prime time on a Saturday night.

"Our 2012 Spring Meet Stakes schedule at Churchill Downs is exciting in terms of the high quality events and wonderful possibilities offered to the fans who enjoy those races and the owners, trainers and jockeys who compete in them,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “Our fans who support Churchill Downs racing at our track, through TwinSpires.com and other advance deposit wagering platforms, and at simulcast centers have shown us that they love big-event programs, so we’ve added a fourth multi-race stakes card to the schedule.  We’re eager to see how stakes races on each of our four ‘Downs After Dark’ night racing programs enhance those Saturdays of racing under the lights.

“But our stakes purses are basically flat to last year’s total, and we’ve had to do some adjusting within our available purse funds to make the overall schedule of our top races as attractive as possible to both horsemen and racing fans. The schedule continues to offer strong events in every division of horses, but the lack of growth in those purses continues to reflect the challenges Churchill Downs and Kentucky’s horse industry face in the continued growth of direct gaming competition from neighboring and other racing markets that benefit from gaming revenues.”

The 2012 Spring Meet will kick off on Saturday, April 28 with the “Opening Night” celebration under the lights that launches both the spring racing session and Kentucky Derby Week.  The evening’s racing highlight is the 88^th running of the $200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (Grade III), the one-mile race for 3-year-olds that is the final major prep for the Kentucky Derby.  Last year’s debut of “Opening Night” attracted 38,142 fans, which was the largest crowd in the short history of night racing beneath the Twin Spires and a record for a non-Derby/Oaks/Breeders’ Cup program.

All four night racing programs during the Spring Meet are scheduled on Saturdays and will, for the first time, feature graded stakes races along their array of “Downs After Dark” dining and entertainment options.

A quartet of stakes races with total purses of $750,000 is set for the Stephen Foster Handicap “Downs After Dark’ night racing program on Saturday, June 16.  Along with its main event and the return of the Fleur de Lis, Stephen Foster Night will offer a pair of Grade III contests in $100,000-added Matt Winn, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, and the $100,000-added Regret for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on grass.  A trio of $100,000-added stakes races is set for the “Downs After Dark” celebration on Saturday, June 2. And the “Downs After Dark” finale on Saturday, June 30 will feature the historic 111^th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

Other changes in the purse or status of races on the 2012 Spring Meet stakes schedule include:

• Purse hikes for two Kentucky Derby Day stakes races: a $100,000 boost to the Churchill Downs Stakes (GII) making it worth $400,000-added, and a $25,000 increase for Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by GE - Appliances & Lighting (GIII), which now has a purse of $125,000;

• The $300,000-added Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables on Kentucky Oaks Day has been elevated to Grade II status, and the purse for the ungraded Edgewood Presented by Kentucky Naational Insurance on the same day has jumped to $150,000-added, an increase of $50,000;
• The purse for the Firecracker Handicap (GII), the featured event on the meet’s closing day program on Sunday, July 1, has been reduced by $25,000 to $150,000-added;
• Purses for the $100,000-added Regret and $100,000-added Matt Winn on Stephen Foster Night were reduced by $25,000 each;
• Two stakes run in 2011 – the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies and the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup (GIII) for 3-year-olds on turf – are on hiatus for at least a year.

Click here for the complete 2012 Spring Meet Stakes Schedule

Churchill Downs will permit four also-eligible entrants to the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), America’s greatest race, and the $1 million guaranteed Kentucky Oaks (GI), the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, beginning with the respective 138^th runnings of those races in 2012.

For the first time in the recent history of those races, the new system allows as many as four horses to remain eligible to compete in each race beyond the official time of entry and one or more of the “also eligible” horses could be allowed to run in their respective race if members of the original fields for their races scratch from the race within a specified period of time.  A maximum of 20 horses is allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby, the 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds conducted each year on the first Saturday in May, while the Kentucky Oaks, the Derby’s 1 1/8-mile counterpart for fillies run on the eve of the Derby, is limited to 14 starters.

Entries for the Kentucky Derby are due the Wednesday before the race, while Oaks entries are taken on the Tuesday before its annual Friday renewal.  Also-eligible horses would be permitted to compete in the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks if there are scratches from either race prior to their shared official “scratch time” of 9 a.m. (Eastern) on Friday, Kentucky Oaks Day.  That time is the opening of wagering on the Kentucky Oaks Day racing program and the beginning of preliminary betting on the Kentucky Derby.

In the event of a scratch or scratches from either race, preference among also-eligible entrants would be determined under the current eligibility system for the Derby and Oaks.  Horses with the highest total earnings in graded stakes races would “draw-in” to the field for their respective race.  If the total entrants for either of those races should exceed the maximum field size plus four, the four horses listed as also-eligible entrants would be determined by the same system.

“There has been significant discussion in recent years regarding also-eligible entrants for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, especially in light of the late scratches of Derby favorites I Want Revenge in 2009 and Uncle Mo from this year’s running,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack.  “Our concerns have always focused on preliminary wagering on the Kentucky Derby permitted during our Kentucky Oaks Day racing program, including refunds of wagers on scratched Derby horses and potential confusion during those two special days among our massive crowds of bettors.

“Also-eligible horses for Oaks will have nearly three days of opportunity to get into their race, while the Derby’s window for also-eligible entrants to participate is just under 48 hours. We feel strongly that the deadline for also-eligible horses to join the Derby field must be set before preliminary wagering on the race begins.  Despite the more limited window for also-eligible horses for the Derby, this system provides owners and trainers an opportunity to keep their Derby dreams alive that has never existed before.”

Equibase past performances for also-eligible horses for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks will appear in racing programs along with the original fields for the two races.  As many as four also-eligible horses outside of the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse field would be listed, in order of preference, with program numbers 21, 22, 23 and 24.  Kentucky Oaks also-eligible fillies would be numbered between 15 and 18, also in order of preference.

In the event of a scratch from either the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks fields, horses in post positions outside of the scratched horses would move in a spot and the also-eligible horse would then occupy the outermost position in the starting gate.  Also-eligible entrants are not required to compete in either race in the event of a scratch.

The decision to permit also-eligible entrants to the Kentucky Derby will allow that possibility for the first time since a two-year period in the early 1980’s.  Churchill Downs adjusted its Kentucky Derby rules in 1982 to allow up to eight also-eligible entrants, but reversed that policy following the 1983 “Run for the Roses.”  Twenty horse fields were entered in the Derby in each of those years, so the also-eligible rule never came into play.

