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Important Dates, Derby/Oaks General Admission Cost Infield Club Kentucky Derby Weekend Stakes TV Coverage Kentucky Derby Purse Structure Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw Triple Crown Nomination Information Experimental Free Handicap Churchill Downs Thoroughbred and Jockey Safety Welfare Policies Oaks/Derby Security Procedures and Policies; Allowed and Prohibited Items IMPORTANT DATES, DERBY/OAKS GENERAL ADMISSION COST Churchill Downs 2010 Spring Meeting Opening Day: April 24, 2010 Kentucky Derby: May 1, 2010 Preakness Stakes: May 15, 2010 Belmont Stakes: June 5, 2010 Kentucky Derby Day: general admission cost: $40 (Cash or Visa) Kentucky Oaks Day: general admission cost: $25 (Cash or Visa) Churchill Downs gates Open: 8:00 a.m. ET Oaks and Derby Days INFIELD CLUB Much like its 2009 debut, the Infield Club will be a temporary outdoor hospitality area totaling 93,000 square feet located in the center of the Churchill Downs infield. The private space, secured by decorative eight-foot lattice, will allow fans of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks the opportunity to enjoy the party atmosphere of the infield in a more refined setting. The internal design of this year’s all-new Infield Club has been reconfigured and enhanced from 2009. In addition to staffed betting windows, self-serve betting machines, food concession booths, and executive restroom facilities, the Infield Club’s 2010 added amenities will include: --A new VIP Lounge with a reserved-seating area that features cocktail service, half-priced menu items, four elevated jumbo television screens, plasma monitors located at every table station, eight private betting windows, and executive restrooms. --One seat for every ticket sold. The number of tickets sold will match the number of seats available compared to last year when seating was only available to approximately 20% of the customers who purchased access to the Infield Club. First-come, first-served seating options will include large and cabaret tables with chairs, high-top tables with barstools, stadium-style seating, bleachers, and picnic tables. --32,000-square feet of tented areas. The additional tented structures within the Infield Club will be a 50% increase in covered area from 2009. --12 jumbo television screens with enhanced resolution and surround-sound audio. Customers will be able to watch the day’s racing action from a dozen elevated jumbo televisions with enhanced resolution, view points and surround-sound audio of track commentary, race calls, and music. --Five bar locations. Patrons won’t have to travel far for mint juleps and other beverages with five full-service convenient bar locations through the complex. It was announced on Jan. 13 that tickets to the Infield Club are on sale at Churchill Downs’ new online box office http://tickets.churchilldowns.com. The tickets have been bundled to include all-day admission for both the Kentucky Derby Kentucky Oaks the previous day. Two-day general admission was set at $250 per person, while the Infield Club VIP Lounge package, which includes admission, a reserved seat, programs on both days and a special commemorative gift, was priced at $375 per person. Ticket packages are sold on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Tickets must be purchased with a Visa credit or debit card. Minimal ticket processing charges will apply with an online purchase. Customers should be aware that the Infield Club does not offer a direct view of the racetrack. Food and beverage are not included in Infield Club ticket package prices. Lawn chairs and coolers are not permitted in the Infield Club. KENTUCKY DERBY WEEKEND STAKES Friday, April 30, 2010, KENTUCKY OAKS DAY
KENTUCKY DERBY PURSE STRUCTURE The value of the 2010 Derby is a $2,000,000 guaranteed purse. The winner is guaranteed 62% of the purse, second 20%, third 10%, fourth 5% and fifth 3%. The value of the 2009 Derby was $2,177,200. The winner received $1,417,200; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000. The value of the 2008 Derby was $2,211,800. The winner received $1,451,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000. KENTUCKY DERBY POST POSITION DRAW Churchill Downs is putting away the two-step process for post positions in the Kentucky Derby and will return to the traditional method, a simple pill pull that is used at tracks every day. "Churchill Downs has decided to set aside the two-tiered post selection process for the Kentucky Derby that has been in place for more than a decade in favor of a return to the traditional blind draw for the annual Derby 'pill pull’,” Asher said yesterday. “The two-step post-selection process served provided some dramatic moments and a few surprises over the years, and worked well as the centerpiece of an hour-long national telecast," Asher told Bloodhorse.com, adding that “at least for now, we no longer have that national television window.” Asher said some connections want the change. “There has been some sentiment through the years among some owners and trainers to return to the traditional blind draw,” Asher said. “We evaluate all parts of the Derby experience following each year's renewal, and the time simply felt right to return this year to the 'pill pull' format that has been part of the Kentucky Derby for the bulk of its 135-year history." TRIPLE CROWN NOMINATION INFORMATION Feb. 6 NOTE: A release of Triple Crown nominees will be made at 12:01 a.m. ET on Feb. 