TurfPublicists: News Release: Fair Grounds Horses Piling Up Graded Stakes Wins

1751 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

FAIR GROUNDS HORSES KEEP WINNING BIG STAKES

First Five in Stephen Foster, Top Two in Belmont Raced or Trained at FG

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, June 30, 2010) – Through the first half of 2010, horses that raced or trained at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots last season have gone on to win 15 graded stakes races at other tracks. Two of those races were among the sport’s most prestigious events—the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park and the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. The Belmont’s top two finishers, Drosselmeyer and Fly Down, raced over the Fair Grounds dirt in the Louisiana Derby. In the Foster, the top five finishers—Blame, Battle Plan, General Quarters, Giant Oak and Demarcation—all raced or trained at Fair Grounds in March. General Quarters earned his second Grade I win in Churchill’s Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, while other standouts include Champagne d’Oro (winner of Belmont’s Grade I Acorn Stakes) and reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Churchill’s Grade II Fleur de Lis Handicap).

Every year, horses that winter in New Orleans find success in major stakes races at the most important spring meets, enhancing the longstanding reputation of Fair Grounds’ dirt track as one that is especially kind and gets horses supremely fit.

Additional 2010 graded stakes winners that spent a significant portion of the winter training at Fair Grounds are Grand Adventure (Woodbine Race Course’s Grade II King Edward Stakes and Grade III Connaught Cup Stakes), Seeking the Title (Prairie Meadows’ Grade III Iowa Oaks), Comedero (Pimlico Race Course’s Grade III Chick Lang Stakes, as well as Charles Town’s ungraded $400,000 Red Legend Stakes), Dubious Miss (Kenneland Race Course’s Grade III Ben Ali), Free Fighter (Churchill’s Grade III Louisville Handicap), Country Flavor (Arlington Park’s Grade III Hanshin Cup Handicap), Tizaqueena (Arlington’s Grade III Arlington Matron Handicap), Dubai Majesty (Churchill’s Grade III Winning Colors) and Endorsement (Sunland Park’s Grade III Sunland Derby).

The 139th Thoroughbred Racing Season will run Nov. 25, 2010 to March 27, 2011, highlighted by the 98th Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 26. The complete 2010-2011 stakes schedule will be released later this summer. To request a stall application for next season, contact the Fair Grounds Racing Office at (504) 948-1246.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. Fair Grounds will host its third annual Quarter Horse Season Sept. 14-25 as well as Quarter Horse racing’s richest event, the Bank of America Challenge Championships, Nov. 19. The 139th Thoroughbred Racing Season will run Nov. 25, 2010-March 27, 2011, highlighted by the 98th Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 26. Information about Fair Grounds can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

-FG-

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James J. Mulvihill
Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
A Churchill Downs Incorporated Company

1751 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70119

504.948.1233 [office]
504.481.8770 [cell]
504.944.7853 [fax]

2010 Quarter Horse Racing Season Opens Sept. 14
2010 Bank of America Challenge Championships Nov. 19
2010-2011 Thoroughbred Racing Season Opens Nov. 25

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