The historic track first imposed its 20-horse Derby field limit in 1975 after a record 23 Thoroughbreds competed in 1974’s Centennial Derby won by Cannonade.  The field was limited to the 20 3-year-olds with the highest career earnings,but following a 1981 legal challenge that enabled 21 horses to run in the Derby won by Pleasant Colony, Churchill Downs established its current policy to restrict the field to the 20 horses with the highest career earnings in graded, non-restricted stakes. 

Churchill Downs has been the scene of many historic races and special moments since its debut meet in 1875, but few of the track’s racing meets held each year since have seen as many historic ‘firsts’ – including an unusual blast from Mother Nature – as the 2011 Spring Meet concluded its 38-day run with an Independence Day program on Monday, July 4.

The venerable track’s record books underwent serious adjustment following a record-smashing 137^th running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 7 that established a new standard for attendance at America’s greatest race; a special Spring Meet “Opening Night” under the track’s permanent lights set an attendance mark of its own; a continuation of the success of the special “Downs After Dark” night racing programs; and the remarkable recovery by the track and its horsemen from a rare tornado that blasted sections of its stable area on Wednesday, June 22.

Spring Meet racing highlights included first-of-their-kind wins by Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom in the Kentucky Derby and William Farish Jr.’s Pool Play in the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI), with each horse making history by becoming the first  to win their respective races in their first runs over traditional dirt; a victory by Peachtree Stable’s Plum Pretty in the richest running of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI); a remarkable and ongoing streak of five consecutive victories in graded stakes races by horses trained by Ken McPeek; an historic win over males in the $100,000 Louisville Handicap (GIII) by Barbara Hunter’s homebred Keertana; a glimpse at racing’s future stars in victories by Barry L. King’s Flashy Lassie in the $100,000-added Debutante (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies and Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor in the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII); and the first race for horses of the Arabian breed ever conducted beneath the track’s venerable Twin Spires.

The tornado that ripped through the Churchill Downs backside on June 22 resulted in the cancellation of racing the following day – a rare cancellation of an entire racing program at the track.  Despite damage that forced the evacuation of horses from six and a half barns for the rest of the meet and battered the track’s backside chapel, no humans or horses were injured in the storm that the National Weather Service said packed top winds of 105 miles per hour and was rated F1 on the Fujita scale.  Racing resumed at the track with a “Downs After Dark” night racing program on Friday, June 24, and the 6 p.m. (EDT) first race went off just shy of 48 hours after the storm hit the track.  National Weather Service records indicate it was the first tornado to hit Churchill Downs since an unusual January storm took a similar path through the property in 1928.

“This Spring Meet will long be memorable for milestones and memories highlighted by Derby Day attendance that surpassed a record that had had been untouched for nearly 40 years, but the response by our community, our horsemen and our team in the aftermath of the June 22 tornado was an unexpected example of what makes Churchill Downs so very special,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs.  “In the minutes and hours after the unexpected storm, people from every area of this track joined together to ensure the safety and well-being of every horse and individual touched by the storm.  The support offered by the many public service agencies, headed by the Louisville Fire Department, and people throughout our industry and community was incredibly gratifying.

“In terms of business, it was a very strong meet kicked off by the first ‘Opening Night’ celebration for the Spring Meet and Derby Week – a night so successful it became an instant part of Kentucky Derby tradition.  The continued strength and growth of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, with the growing ‘Taste of Derby’ celebration and the continuing Kentucky Oaks fundraising partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure©, is tremendously exciting.  And ‘Downs After Dark’ night racing continues to be one of our industry’s shining success stories.  Churchill Downs continues to operate in competitive business climate and the playing field on which we face our top competitors is far from level, but our team continues to strive for innovative ways to attract fans and horses in an effort to keep our track at the forefront of American racing now and in the future.”

The brightest of the Spring Meet’s highlights came, as usual, on the first Saturday in May when 164,858 fans witnessed the Kentucky Derby victory by Animal Kingdom.  The attendance figure surpassed the previous standard of 163,628 established at the Centennial Derby in 1974.  The race provided the first victories in America’s greatest race for owner/breeder Team Valor International, trainer H. Graham Motion and jockey John Velazquez.   Wagering at Churchill Downs on the full Kentucky Derby Day race card, was $23.4 million, an increase of 9.0 percent over 2010's on-track wagering total of $21.5 million.  On-track wagering on the Derby race was $11.5 million, an increase of 4.2 percent over the $11.1 million wagered one year earlier.

All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby card was $165.2 million, the third-highest in Derby history and an increase of 1.5 percent over the prior year's $162.7 million. All-sources handle on the Derby race itself as $112.0 million, flat with 2010's $112.7 million.

The spectacular Kentucky Derby Day was preceded by another successful renewal of the Kentucky Oaks, which attracted a crowd of 110,122, the third-largest in history, that watched Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert earn his second victory in America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies with Peachtree Stable’s Plum Pretty.  The Atlanta-based Peachtree Stable partnership and jockey Martin Garcia earned their first Oaks wins.

On-track Kentucky Oaks guests, many adorned in pink for the Oaks’ third annual “Pink Out” to support breast cancer awareness, wagered $12.1 million on the full Oaks Day race card, which was an increase of 2.1 percent over 2010's on-track total of $11.9 million. On-track wagering on the Oaks race was $3.0 million, an increase of 7.4 percent over the $2.8 million wagered one year earlier.  All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks card set a record of $37.5 million, an increase of 4.2 percent over the prior year's 36.0 million. All-sources handle on the Oaks race itself was $11.4 million, up 8.2 percent over 2010's $10.6 million.

This spring’s Kentucky Derby and Oaks Week activities again provided a significant financial boost to national and local charities.

The third year of the Kentucky Oaks partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure raised $110,122 for the work of the world’s largest breast cancer outreach and funding organization.  Since the start of the partnership with Komen for the Cure in 2009, $328,468 has been raised for breast cancer research.

Another $30,000 was generated on Oaks Day for Horses and Hope, the breast cancer outreach initiative in Kentucky’s horse industry headed by First Lady Jane Beshear that has now received $90,000 over three years through its Oaks fundraising partnership.  And ‘Taste of Derby,’ the Derby Week celebration of racing life and food from racing cities held for the second consecutive year at the Mellwood Arts Center, generated $20,000 for Dare to Care, a Louisville food bank that has served needy residents since 1971.

The first ‘Opening Night’ under Churchill Downs’ permanent lights to kick off the Spring Meet and Derby Week proved an immediate and rousing success when 38,142 fans flocked to the track on Saturday, April 30.  The attendance was the highest in Churchill Downs’ three years of night racing and set an attendance record for a non-Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks or Breeders’ Cup World Championships racing program.

“Downs After Dark” racing on the meet’s final three Friday evening programs provided strong evidence that the region continues to embrace the unique night racing experience presented by Churchill Downs.  The first “Downs After Dark” session of 2011 on June 17 attracted 23,332, and attendance grew to 25,523 on June 24.  The meet’s final “Downs After Dark” program on July 1 was its largest at 27,787.