7. Triple Crown Nominees Page Deadlines and Cost Deadline for early nominations to the 2010 Triple Crown: Jan. 16, 2010 Cost of early nomination to the 2010 Triple Crown:$600 Deadline for late nominations to the 2010 Triple Crown: March 27, 2010 Cost of late nomination to the 2010 Triple Crown: $6,000 Supplemental nomination fee for the Kentucky Derby. The cost is $200,000 for those not early- or late-nominated to the Triple Crown. Supplemental nomination fees are paid at the time of entry and are added to the purse. The supplemental fee to enter the Preakness is $100,000; and the fee for the Belmont Stakes is also $100,000. Contact Information Horsemen can nominate on Triple Crown’s new website http://www.thetriplecrown.com or by calling Kelly Danner at (502) 638-3825 or by fax at (502) 638-3915. Payment of 2010 Triple Crown nomination fees can be made by check or credit card, with Visa being the preferred credit card. Each nomination makes the horse eligible for all three races. Fees to enter and start in the Kentucky Derby It costs a total of $50,000 to enter and start except for a waiver of part of the cost for horses that meet the criteria set in the Fair Grounds series. In 2010 for the first time, the $25,000 starter fee for the Kentucky Derby will be waived for any horse that starts in the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby and finishes among the top three in either race.  EXPERIMENTAL FREE HANDICAP Look for the Experimental Free Handicap for 2009 2-year-olds to be released at the end of January, 2010. Last year's info: Link to Index of Males Link to Index of Fillies Experimental Free Handicap: Lookin at Lucky, Vale of York Co-High Weights Jockey Club Release Posted Jan. 28, 2010 Vale of York and Lookin at Lucky, the one-two finishers in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, share the high weight assignment of 126 pounds on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap (EFH), released today by The Jockey Club and available at jockeyclub.com. The filly division is headed by Hollywood Starlet winner Blind Luck and Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner She Be Wild at 123 pounds. The Experimental Free Handicap, published annually by The Jockey Club since 1935, is a weight-based assessment of the previous year’s leading 2-year-olds, with the weights compiled for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. This year’s weighting committee of racing secretaries was composed of Ben Huffman of Churchill Downs, P.J. Campo of the New York Racing Association and Thomas S. Robbins of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The committee weighted a total of 93 males and 82 fillies. Eligible for weighting were all 2-year-olds of 2009 that finished among the top four in graded or other unrestricted races with an added value of at least $75,000, run in the continental United States. Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike – Private Feeling, by Belong to Me) won five of his six starts last year for earnings of $1,243,000. Owned by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman, Lookin at Lucky won the CashCall Futurity, Norfolk Stakes, Del Mar Futurity and Best Pal Stakes. He was bred in Kentucky by Gulf Coast Farms LLC. Godolphin Racing LLC Lessee’s Vale of York (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE) – Red Vale (IRE), by Halling) scored a head decision over Lookin at Lucky in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his only North American start. Bred in Ireland by Stock Vale Ltd., Vale of York (IRE) won three of his six races in 2009 for earnings of $1,151,186. The 126 pounds assigned to Lookin at Lucky and Vale of York (IRE) is the standard impost for top Experimental colts and equivalent to the assignment on last year’s high weight, Midshipman. Lookin at Lucky and Vale of York (IRE) are weighted 2 pounds higher than Noble’s Promise (Cuvee – The Devil’s Trick, by Clever Trick), a winner of three of his six starts in 2009, including the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity and the Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes. He earned $733,500 for owner Chasing Dreams Racing 2008 LLC. Kingfield Stables’ Buddy’s Saint (Saint Liam – Tuzia, by Blushing John), winner of the Nashua Stakes and Remsen Stakes by a combined 16 3/4 lengths, is weighted at 123 pounds. He won two of his three starts on the year and earned $218,600. At 122 pounds are Lady Serena Rothschild’s Pounced (Rahy – Golden Cat, by Storm Cat) and WinStar Farm LLC’s Super Saver (Maria’s Mon – Supercharger, by A.P. Indy). Pounced won two of his four starts in 2009, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his only North American start. He earned $668,454. Super Saver also won two of his four starts last year, including the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, for earnings of $171,232. In the filly division, the 123 pounds assigned to Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision – Lucky One, by Best of Luck) and She Be Wild (Offlee Wild – Trappings, by Seeking the Gold) is the standard impost for top Experimental fillies and 1 pound less than the assignment on last year’s high weight, Stardom Bound. Bred in Kentucky by Fairlawn Farm, Blind Luck’s four victories from six starts last year included the Hollywood Starlet and Oak Leaf Stakes. She also finished third by three-quarters of a length to She Be Wild in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She earned $709,050 for