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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
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
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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