Churchill Downs continued to offer horses and patrons strong and competitive fields of horses in each age and gender division.  There were 3,265 starters in the meet’s 408 races for an average of 7.99 starters per race, which was an increase from the 2010 average of 7.75 horses in 439 races during a 42-day Spring Meet.

The strength of wagering over Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks weekend contributed to a pair of purse increases implemented during the meet.  The first was a 10 percent increase in overnight purses effective on Thursday June 9.  That increase was followed by a 15 jump in overnight purses for the final three weeks of the meet that went into effect on June 16.  Racing on Thursday, June 23 was cancelled because of tornado damage, but eight of that day’s scheduled nine races were made up during the meet’s closing weekend.

In the meet’s “human races,” jockey Julien Leparoux rode a torrid hot streak over the meet’s final three weeks to erase a large lead held by Corey Lanerie to earn the Spring Meet riding title.  It was the eighth Churchill Downs riding crown for the 27-year-old Leparoux and his fourth Spring Meet title for the 27-year-old native of Senlis France.  The final margin was 53-47 for Leparoux, who also collected his 500^th career victory at Churchill Downs during the meet’s final weekend, becoming just the 10^th rider to achieve that milestone.

Shaun Bridgmohan finished third in the jockey race with 36 wins and 2010 Spring Meet win leader Calvin Borel was next with 33.

The race for the leading trainer of the meet came down its final furlong of the last of the meet’s 408 races.  Steve Asmussen held off McPeek and Eddie Kenneally by an 18-17 margin to earn his fifth consecutive training title and his tenth overall. Peter Callaghan’s Ballyclough, trained by McPeek, led with an eighth of a mile remaining in the meet finale, but finished third to Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Windswept.

Athough McPeek fell short in his bid a title, he ended the meet on one of the most notable streaks in Churchill Downs history.  McPeek has saddled the winner in his last five graded stakes races at the track, a streak that will carry over to the Fall Meet that begins Oct. 30.  His winners included the Dogwood (GIII) with Salty Strike, the Aristides (GIII) with Noble’s Promise, the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) with My Baby Baby, the Matt Winn (GIII) with Scotus and the Regret (GIII) with Bizzy Caroline.

The victory by the appropriately-named Windswept in the meet’s last race was a fitting finale for trainer Steve Margolis, whose barn 23 was the structure most severely damaged by the tornado 2 ½ weeks earlier.  Margolis ended the meet with 11 wins, good for seventh in the overall standings.

While familiar faces swept the leading rider and trainer titles, newcomer Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., owned by Richard and Karen Papiese, sent out eight winners to collect its first “leading owner” title at Churchill Downs.  Seventeen-time leading owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey tied with Jay Em Ess Stable of Mace and Samantha Siegel for the runner-up spot with six wins, while the partnership of trainer Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel won five races.

Along with the record attendance for the Kentucky Derby and the Spring Meet “Opening Night” celebration, and the first-on-dirt wins in the Derby by Animal Kingdom and the Stephen Foster, other Spring Meet “firsts” in the meet included:

• Keertana’s victory in the 74^th running Louisville Handicap, which had been run over various surfaces and distances since its initial running in 1895.  The Tom Proctor-trained 5-year-old mare became to the first of her gender to win the Louisville in any of its previous forms and earned the win in a dramatic three-horse photo-finish over Bearpath and Guys Reward.
• Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan won the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE (GII) on the meet’s closing day.  It was his first race on grass in 10 career starts. The one-mile race has been run on grass in 19 of its 21 runnings and the Charles Lopresti-trained Wise Dan became the first horse to win the Firecracker without a previous race on turf.
• Sam Vasquez’s T M Fred Texas became the first winner of an Arabian race at Churchill Downs when when he won Grade I, $52,500 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup by 9 ¼ lengths June 18.  The race was part of a one-year partnership with Abu Dhabi and the Emirates Equestrian Federation. The Arabian race was one of five stakes events offered on Stephen Foster Day presented by Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.        

 Racing returns to Churchill Downs on Sunday, Oct. 30 for the 122^nd Fall Meet, a 21-day stand that will be highlighted by the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to the track on Nov. 4 and 5

CHURCHILL TRAINERS LIKE 1-2 DERBY RUNNERS IN THE BELMONT – Trainers based at historic Churchill Downs have had the opportunity to see many of the contenders for the 143^rd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI) up close and personal.

The top seven finishers in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) will run in Saturday’s Belmont; three of which are based at Churchill Downs: Zayat Stables LLC’s Nehro (second), Michael Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge’s Shackleford (fourth) and Tom Walters’ Santiva (sixth).  Also based at Churchill Downs is Donald Adam’s Prime Cut, third in the recent Peter Pan (GII) at Belmont Park.

After following the Triple Crown races and observing many of the Belmont contenders condition beneath the Twin Spires, many trainers on the Louisville track’s backstretch have made up their minds as to who will win the third jewel of the Triple Crown and the majority are thinking Animal Kingdom or Nehro.

“Animal Kingdom will win the Belmont,” trainer Paul McGee said. “I picked him in the Derby and the Preakness (GI) and I’m going to stick with him.”

Trainer Steve Margolis, who collected his 100^th win beneath the Twin Spires earlier in the meet, likes Animal Kingdom as well. “I’ll be rooting for Graham (Motion) and Animal Kingdom and I think he’ll win,” Margolis said. “But I also like Master of Hounds as a longshot possibility.”

“It’ll be a good race, but I don’t think anyone will beat Animal Kingdom,” trainer Scooter Dickey said.

Trainer Jimmy Baker, who has won with four of his 14 starters this meet, believes one of the favorites will cross the line first in the Belmont. “I like the favorites in the race,” Baker said. “Nehro will be fresh, Shackleford will be the pace and may hold on, and Animal Kingdom will be running at the end. One of those will win it.”

"How can you not like Animal Kingdom?,” said trainer Tom Amoss, who is currently tied with Dale Romans for second in the trainer standings with nine wins at the meet.

Trainer David Carroll is also in Animal Kingdom’s corner. “Animal Kingdom will win tomorrow (Saturday),” Carroll said.                                   

The other Belmont contender who has a lot of support on the Churchill Downs backstretch is Nehro.

“I like Shackleford and Animal Kingdom, but Nehro will be fresh and I think he’ll win,” trainer Bret Calhoun said.

Garry Simms, who has won with three of his ten starters this meet, also picked Nehro. “I hope Shackleford wins, but I’m going with (Steve) Asmussen’s horse (Nehro),” Simms said.