her owners Mark DeDomenico LLC, John Carver and Jerry Hollendorfer. Nancy Mazzoni’s She Be Wild won four of her five starts in 2009 and earned $1,311,040. In addition to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, She Be Wild won the Arlington Washington Lassie Stakes and was beaten a half-length when second in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes. She was bred in Kentucky by Mike and Nancy Mazzoni. Blind Luck and She Be Wild are weighted 2 pounds higher than Grace Stables LLC’s Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union – Above Perfection, by In Excess (IRE)). Hot Dixie Chick’s three wins from four starts included the Spinaway Stakes and Schuylerville Stakes. She earned $285,685. At 120 pounds are Peter J. Callahan’s Beautician (Dehere – Caroni, by Rubiano) and Sovereign Stables’ Negligee (Northern Afleet – Naughty Notions, by Relaunch). Beautician posted one victory from six starts in 2009 but placed second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Spinaway Stakes and Schuylerville Stakes. She earned $486,625. Negligee won two of her four starts last year, including the Darley Alcibiades, and earned $348,007. Among sires of Experimental horses, Bernstein tops the list of colts and geldings with five representatives, while Tiznow heads the fillies’ list with four representatives. Combining the two lists, Roman Ruler is the leading sire with six representatives. Of the 175 juveniles weighted, 108 were bred in Kentucky, 34 in Florida and five each in California and Pennsylvania. The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms, among others. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com. Link to Index of Males Link to Index of Fillies CHURCHILL DOWNS THOROUGHBRED AND JOCKEY SAFETY WELFARE POLICIES Posted March 2, 2009 Churchill Downs, Inc. has announced a series of new rules and policies designed to enhance the safety and welfare of jockeys and horses. These measures will be in place at Churchill in advance of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 2 and will include unprecedented standardized third-party testing of track surfaces and comprehensive testing of all winning horses for more than 100 prohibited drugs. The safety initiatives will be implemented effective opening day of its 2009 Spring Meet on April 25 and will be phased in at all other Company racetracks--Arlington Park, Calder Race Course, and Fair Grounds--by the start of their respective 2010 race meets. In development for nearly a year, the “Safety from Start to Finish” initiative is designed to incorporate new health and wellness measures, as well as long-standing safety policies and standards, under a single formalized initiative to serve as a blueprint for all CDI facilities. The key safety initiatives that will be in place at Churchill Downs prior to Kentucky Derby 135 are as follows: * Independent, standardized third-party testing and monitoring of track surfaces; * “Supertesting” of all winning horses for more than 100 performance-enhancing drugs; * Age restrictions requiring Thoroughbreds to be at least 24 calendar months of age before becoming eligible to race; * The freezing and storage of equine blood and urine samples to allow for retrospective testing; * The banning of steroids; * Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races; * The prohibition of “milkshaking”, which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses; * Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter; * The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters; * The use of low-impact riding whips with limited usage rules; * The presence of on-site medical personnel, equipment, and state-of-the-art equine ambulances; * Immediate online access to jockey medical histories for emergency medical personnel; * $1 million in catastrophic injury insurance coverage for jockeys; * Mandatory and uniform reporting of equine injuries to the Equine Injury Database System, thereby assisting in the compilation of statistics and trends to improve safety conditions around the country; * A professionally designed and installed safety rail on the inside of the dirt course; * Mandatory usage by all jockeys, exercise riders and other on-track personnel of safety vests and safety helmets that meet internationally acknowledged quality standards; * 3/8-inch foam padding on all parts of the starting gates; * Significant financial support for equine retirement programs; * Inspection of all horses by regulatory veterinarians prior to and following all races; * Review of security procedures around barns and other racetrack backstretch areas; * Continued maintenance of protocols for the treatment of horses that have been injured during racing or training, to ensure the most humane treatment possible; and * Mandatory, independent, and complete necropsies of any horse that dies as a result of an injury sustained while racing or training at Churchill Downs. “Based on historical records, we believe there has only been one catastrophic injury among the 1,710 horses that have competed during the 134 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, but even one is too many,” said Bob Evans, president and chief executive officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “While the Kentucky Derby is the world’s most important horse race, we want to implement changes that will improve safety not just for that race, but for all of the jockeys and horses that compete annually in the over 4,000 races conducted