Churchill Downs Adds 11th Race To Derby Day Schedule

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 8, 2002) - Churchill Downs will add an 11th race to its Kentucky Derby Day schedule on May 4, a move that will shift the placement of the Kentucky Derby from the 8th race to the 9th race for the first time in nearly 30 years.

The new race will be inserted in the May 4, 2002 Derby Day schedule before the 128th running of the Derby, but the change will not require an adjustment in either the 11:30 a.m. (all times EDT) post time for the first race or the Derby's scheduled 6:04 p.m. post time. Churchill Downs will reduce the amount of time scheduled between its pre-Derby races to accommodate the additional race. The gap between the track's races on Derby Day 2001 varied from 45 minutes between the 1st and 2nd races to an hour and 10 minutes between the 7th race and the Derby.

The famed "Run for the Roses" had previously held as the 9th race on the Derby Day program from 1970-73. The Derby was moved back to the 8th race for its 100th running in 1974 and remained there through last year's renewal.

"The addition of an 11th race to our Kentucky Derby Day schedule will add new excitement to the celebration of America's greatest race," said Alex Waldrop, president of Churchill Downs. "Last year's establishment of a later post time for the Kentucky Derby resulted in added time between the earlier races on the Derby Day and afterward we heard from many fans who asked that we find a way to quicken the pace of the day. The addition of a race to the Derby Day card will accomplish that and give our fans at Churchill Downs and at simulcast centers throughout North America another opportunity to watch our sport's greatest stars in action on racing's biggest day."

The expansion to an 11-race Kentucky Derby Day schedule will have no impact on the post times for the two races that will be run after the Derby. Post time for the 11th and final race on Derby Day is set for 7:25 p.m.

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