"I like Nehro and I think he’ll like the distance (1 ½-miles),” trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi said.

Trainer Dallas Stewart was one of the few trainers to not select Animal Kingdom, Shackleford, or Nehro. “I think a longshot is going to win,” Stewart said. “I just don’t know which one.”

Tom McCarthy, who will saddle General Quarters in Friday’s featured ninth race, was unsure of who will win Saturday.

“Anyone’s guess is as good as mine,” McCarthy said. “It’ll be a good race and we’ll just have to wait and see.”

CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN INJURED, PROBABLY OUT FOR THE YEAR – Rosemary A. Rauch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can is expected to miss most or all of the remainder of the 2011 racing season after apparently suffering an injury during his third-place run behind Noble’s Promise in last week’s $100,000-added Aristides (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Ian Wilkes said he’s not “100 percent” sure of the exact nature of the problem that has sent the 5-year-old gelded son of Candy Ride to the sidelines.  But Wilkes suspects that Capt. Candyman Can fractured his humerus bone in his left shoulder.  Capt. Candyman Can is due for a bone scan in a few days that should identify the exact injury.

Wilkes said the injury would knock Capt. Candyman Can out of training for “at least 90 days.”

The winner of the Grade I King’s Bishop at three, Capt. Candyman Can missed all of 2010 with a knee issue.  The Aristides was the fourth start of a 2011 campaign for Capt. Candyman Can that Wilkes had hoped would reach its climax in November in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) at Churchill Downs.  He won his first two starts of the year and finished a close fourth to Aikenite in the Churchill Downs (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day prior to his run in the Aristides.

Wilkes believes the injury could have occurred at the start of the Aristides.  Capt. Candyman Can got away from the starting gate slowly after a slow loading process for the field of eight when one of its members was reluctant to enter the gate.

“It’s possible it happened at the start – he did stumble there, too,” Wilkes said.  “He didn’t finish the way he should – the way he normally does.  I have no doubt that he would have won the race if he was right.”

Capt. Candyman Can is stabled at Skylight Training Center, which is located about 30 minutes from Churchill Downs.  He is scheduled for rest on a farm after the bone scan is completed on Wilkes’ stable star.

Capt. Candyman Can has a career record of 8-2-2 in 16 races with earnings of $760,147.

STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP PROBABLES NEAR FINAL WORKS AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – A pair of probable starters for the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) on June 18 at Churchill Downs will soon be putting in their final pre-race workouts at the historic track.

The Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Clark Handicap (GI) winner Giant Oak is scheduled to tune-up for his Stephen Foster run on Sunday at Churchill Downs with a 6:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) workout for Chris Block. The 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway captured the Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park earlier this year prior to a fifth-place finish in the Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables (GIII) on Kentucky Oaks Day.

Twin Creeks Racing Stable, LLC’s Mission Impazible, who won the New Orleans Handicap (GII) at Fair Grounds prior to a seventh-place finish in the Alysheba (GIII), will have his final workout prior to the Stephen Foster on Sunday at Churchill Downs, according to Todd Pletcher’s assistant trainer, Mike McCarthy.  Mission Impazilbe finished tenth behind Super Saver in the 2010 Kentucky Derby.

Other horses known to be under consideration for the Stephen Foster (with trainers) include Apart (Al Stall Jr.), Crown of Thorns (Richard Mandella), Duke of Mischief (David Fawkes), First Dude (Bob Baffert) and Regal Ransom (Saeed bin Suroor).

Weights for the 30^th running of the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) will be released Saturday.

KATHMANBLU WILL LEAD MCPEEK DUO IN REGRET – Five D Thoroughbreds and Wind River Stables’ multiple graded stakes winning filly Kathmanblu will return from a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) to run in the 42^nd running of the $125,000-added Regret Presented by ETIHAD Airways (GIII) at 1 1/8-miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 18.

Kathmanblu’s stablemate in the Ken McPeek barn, Catesby Clay’s Bizzy Caroline, a 3-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex who sprinted away to a seven-length victory in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 27, is also being pointed toward a start in the Regret.

Kathmanblu will be making her fifth start of the year in the Regret, but it will be her first on the turf since a victory in the Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park in January. McPeek’s assistant trainer, Philip Bauer, said he hopes Kathmanblu will appreciate a return to the turf and get back on the winning track.

“She’s been doing really well since the (Kentucky) Oaks and I think that turf is her best surface,” Bauer said. “On paper it looks like she will be tough to beat.”

The 3-year-old daughter of Bluegrass Cat has a record of 3-1-1 from five starts over the turf, including two stakes wins and a third behind More Than Real and Winter Memories in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) at Churchill Downs last November.

Other horses under consideration to compete in the Regret (with trainers) include Bouquet Booth (Steve Margolis), Diva Ash (Dale Romans) and Excited (Todd Pletcher).

NEHRO WORKMATE PROBABLE FOR MATT WINN – George Bolton, Stonestreet Stables, LLC and Spendthrift Farm, LLC’s Dominus, who finished second behind Machen in The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII) in his most recent start, is being pointed towards a start in the 14^th running of the $125,000-added Matt Winn on June 18 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

  Dominus, a 3-year-old ridgling by Smart Strike out of the Lord At War-ARG mare Cuando, worked in company with Belmont Stakes (GI) starter Nehro on May 30 at Churchill Downs. The stablemates completed the six furlong work together in 1:12.20, which was the fastest of four, six furlong workers that morning.

Other horses known to be under consideration for the Matt Winn and their trainers include Alstom (Wayne Lukas), Bind (Al Stall Jr.), Infrattini (Paul McGee), and Uncle Brent (Lynn Whiting).

RUNNER-UP IN AMERICAN TURF POSSIBLE FOR JEFFERSON CUP RUN - William S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally, runner-up to Banned in the American Turf Presented by Ram (GII)  on Kentucky Oaks Day and the  Lone Star Derby (GIII) on Memorial Day, worked three furlongs in :37.60 on a fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning for trainer Neil Howard.

The 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway is a possible starter for the 36^th running of the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup (GIII) at 1 1/16-miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 18 Stephen Foster Day undercard.

Howard is also considering running Courtlandt Farms’ Perregaux in the Jefferson Cup. The 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor finished second beaten a half-length to Ronin Dax on May 27 in a one-mile allowance over the Matt Winn Turf Course in his most recent start, which served as his 2011 debut.

"I’m considering both of them (Close Ally and Perregaux) for the Jefferson Cup,” Howard said. “Only one is likely to start; however, I’m not sure which one that will be just yet. Robby Albarado will have the mount regardless of which one runs.”