at our four racetracks. “Over the past year, a great deal of important work and study has occurred on safety issues in our industry. We want to thank the many groups and organizations that helped develop the foundation upon which today’s announcement is based, including The Jockey Club, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, the Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland Race Course, the NTRA, the veterinarians who are part of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the horsemen in many states. The degree of cooperation across the Thoroughbred industry in the effort to improve safety is unprecedented, and I hope we can continue to work together to raise the bar in making racing safer and safer. “We are optimistic about the NTRA’s new Safety and Integrity Alliance program,” Evans concluded. “We hope the NTRA is able to certify all three Triple Crown tracks prior to this year’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes races.” The following information provides additional detail on some of the key safety rules and policies announced today: Track surface testing CDI is expanding its existing testing of track surfaces to implement regular, standardized, third-party testing of its racetracks, including a battery of laboratory tests of track surfaces and ground-penetrating radar to ensure track consistency and integrity. CDI has secured the services of the world’s top track surface researcher, Dr. Mick Peterson, a University of Maine professor of mechanical engineering who has developed an innovative robotic hoof device that duplicates the force and speed of a horse as it runs on a racetrack. Data generated by these and other tests will help to ensure that CDI tracks maintain safe and consistent track surfaces for both horses and jockeys. The Company is also a founding member of and financial contributor to the new Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, which is identifying safe practices for the future by facilitating and advocating measurements of track safety effectiveness. Drug “supertesting” of all winning horses CDI is taking an industry-leading approach to test horses for performance-enhancing substances. The winning horse in every race at CDI tracks will undergo a battery of “supertests” recommended by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (“TOBA”). The TOBA “supertests” screen for more than 100 drugs – far more than in standard testing. This will not only ensure that Thoroughbreds in competition receive safe and warranted medications, but it also increases the integrity of the outcome of wagering on each race. Age restrictions For the purposes of competition, all Thoroughbreds foaled in the Northern Hemisphere – regardless of their actual month and day of birth – turn one year older on Jan. 1. CDI is instituting a policy by which Thoroughbreds must be at least 24 calendar months old before they are permitted to race, in the hopes of promoting healthy and strong equine athletes that can enjoy long, competitive careers. Previously, Thoroughbreds competing at CDI tracks were allowed to race at the official age of two years, regardless of their actual date of birth. Sample freezing for retrospective testing CDI will begin the practice of storing frozen blood and urine samples of racehorses to allow for retrospective testing in the event of suspicious circumstances, an initiative currently being funded by The Jockey Club. The Company will work with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to adopt the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (“RMTC”) program for frozen storage and retrospective “supertesting” as necessary. Steroids banned CDI has adopted the Association of Racing Commissioners International Model Rule on androgenic anabolic steroids that was based on RMTC recommendations. This rule effectively eliminates the use of all anabolic steroids in the training and racing of Thoroughbreds. Limits on number of horses allowed to compete in certain races CDI has extensively examined the issue of “field size,” or the number of horses permitted to compete in any given race. The studies have taken into account the age of the horses competing, the length of the race, the surface on which the race is conducted, the position of the starting gate relative to the track’s first turn, the width of the racetrack, the radius of the racetrack’s turns, and other dimensional attributes. For many years, CDI tracks have limited the field size of certain races based on these variables. After further review, Churchill Downs will now limit field sizes in additional races, including 4 1/2-furlong dirt races. Those races will now be limited to 10 starters instead of the previous maximum of 12. This rule, implemented due to the short run into the first turn, will be in effect as of the 2009 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs. In addition, Arlington Park and its horsemen will consider starting 4 1/2-furlong races at the 5-furlong marker and finishing them at the 1/16-mile pole to allow for a longer run into the first turn. After thorough analysis and consultations with owners, trainers, and jockeys, the field size for the Kentucky Derby will remain unchanged at a maximum of 20 horses, a limit that was put in place after 23 horses competed in the 1974 Kentucky Derby and 21 horses competed in 1981. “We are focused on action that we know will make a difference,” Evans said. “Our priority remains on the enhancement and standardization of