Churchill Downs Inc.

Fair Grounds To Run Canceled Saturday Card On Tuesday

Saturday's canceled card due to a power outage at Fair Grounds will be moved in its entirety to Tuesday, Mar. 18, according to a Sunday press release from Churchill Downs Inc. First post is set for 12:45 pm CT. The track will conduct a six-day racing week culminating with the Louisiana Derby Day card on Saturday and closing day is Sunday, Mar. 23.

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High Winds, Electrical Issues Force Fair Grounds Cancellation

As a result of the severe storms which moved through the area, and are still making their way through large parts of the country, high winds and corresponding electrical issues have forced Fair Grounds to cancel live racing Saturday. The nine-race card had six main track and three turf contests scheduled for the day, but power loss in the area forced the track to abandon the card. Live racing is scheduled to resume Sunday with a first post of 12:45 p.m. CT.

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Michigan Sues TwinSpires, Claiming 'Blatant Defiance' of Shutdown Order Could 'Encourage' Other ADWs to Violate Law

Five days after the Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) subsidiary that operates the advance-deposit wagering (ADW) platform TwinSpires sued the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) in federal court, claiming that the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA) pre-empts a state law that ADW providers be linked to a licensed racetrack, the executive director of the MGCB sued TwinSpires, alleging that the ADW's "blatant defiance" of a suspension order "constitutes an imminent threat to the public health, safety and welfare." The dueling lawsuits stem from the fact that Michigan's law requiring ADWs to partner...

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Jeff Ruby Stakes Purse Increased to Record High for Turfway Park

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks purse has been raised to a record high $777,000, making it the richest race in the history of Turfway Park, Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Monday. Set to run Saturday, Mar. 22, the marquee day of the Turfway season will feature a 12:45 p.m. ET first post and tickets have now been released for sale. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the contest awards qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, which makes it a vital path to a...

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Turfway Moves Wednesday Card To Sunday Jan. 12 Due To Winter Weather Forecast

Turfway Park has moved its Wednesday, Jan. 8 racing card to Sunday, Jan. 12 with a 1:00 p.m. ET. first post, in response to a National Weather Service forecast predicting a significant winter storm followed by nighttime wind chills in the single digits, the track said in a press release Saturday. The card will not be redrawn and run in its entirety on Sunday. Officials will continue to monitor the weather forecast throughout the week and provide updates if necessary for any changes regarding Thursday through Saturday's cards. Click here...

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Turfway Park Raises Maiden Special Weights, Allowance Purses

Turfway Park, whose Holiday meet begins Dec. 4, has raised the purses for maiden special weights to $80,000 and allowance races will be up to $86,000, Churchill Downs Inc. reported via a release on Wednesday. Registered Kentucky-breds in maiden special weight races are now increased by $10,000 from last year's amount of $70,000. Allowance races will range from $82,000-$86,000, up from the 2023 rate of $72,000-$80,000. "We're excited to offer top-tier racing opportunities at Turfway Park this winter and continue building on Kentucky's strong year-round circuit," said Tyler Picklesimer, director...

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Turfway Unveils $4.9 Million Stakes Schedule And Debuts Synthetic Championships

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming has unveiled its 2024-25 stakes schedule, with $4.9 million in purses across 24 races and includes the debut of the Turfway Park Synthetic Championships, according to a release from the track on Wednesday afternoon. "We're really excited to unveil the stakes calendar for the winter season at Turfway Park, which not only features our marquee Jeff Ruby Steaks Day but also introduces the new Turfway Park Synthetic Championships," said Gary Palmisano Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs Incorporated. "By adding the Turfway Park...

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Churchill Grandstand Renovation Plan Will Debut For Derby 151

An $80-$90 million renovation to the existing grandstand at Churchill Downs Racetrack that will update ticketed seating is scheduled to begin in August with completion planned in time for the 151st GI Kentucky Derby in May 2025, the track said in a Wednesday release. The renovation of the Grandstand Club will transform existing outdoor aluminum bleachers into a combination of 8,300 new seating varieties. Updated options will include covered and uncovered stadium-style seats as well as rail boxes along the dirt track's outer rail that will offer a "trackside" seating...

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Never Mind: Louisiana Racing Commission Rescinds All Changes to Its Medication Rules

The Louisiana Racing Commission went back to square one Friday, announcing that it will adhere to the guidelines set by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) regarding medications. The move came just nine days after the commission announced an emergency set of rules that were about to take effect and would have meant that Louisiana had, by far, the most lenient medications policies in the U.S. The withdrawal times for dozens of medications had been reduced and the threshold levels had been increased. The laundry list of changes included...

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CDI: Ruling Favoring Muth Would Create 'Media Circus' That 'Jeopardizes the Wellbeing of Horses'

Churchill Downs Inc., (CDI) invoked a horse-health argument on Monday in an attempt to get the Kentucky Court of Appeals not to overturn the banishment of trainer Bob Baffert that Thoroughbred owner Amr Zedan is trying to reverse so his 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic) can gain entry into the GI Kentucky Derby. "This case has already drawn intense media attention," CDI stated in one of two court filings Apr. 22 that seek to halt Zedan's incorporated racing stable from moving forward with its appeal for emergency relief and...

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Zedan Vows Appeal after Judge Denies Derby Injunction

Amr Zedan's incorporated racing stable is planning an immediate appeal to a Thursday decision by a Kentucky judge who denied an injunction request that would have overturned Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI)'s ongoing ban against Bob Baffert. Zedan had initiated an Apr. 3 lawsuit in an effort to get his Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic) eligible for the GI Kentucky Derby. But Judge Mitchell Perry of Jefferson Circuit Court also denied CDI's request to dismiss the case in his Apr. 18 order. This means that barring a successful appeal...

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KY Judge Says He'll Rule on Derby Lawsuit by End of Week

The Kentucky judge overseeing the lawsuit initiated by Amr Zedan's incorporated racing stable against Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) to try and get Bob Baffert-trained horses unbarred from the GI Kentucky Derby told both parties Wednesday he now has a clearer understanding of a relatively new "meritless lawsuit" law to be able to issue a written opinion by the end of the week. That opinion is unlikely to decide the Apr. 3 civil lawsuit in full, but it is expected to address Zedan's motion for an injunction that could pave the...

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