Other horses known to be under consideration for the Jefferson Cup and their trainers include Banned (Tom Proctor), Derby Kitten (Mike Maker), Redboard (Garry Simms) and Swagger Jack (Darrin Miller).

BARN TALK – Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor gave trainer Bernie Flint his fourth 2-year-old win of the meet in the fifth race at Churchill Downs on Thursday. Cathy and Bob Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best was second and Donegal Racing’s Dullahan, a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Mine That Bird, finished third.

Right Time Racing LLC’s Street Storm, who finished eighth in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) in her most recent start, is being pointed to the Iowa Oaks (GIII) at Prairie Meadows on June 25, according to trainer Steve Margolis.

Nominations for the 111^th running of the $100,000-added Debutante (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs close Saturday. The Debutante, which is scheduled to be run on the main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, June 25, was won last year by Eldon Farm Equine, LLC’s Just Louise under Robby Albarado for trainer Dale Romans. …

Churchill Downs will offer advance wagering all day Friday beginning at 11:20 a.m. for the 143^rd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes to be run Saturday. A unique wager offered Friday by the New York Racing Association is the Brooklyn/Belmont double that links Belmont Park's two 1 1/2-mile marathon stakes events: Friday's Grade II, $150,000 Brooklyn Handicap for older horses and Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. …

Belmont Park's 13-race Belmont Stakes program will begin at 11:35 a.m. EDT, and will feature $1 million guaranteed pools for an all graded stakes Pick 6 (Races 6-11 starting at 2:34 p.m.) and Pick 4 (Races 8-11 starting at 3:59 p.m.). The 1 1/2-mile Belmont -- the third and final leg of the Triple Crown -- is scheduled as Belmont Park's Race 11 at approximately 6:36 p.m. The on-track simulcast of the Belmont will follow Race 11 and the racing will be prominently shown on television monitors throughout the facility, including the infield and paddock JumboTrons. ...

There will be a drawing ton win three Early Times prints by Marita Walizer on Saturday. Patrons may register for the drawing prior to 2 p.m. near Gate 17. Also, there will be an Early Times mascot race on the Matt Winn Turf Course following Saturday’s fourth race. …

The official drink of the Belmont Stakes, the Belmont Jewel (1.5 oz Woodford Reserve, 2 oz lemonade, 1 oz pomegranate juice), will be sold throughout the facility on Saturday.

Saturday’s Junior Jockey Club events for the kiddos include foam fun and a puppet show at 2:15 p.m.

WORKTAB – Courtlandt Farms’ Machen, winner of The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII) at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, also worked for Howard beneath the Twin Spires on Friday morning. The 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor completed the four furlong breeze in :51.40. …

Briland Farm’s Absinthe Minded, who finished second by a head to Awesome Maria in the Shuvee Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park in her most recent start, worked four furlongs in :48.00 Friday morning for trainer Wayne Lukas.  …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 30- June 9) are Corey Lanerie (8-for-29), Julien Leparoux (7-for-26) and Calvin Borel (6-for-26). Bernie Flint (3-for-5), Ian Wilkes (3-for-10), Steve Asmussen (3-for-12) and Ken McPeek (3-for-13) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Stoneway Farm (3-for-3), Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (2-for-2), and Charles E. Fipke (2-for-5).

WEATHER – Friday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms, 93. Saturday: partly sunny with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90. Sunday: mostly sunny, 82. Monday: partly sunny, 83. Tuesday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 85. Wednesday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Thursday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88.

Continuing a commitment to new Kentucky Oaks Day traditions established two years ago, Churchill Downs Racetrack, the home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, have renewed their partnership to raise funds to aid in breast cancer awareness and research through events on Friday, May 6 – the day prior to the famed “Run for the Roses.”

 Kentucky Oaks 137, the Kentucky Derby’s $1 million companion race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, will once again feature a “Ladies First” theme and a day of events to raise money and awareness for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, which leads the global movement for breast cancer research, education, advocacy and community support. The event will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Group’s VERSUS from 5-6 p.m. ET.

 For the third consecutive year, Churchill Downs will donate $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for every person in attendance on Kentucky Oaks Day, and the hope is to set an attendance record to raise maximum funds for a great cause. The lofty goal was achieved last year when an unprecedented 116,046 attendees flocked to Churchill Downs on Oaks Day.

Additionally, Churchill Downs will donate $1 to Horses and Hope, the breast cancer outreach and awareness initiative in Kentucky’s horse racing industry, from the sale of Oaks Lilies, the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks. Horses and Hope was founded in 2008 by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program to identify new opportunities to provide breast cancer awareness, education, and early detection through screening and treatment referral, as well as to raise funds to sustain programs into the future.

Special Kentucky Oaks Day events will include a “Pink Out!” which encourages all Oaks attendees to incorporate pink into their attire for the day to show their support. Also, there will be a Survivors Parade presented by Kroger and a Chambord® Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest.

“When someone in the world dies of breast cancer every 69 seconds, it’s imperative that we fund critical research, spread awareness and educate women about breast health and breast cancer,” said Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. “As the first ‘First Lady of the Oaks’, I was very moved by the generosity and passion Oaks Day supporters have shown this cause. It’s a fun day for a serious mission, and we’re very appreciative to Churchill Downs for making it a reality again this year.”

“We are so pleased and grateful that Kentucky Oaks fans and the Louisville community have embraced our ‘Ladies First’ campaign and partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” said Churchill Downs Incorporated President and Chief Executive Officer Robert L. Evans. “Our guests put on their pink apparel and turned out in record numbers to enjoy the Oaks last year, with Kentucky Oaks 136 being the second-highest attended racing event in the country, generating the eighth largest handle for a U.S. racing event in 2010. No other city of this size could support the growing Oaks event and the important causes tied to it the way our hometown of Louisville does.

“This year’s ‘Pink Out’ will be bigger and better than ever,” Evans continued, “and we’re crossing our fingers for another record attendance and the chance to contribute significant funds towards breast cancer awareness, research and prevention. To date, Churchill Downs has contributed $284,000 to the Komen and Horses and Hope charities through our Oaks fund-raising efforts. We look forward to sharing Oaks Day’s special experiences – from the pink carpet fashion contest to the annual Survivors Parade – with our guests, the many of breast cancer survivors who join us, and with a national television audience through the new coverage we will enjoy on NBC Sports Group’s VERSUS Network.”   

“Pink Out!” Returns

The official color of both the Kentucky Oaks and breast cancer awareness is pink; therefore, Churchill Downs is staging its third “Pink Out!” at the track on Oaks Day and encouraging all Oaks attendees to wear pink or to incorporate pink into their attire for the day to show their support. Additionally, Churchill Downs’ facility will be adorned in pink on Oaks Day, including pink-colored bunting, flower beds, flags and jockeys’ and pony riders’ apparel. Even Churchill Downs bugler Steve Buttleman will sport a pink uniform as he calls horses to the post throughout the Oaks race card.

