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Kentucky Derby Day Attendance And Wagering Set Records At Churchill Downs' Trackside Louisville OTB
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 5, 2002) - While some of the largest on-track
crowds in Churchill Downs history watched and wagered on the Kentucky
Derby and Kentucky Oaks cards on Friday and Saturday, the Trackside
Louisville off-track betting facility located just minutes from the
world famous Twin Spires was setting records for attendance and wagering
on the two biggest days in American racing.
Saturday's Kentucky Derby program at Trackside Louisville
(formerly Sports Spectrum) registered double-digit gains in wagering and
attendance from Derby 2001. A record 8,085 Derby fans filed through the
Trackside turnstiles on Derby Day and wagered a record $1,792,645. The
attendance figure reflects an increase of nearly 12 percent from last
year's record and the wagering total is an increase of more than 14
percent from Derby Day 2001.
"We expected a big Kentucky Derby Day because of the contentious
nature of the race and the possibility that some fans might be wary of
the new Derby security procedures at Churchill Downs and decide instead
to spend Derby Day at Trackside," said Greg Bush, general manager of
Trackside Louisville. "While some fans placed their wagers and departed
for parties and other Derby activities, the majority stayed with us
throughout the day. The huge crowd and brisk business presented some
hospitality challenges, but our mutuel clerks, security and law
enforcement, customer service representatives and cleaning crews were
terrific. The food service by Levy Restaurants, working their first
Derby Day, was outstanding."
Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday, May 3 saw a large increase in
attendance compared to the same day a year earlier. A record 6,573 fans
passed through the turnstiles on Oaks Day, an increase of nearly 23
percent from Oaks Day 2001. The 2002 Oaks attendance figure was the
third largest in Trackside history, surpassed only by the past two
Kentucky Derby Day crowds. Wagering on the day was $669,776, a decline
of just under two percent from the $681,538 wagered at Trackside a year
earlier.
Trackside Louisville has been open for Kentucky Derby Day
wagering since 1996 and Kentucky Oaks Day wagering since 1999. The
facility opened in November 1992.
Trackside Louisville Derby and Oaks Day Wagering
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2002 Derby | 2001 Derby | %Change | 2002 Oaks | 2001 Oaks | %Change |
| $1,792,645 | $1,569,655 | 14.2% | $669,776 | $681,538 | (-1.73%) |
Trackside Louisville Derby and Oaks Day Attendance
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2002 Derby | 2001 Derby | %Change | 2002 Oaks | 2001 Oaks | %Change |
| 8,085 | 7251 | 11.5% | 6573 | 5354 | 22.77% |
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 Louisville, an off-track betting facility. Churchill Downs
will conduct the 128th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2002. The
track has served as host to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred
Championships a record five times. The 2002 Spring Meet at Churchill
Downs continues through July 7 and its Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct.
27-Nov. 30. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the
Internet at www.churchilldowns.com .
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