FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Zenner
(847) 385-7535
Cell (847) 371-1670
Fax: (847) 385-7251
Dzenner@arlingtonpark.com
BAIRD, EMIGH AND SILVA TO BE HONORED ON
MILLION PREVIEW DAY JULY 17 AT ARLINGTON PARK
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (July 11, 2010) – Arlington Park-based jockeys E. T. Baird and Chris Emigh and recently retired rider Carlos Silva will be honored with a special presentation on Million Preview Day Saturday, July 17 for major milestones recorded here last season.
Baird earned the 2,000th victory of his career last July 17 when he guided John Karakourtis’s Bond Street for trainer Hugh Robertson to a 2 1/2-length win in the second race that afternoon. The Chicago, Illinois, native has spent the bulk of his 25-year career on the Chicago circuit and is the son of the late R. L. Baird, a winner of more than 3,000 races himself.
Emigh, a mainstay at Arlington since the mid-1990s, notched the 3,000th victory of his career when he guided John Reinhart’s Thanks Lord for trainer Frank Kirby to a 1 3/4-length win in the fourth race on May 30, 2009. Champion rider here in 2006 with 110 wins, the Portsmouth, Virginia, native has been a consistent top 10 performer here for more than a decade.
Silva, who hung up his tack in April after more than 30 years in the saddle, earned the last significant milestone of his long career when he picked up his 3,500th North American victory astride Ben Barnow’s Iris Germanica for trainer Richard Hazelton to a 1 3/4-length win in the third race on Aug. 21, 2009. Since retiring, Silva has been serving as agent to jockey Brandon Meier.
Each of the three riders was honored in the winner’s circle at the time of recording his milestone however since that time Arlington Park purchased trophies with special bases created to commemorate the jockeys on their accomplishments. The jockeys will be joined in the winner’s circle by their families as well as their fellow riders.
Arlington Park – the Chicago area’s premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill. – will run a 91-day meet in 2010 from Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, Sept. 26. Arlington Park, whose parent company is Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), also operates 11 off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities – Trackside Arlington Park (Arlington Heights), Trackside Chicago, Trackside Quad City Downs (East Moline), Trackside Waukegan, Shooters Bar & Grill at Don Carter Lanes featuring Trackside Rockford, Fat Sam’s Bar & Grill featuring Trackside OTB in Lockport, Lucky’s featuring Trackside OTB in South Elgin, Nicolino’s featuring Trackside OTB in McHenry, Tad’s Sports Bar & Grill featuring Trackside OTB in South Beloit, Salerno-Pincente Ristorante featuring Trackside OTB in Hodgkins and Sundance Saloon featuring Trackside OTB in Waukegan. Information on Arlington Park can be found online at www.arlingtonpark.com.
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