Churchill Downs and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® are encouraging survivors and supporters from the region, and around the world, to attend this very special event and, of course, show their support by wearing pink. Even if supporters and survivors can’t make it to Louisville, they can get involved by visiting www.KentuckyDerbyParty.com for a specially designed Susan G. Komen for the Cure® branded invitation and everything needed to throw an Oaks or Derby party as a fundraiser at home.

Community-wide “Pink Fridays” In April to Win Oaks Tickets

To build continued awareness for the Oaks Day “Pink Out!” within the local community, Churchill Downs is encouraging and challenging Louisvillians to wear pink every Friday throughout the month of April. Each week, Churchill Downs’ “Pink Patrol” will make a surprise Friday visit to award two individuals or establishments who excel at “pinking out” their homes, yards, businesses, schools, cars, etc. with pink decorations, trim and products. The winners will receive two box seats for the Kentucky Oaks. Further details about how to participate in the contest can be found at the official Kentucky Oaks Web site, www.KentuckyOaks.com.

Chambord Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest Winner Will Win Trip to Fashion Week in New York City

Ladies of all ages in attendance on Kentucky Oaks Day can enter the Chambord® Kentucky Oaks Fashion Contest with the winner receiving an all-expense VIP trip for two to Fashion Week in New York City. Entrants showcasing their finest Oaks attire will be judged on the “Pink Carpet” inside the Aristides Garden. Participants will be judged on how fashionably they incorporate pink into their ensemble.
 
Online Nomination and Voting Process to Participate in Survivors Parade

The Survivors Parade presented by Kroger has provided some of the most memorable and emotional Kentucky Oaks Day moments each of the last two years as breast cancer survivors invited by Churchill Downs and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® paraded Churchill Downs’ main track shortly before the running of the Kentucky Oaks. The parade will return in 2011 and all survivors will have a chance to participate through an online nomination and voting process at KentuckyOaks.com.

Guests can log onto KentuckyOaks.com and nominate themselves, a relative or friend by sharing a brief personal experience that relates to breast cancer survival. For the first time, guests also may submit an “In Memoriam” nomination to salute the memory of an individual who lost their courageous battle with breast cancer. Once the nomination process concludes Friday, March 18, the stories will be shared online and voting will be open March 19-30. Fans will vote for their favorite and most inspirational stories and the 137 survivors with the most votes will receive two (2) free reserved seats to the Kentucky Oaks and lunch courtesy of Churchill Downs (travel and hotel accommodations not included). Winners will be announced Thursday, March 31.

New Co-Branded Oaks Merchandise Available Online at KentuckyDerbyStore.com

 In conjunction with this year’s Kentucky Oaks Day celebration, Churchill Downs and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® have teamed to bring back a popular co-branded line of officially-licensed apparel and gift items available online at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of co-branded products will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

First Lady of Oaks Announcement Coming Soon

An announcement regarding this year’s First Lady of Oaks will come at a later date. The selection of an official Oaks Day ambassador was introduced in 2009 to honor a special female who has utilized her professional and personal experiences to celebrate women and promote issues and causes that women support. The inaugural First Lady of Oaks in 2009 was Nancy G. Brinker, who established Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to honor her sister who died of breast cancer in 1980 at the age of 36. Last year’s honoree was 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who cruised to a record 20 ¼-length victory in that year’s Kentucky Oaks before beating male rivals in the Preakness, Haskell and Woodward Stakes. Her owners, Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farm, graciously donated a portion of money won during her 2009-2010 racing campaigns toward Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Record $1 million Purse for 2011 Kentucky Oaks

This year’s Kentucky Oaks will be the richest in history as the prize money has been raised to $1 million guaranteed, which doubles the purse offered in 2010 and makes it the most lucrative American race for 3-year-old fillies. Last year’s thrilling winner Blind Luck became the 26th Oaks conqueror – and fourth in a row – who would be crowned with an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion 3-year-old filly.

The purse increase reflects the Oaks’ status and importance as a sports and entertainment event. The 2010 event attracted a record crowd of 116,046 and all sources wagering set records with $10.6 million bet on the Oaks race, and $30.6 million was wagered on the entire Oaks card, a jump of 20 percent from the previous record.  The Oaks ranked eighth in the U.S. in betting on a single race in 2010, and wagering on the entire Oaks card ranked sixth.

About Churchill Downs
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: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2011 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 30-July 4. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure® is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure® and Komen 3-Day for the Cure®, we have invested more than $1.9 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

About Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
Chambord® is an infusion of the world’s finest raspberries, blackberries and the exotic flavors of black raspberries, black currant, Madagascar vanilla and cognac. According to legend, Chambord was inspired by a luxurious raspberry liqueur produced for King Louis XIV during his visit to Chateau Chambord in the 17th century. Today, Chambord continues to inspire cocktail and culinary creations around the world.

Churchill Downs has established dates for a trio of three-day betting pools in its 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) and a single pool for this year’s Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (“KOFW”).

Dates established for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is being conducted for the 13th consecutive year, are:

• POOL 1 – Feb. 18-20
• POOL 2 – March 11-13
• POOL 3 – April 1-3

    
    Wagering on each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will open at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday and close on Sunday at 6 p.m.  The KDFW Pools will include both win and exacta wagering.

The dates for the single pool for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will again run concurrently with Pool 2 of the Derby Future.  The 2011 Oaks Future Pool is set for March 11-13.  Betting on that pool will open at noon on Firday, March 11, but close on Sunday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m., which is 30 minutes after the conclusion of wagering on the second Derby Future Pool.

There is a significant change in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager as exacta betting will be offered as part of that wager for the first time.  The Kentucky Oaks pool, which is being offered for the ninth consecutive year, had previously offered win betting only.  Exacta wagering has been offered on the past five Derby Future pools over the past two years.

The Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers provide fans of those races opportunities to wager on potential competitors in those races at odds that could be considerably more attractive than those available on the day of the respective race.  Winning payouts on the Derby and Oaks Future Wagers are determined by the odds in place at the end of each respective betting pool.

All bets in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are $2 minimum wagers.  No refund will be made on any wager made during the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future pools.  If it is determined during those pools that any of the individual betting interests has suffered an illness, injury or other circumstance that would prevent that horse from competing in either race, wagering on that betting interest will be suspended immediately.

Both the KDFW and KOFW pools consist of 24 wagering interests that include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field, or “all others” interest.  In the Kentucky Derby wager, the mutuel field is made up of all other 3-year-olds – including fillies.  The mutuel field in the Kentucky Oaks bet consists of all other 3-year-old fillies. 