practices that will have a daily impact on the health and safety of the maximum number of horses and jockeys that compete at Churchill Downs Incorporated tracks.” “As in all sports, there’s an inherent safety risk involved in horse racing,” said Jim Gates, general manager of Churchill Downs racetrack and the leader of the “Safety from Start to Finish” initiative. “We firmly believe that the measures and policies we’ve put in place will help to minimize that risk and better ensure the safety and well-being of our athletes. We’re passionate about this commitment, and we’ll continue, as an industry leader, to do what’s right to reduce injuries and improve the integrity of the sport.” The safety initiatives announced as part of “Safety from Start to Finish” will continue to evolve. “There are a number of other important safety initiatives that are still in development, and that we hope to launch later this year,” Gates said. Those include: * Out-of competition drug testing; * The introduction of safety reins; * Jockey health and wellness programs; * Uniform licensing of those involved in racing; and * Ongoing safety and welfare education and training of those involved in racing. “We also have recognized that we need to do a better job of communicating to our fans and the general public what our industry has done and is doing to maximize safety,” Gates added. “To that end, we have created an interactive, educational ‘Safety Center’ that is currently on display at Churchill Downs’ Gate 17. The Center utilizes audio, video and actual material and equipment samples to educate racetrack guests about the numerous policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety, security and well-being of horses, riders, and on-track personnel. The Centers may be added at other CDI racetracks at a future date.” The cost of the safety measures has not been finalized, but is expected to exceed $1 million annually – a figure that is in addition to the millions already spent annually on safety at CDI tracks. For more information about the Churchill Downs “Safety from Start to Finish” initiative, please visit the Safety Center at Gate 17 at Churchill Downs racetrack, or log on to www.churchilldowns.com/safety. OAKS/DERBY SECURITY PROCEDURES AND POLICIES Security procedures and policies for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks include: --Magnetic wand searches of patrons at all track entrance gates. --Limits on carry-in items for patrons and employees. --Visibility of security personnel in all areas of the track. --Placement of barriers outside the track’s admission gates. --Security sweeps of all vehicles that enter the track. --Vehicles parked in all Churchill Downs lots are subject to search. For the first time since 2001, fans who enjoy Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Days in the infield at Churchill Downs will be allowed to bring coolers into the track. Patrons may carry coolers into the track only through Gates 1 and 3, the traditional “infield gates,” and all coolers will be subject to search. Alcoholic beverages and glass containers of any kind will not be allowed in those coolers. Permitted contents include ice, non-alcoholic beverages in non-glass containers, and food packaged in clear plastic containers or bags. The maximum size of those clear containers and plastic bags remains at 18” x 18”. Coolers were banned from Churchill Downs on the track’s biggest days when hospitality and security policies were thoroughly reviewed and revised following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and new policies were implemented for the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Oaks. There have been tweaks to those policies since, but the lifting of the Kentucky Derby Weekend cooler ban is the most significant change since the new policies were established. One other significant change for Infield patrons on Derby and Oaks Days is directly connected to the return of coolers: there will be no “General Store” located in the infield this year. That store had provided racing fans with the opportunity to purchase Styrofoam coolers, ice, bread and sandwich items, and other infield necessities. With the return of coolers, demand for those items for on-site purchase in an infield store would have been greatly reduced. All patrons at Churchill Downs are subject to scans by magnetic wands before their entry to the track on those days. Along with the infield-bound coolers, items permitted for carry-in to Churchill Downs on Oaks and Derby Days include: Food items in clear plastic bags (maximum size 18”x 18” – no trash bags) – LIMIT TWO (2) PER PERSON; “Box” lunches if packaged in clear plastic bags or plastic containers (maximum size 18” x 18” – no trash bags) – LIMIT TWO (2) PER PERSON Sunscreen (non-glass containers only) Cellular telephones, cameras, and camcorders Small personal music systems, radios and televisions – no “boom boxes” Binoculars Purses and baby bags (all subject to search) Strollers (only if carrying a child – no other items allowed) Seat cushions (no backs) Chairs (Gate 3 only) Blankets (Gates 1 & 3 for infield use only) Tarpaulins (Gates 1 & 3 for infield use only) Items that may not be carried in to Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Days include: Alcoholic beverages of any kind Glass bottles or containers Grills Thermoses Backpacks Luggage (includes briefcases) Duffel bags Wagons Umbrellas Weapons, including knives |
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