Winning payouts in all three pools of the 2010 Kentucky Derby Future Wager on WinStar Farm’s victorious Super Saver were significantly larger than the $18 mutuel returned for a winning ticket on the Todd Pletcher trainee on Derby Day. A $2 KDFW bet on Super Saver returned $43.20 in Pool 1, $51.20 in Pool 2 and $73 in Pool 3.  The Derby Future bet’s $2 exacta in Pool 3 for 1-2 Derby finishers Super Saver and Ice Box returned $1,077.40 – a record payout in the brief history of the Derby Future exacta.  The exacta that combined those two horses on Derby Day returned $152.40.

The 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks, America’s top race for 3-year-old fillies that will carry a record purse of $1 million guaranteed in 2011, is scheduled for Friday, May 6 at Churchill Downs.  The $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands will be run on Saturday, May 7.

Wagering interests for each of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will be announced on the Wednesday prior to the Friday start of each pool.  Real-time odds and other information on the KDFW will be available at the official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com, and information on the KOFW will be available at www.KentuckyOaks.com.

The 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) at Churchill Downs will be the richest in history as the purse for America’s most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies has been raised to $1 million guaranteed, which doubles the purse offered in 2010.

The record-setting Kentucky Oaks, scheduled for Friday, May 6, and the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), the nation’s greatest race and one of America’s top entertainment events, head a schedule of 25 stakes races with total purses of $7.325 million set for Churchill Downs 2011 Spring Meet.  The 39-day meet opens with the first Kentucky Derby Week night racing event on Saturday, April 30 and will conclude with an Independence Day racing program on Monday, July 4.

The record purse for the Kentucky Oaks will make the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies the richest American race in that division. The increase will help boost the value of purses for six stakes races scheduled on the Oaks Day program to a record $2 million.  That total is second at Churchill Downs only to Kentucky Derby Day, which also features six graded stakes races – three of which are Grade I events – with total purses of $3.4 million.

“There is no weekend in American racing like Kentucky Oaks and Derby Weekend, and it is exciting to raise the purse for the Oaks to a level that reflects its status and importance as a sports and entertainment event,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack.  “The Oaks has enjoyed spectacular growth in recent years and the 2010 running won by Blind Luck was one of its greatest renewals.  The 2010 attracted a record crowd of 116,046 and all sources wagering set records with $10.6 million bet on the Oaks race, and $30.6 million was wagered on the entire Oaks card, a jump of 20 percent from the previous record.  The Oaks ranked eighth in the U.S. in betting on a single race in 2010, and wagering on the entire Oaks card ranked sixth.  Along with its wagering success, the Oaks clearly stands on its own as a spectacular entertainment event, and the fundraising partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and national television coverage on Bravo have opened doors to new fans of America’s greatest race for 3-year-old fillies.

“While some stakes races have gone on hiatus and others have had slight adjustments in purse levels, our overall stakes schedule is strong and attractive, and our ‘big event days’ – the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Stephen Foster Handicap – head a roster of stakes races that offers wonderful opportunities for horsemen in nearly every division.”

he 2011 Churchill Downs Spring Meet kicks off with a spectacular racing and entertainment program under the track’s permanent lights that features the $200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial.  The Grade III Derby Trial is the final major prep for the Kentucky Derby, which will be run a week later.  The opening night celebration that kicks off the Spring Meet will be the first Derby Week racing session conducted under the lights in Churchill Downs history.

The last purse increase for the Kentucky Oaks came in 1996, when the purse was raised to $500,000-added for the race won by Pike Place Dancer.

Three straight Kentucky Oaks winners – Rachel Alexandra (2009), Proud Spell (2008) and Rags to Riches (2007) – went on earn Eclipse Awards as champion 3-year-old filly.  Two of those – Rachel Alexandra and Rags to Riches – defeated males in Triple Crown events in their next start as Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness (GI) on her way to Horse of the Year honors, and Rags to Riches defeated eventual Horse of the Year Curlin in the Belmont Stakes (GI).  Blind Luck, the 2010 winner, is a finalist to become the fourth consecutive filly to pull off that double when the 2010 Eclipse Award winners are revealed on Monday, Jan. 17, in Miami.

Other recent stars who won the Kentucky Oaks on their way to 3-year-old championship honors include Ashado (2004), Bird Town (’03), Farda Amiga (’02), Silverbulletday (’99), Open Mind (’89), and Tiffany Lass (’86).  Fillies that failed to win the Oaks but went on to earn Eclipse Award championship honors at the conclusion of their 3-year-old seasons include Wait A While (3rd in 2006), Banshee Breeze (2nd in ’98), and Go for Wand (2nd in 1990).

Along with the doubling of the Kentucky Oaks purse, other changes from last year in the 2011 Spring Meet stakes program include:

• Purses have been increased for the Churchill Downs Presented by Navistar (GII), which will grow by $50,000 to $300,000-added; the Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables (GIII), which increases from $150,000-added to $300,000-added; and the American Turf (GII), which jumps by $25,000 to $200,000-added;
•  Purses will be lower for the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI), which carries a purse of $500,000-added, a reduction of $100,000; and the La Troienne (GII), which drops by $100,000 to $300,000-added.  The La Troienne decrease reflects a loss of $100,000 in Breeders’ Cup Stakes Program funding;
• The race previously known as the Northern Dancer is now named the Matt Winn, in honor of the legendary president of Churchill Downs who became known as “Mr. Derby” for his work in transforming the Kentucky Derby and its home track into international sports and entertainment icons during his 1902-1949 tenure at the track;
• Four races – the Fleur De Lis (GII), Kentucky Juvenile (GIII), the Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) and the race previously known as the Matt Winn – will go on hiatus for this year;
• The Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank, a $100,000-added turf race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, returns after a one-year hiatus and will be run on Kentucky Oaks Day;
•  The $100,000-added Eight Belles Presented by ACS, A Xerox Company (GIII) will move from Kentucky Derby Day to Kentucky Oaks Day, and its distance has been changed to seven furlongs from its recent 7 ½ furlongs, and
• The five-furlong, Grade III Turf Sprint run in recent years on Kentucky Oaks Day has been moved to Kentucky Derby Day and is now named the Twin Spires Turf Sprint.

“It was difficult to place four quality stakes events on hiatus for this year, but our racing team
looked very closely at our events and stakes schedules at other tracks in our region and around the United States and that allowed us to put together the strongest possible stakes schedule for 2011,”  Flanery said.  “Of the 25 races on our 2011 stakes schedule, 16 are scheduled on those ‘big event days’ surrounding the Derby, Oaks and Stephen Foster.  These big days have proven extremely popular with fans and horsemen, as are our ‘Downs After Dark’ night racing programs.  The record $1 million purse should make the Kentucky Oaks even more attractive to fans, owners and trainers, and we are very excited about our Spring Meet kickoff under the lights and this year’s running of The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial, an important prep that could have an impact on the field for the Kentucky Derby.”

The stakes schedule for Churchill Downs 21-day Fall Meet, which runs from Oct. 30-Nov. 2 and will include the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships on for the second consecutive year on Nov. 4-5, will be announced later this year.

The official artworks for Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 were released by Churchill Downs on Wednesday (Nov. 17), and they are available for purchase online at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com. Additionally, the artwork will be on sale in the Churchill Downs Gift Shop on Friday (Nov. 19) with 2011 artist Lesley Humphrey on hand to sign merchandise between 6-8 p.m. – her only scheduled local appearance before Kentucky Derby weekend.

 The Derby artwork, titled Victory, shows a dappled gray horse of majestic stature; the jubilant jockey is fierce in his winning expression. Wrapped in a blanket of brilliant red roses that appear to turn into the colorful crowd, Humphrey has captured the moments just after the race with magnificent colors and an energetic composition.

 The Kentucky Oaks painting is a festive glance of the day that has come to be called “Ladies First.”  While the dapper gentleman is prominent, the ladies are the stars, seeing and being seen.

 In 2005, Humphrey was presented to H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace following a commission by the Grenadier Guards of the Grenadier General. After her appointment as the Official Artist of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, Humphrey stated that she was “as excited about this opportunity” as she was to have met The Queen. 

“I’ve always loved the races, and I’ve been working and visiting Kentucky for years, always dreaming of going to the Derby,” Humphrey said. “During a visit to Lexington, I once drove to Louisville when the track was closed, just to view the Twin Spires through the fence. The thought that my art one day could bring me to the Derby brought tears to my eyes.

“I painted this painting because I wanted the viewer to feel like a winner. Every color, line and gesture was painted with this in mind. I want the fans to feel like this is their horse, coming to them, looking at them. I hoped that the painting would convey a sense of passion and joy – a visual representation of what it feels like to have achieved the pinnacle of success that is symbolized each year by the Derby. The circle, the halo of success was created by a word that I had inscribed into the design to help convey the message of the piece, like a golden whisper.”
 
Officials from Churchill Downs and JettStream Productions, which is in its 10th year as the official licensee of the “Art of the Kentucky Derby” series, will join Humphrey at the historic racetrack on Friday (Nov. 19) between 6-8 p.m. to formally unveil the work that will appear on posters, prints, tickets, racing programs and officially licensed product for the 2011 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 artwork products available for purchase at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com include both Derby and Oaks posters. All merchandise also will be on sale at Churchill Downs Store, which is open on-track through the end of the Fall Meet on Sunday, Nov. 28, as well as the Louisville International Airport store and retailers.

The Kentucky Derby is annually staged on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the oldest continuously held sporting event in North America and the first leg of horse racing’s challenging Triple Crown series. The Kentucky Derby is often called “The Run for the Roses,” “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” and “America’s Race” and typically attracts a crowd in excess of 150,000.

In recent decades, the day prior to the Kentucky Derby, known as Oaks Day, has grown to become the second largest attended horse race in America with a crowd of more than 100,000. This year’s attendance was an event-record 116,046. The highlight of the day is the Derby’s sister race, the Kentucky Oaks, which is the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies. Its focus on fashion and celebrities rivals Derby Day and now features a “Ladies First” theme, complete with a “Pink Out” to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure©.

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 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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The official event logos for Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 were released Wednesday by Churchill Downs, and officially licensed apparel and gifts items featuring the new marks are now available for purchase online at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com.

Both logos feature a horse and energizing color palettes with accent colors forecasted to be part of fashion trends for Spring 2011. They also showcase the Derby and Oaks “icon” marks – golden horseshoes with a red rose for Derby and a pink stargazer lily for Oaks – embedded within the overall logo design.

The official colors for Kentucky Derby 137 are teal and black. The Derby logo blends tradition in the serif font of the anniversary script with the forward motion and minimal design of a racehorse’s silhouette at its base. The bend in the Thoroughbred’s neck is reminiscent of the curves of a racetrack, and specifically of Churchill Downs’ picturesque “first turn,” which every year is one of the most-photographed angles of the legendary Kentucky Derby race.

The Oaks logo features an elegant white filly with an arched neck and hot pink mane framed by a grey medallion. A ribbon of pink – the official color of the Oaks – gracefully wraps around the grey circle that showcases the filly’s profile.

“The color palette and overall logo designs for the Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 event marks are intended to celebrate spring in an exciting, artful way while incorporating both events’ iconic marks and brand color schemes in the mix,” explained Edward O’Hara, chief creative officer and senior partner of the New York-based SME Branding. SME, whose client list includes the New York Yankees and Major League Soccer, has designed the Kentucky Derby and Oaks event and brand marks since 2009.

“Design trends change often, and this year we want to pay homage to the tradition of the Kentucky Derby while also looking forward to its future,” said Casey Cook, Churchill Downs’ vice president of brand and product development.

Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 products currently available for purchase at www.KentuckyDerbyStore.com include long and short-sleeved T-shirts and hats. Additional apparel and gift items, including the popular collectable Kentucky Derby mint julep glassware, are scheduled for release later this fall prior to the holiday season.

All merchandise will also be on sale at Churchill Downs Store, which will reopen on-track on opening day of the Fall Meet on Sunday, Oct. 31, as well as the Churchill Downs Store located at Louisville International Airport, the Kentucky Derby Museum Gift Shop and other select retail stores.

Media outlets may obtain high-resolution copies of the Kentucky Derby 137 and Kentucky Oaks 137 logos for editorial use by logging on to www.CDILogos.com and submitting an online request form.

The Kentucky Derby is annually staged on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds is the oldest continuously held sporting event in North America and the first leg of horse racing’s challenging Triple Crown series. The Kentucky Derby is often called “The Run for the Roses,” “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” and “America’s Race” and typically attracts a crowd in excess of 150,000.

In recent decades, the day prior to the Kentucky Derby, known as Oaks Day, has grown to become the second largest attended horse race in America with a crowd of more than 100,000. This year’s attendance was an event-record 116,046. The highlight of the day is the Derby’s sister race, the Kentucky Oaks, which is the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies. Its focus on fashion and celebrities rivals Derby Day and now features a “Ladies First” theme, complete with a “Pink Out” to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure©.

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 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record six times and the event will return to the track for its next two renewals on November 5-6, 2010 and Nov. 4-5, 2011.  Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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