Key Dates to Know: 141st Thoroughbred Racing Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jim Mulvihill
Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager
504-948-1233
james.mulvihill@fgno.com

Key Dates to Know: 141st Thoroughbred Racing Season

NEW ORLEANS (Wednesday, October 3, 2012) - The 141^st Thoroughbred Racing Season at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots is fast approaching, with the traditional Thanksgiving Day opening set for Nov. 22, just 50 days from today.

Here are some key dates before and during the season to help fans and horsemen plan ahead (all times Central).

October 7 - Fair Grounds' barn area opens on a limited basis to renters who have received stalls for the upcoming meet, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Stall rent is $5 per stall, per day. Reservations must be made via Stall Superintendent Mario Torres at (504) 415-2141.

October 10 - Fair Grounds' main track opens for training (with timed workouts available) daily from 6-9 a.m. with no renovation break. There will be no training on Sundays until Nov. 11.

October 18 - Horse Talk Happy Hour, 6-7 p.m. at the Elmwood OTB Casino (5428 Citrus Blvd., next to The Palace; 504-818-1080). Mix and mingle with Fair Grounds executives and handicappers while enjoying happy hour specials, prize giveaways and contests.

October 22 - Entire barn area opens with no stall rent and the main track commences regular training hours of 6-10 a.m. with a half-hour renovation break at 8 a.m.

October 22 - Clubhouse Dining reservations open for Thanksgiving Day and all other live racing days (except Louisiana Derby Day) beginning at 9 a.m. For reservations call (504) 943-2200.

October 25 - Horse Talk Happy Hour, 6-7 p.m. at the Metairie OTB Casino (2700 Edenborn Ave., behind Lowe's; 504-454-3077). Mix and mingle with Fair Grounds executives and handicappers while enjoying happy hour specials, prize giveaways and contests.

November 1 - Horse Talk Happy Hour, 6-7 p.m. at the Covington OTB (#1 Hollycrest Plaza, U.S. Hwy 190 North; 985-898-0080). Mix and mingle with Fair Grounds executives and handicappers while enjoying happy hour specials, prize giveaways and contests.

November 8 - Horse Talk Happy Hour, 6-7 p.m. at the Gretna OTB Casino (64A Westbank Expwy., near Stumpf; 504-364-1177). Mix and mingle with Fair Grounds executives and handicappers while enjoying happy hour specials, prize giveaways and contests.

November 9 - Betting 101 Luncheon at Hotel Monteleone - with cuisine by Criollo Restaurant, a celebrity hat show sponsored by Haute Dames, prize drawings and a handicapping tutorial with Fair Grounds publicist Jim Mulvihill - at noon in the world-famous Carousel Bar & Lounge (214 Royal St.). For more information or to purchase tickets ($35pp), contact Hotel Monteleone's Carly Plotkin at (504) 681-4452.

November 13 - Louisiana Derby Press Conference to announce new plans related to the milestone 100^th Louisiana Derby at 2 p.m.

November 15 - Horse Talk Happy Hour, 6-7 p.m. at the Kenner OTB Casino (1700 Joe Yenni Blvd., near Williams; 504-466-8525). Mix and mingle with Fair Grounds executives and handicappers while enjoying happy hour specials, prize giveaways and contests.

November 17 - First day of entries, for races on Opening Day, Nov. 22.

November 22 - Opening Day of the 141^st Thoroughbred Racing Season Presented by East Jefferson General Hospital with a nine-race card, featuring the $100,000 Thanksgiving Handicap for top sprinters. First post is 11 a.m.

December 8 - Louisiana Champions Day Presented by Acadian Ambulance with 11 stakes for Louisiana-breds worth $1.1 million. First post is 12:10 p.m.

December 22 - Santa Super Saturday Presented by Kubota Tractors & Lee Tractor Company with Live Reindeer featuring three open-company stakes worth $225,000 and live reindeer for families from Noon-4 p.m. Reindeer admission, $5. First post is 12:40 p.m.

December 28 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Category 6 in the Clubhouse and DJ Soul Sister in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

January 18 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Chee Weez in the Clubhouse and DJ San-D in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

January 19 - Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone with five stakes worth $625,000, topped by the Grade III Lecomte for 3-year-olds, the first in the Fair Grounds' three-race stakes series for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, plus food trucks, bounce houses for kids and more! First post is 12:10 p.m.

February 1 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Karma in the Clubhouse and DJ Jubilee in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

February 12 - Mardi Gras Day, a Fair Grounds tradition with live racing, including the featured $75,000 Mardi Gras Handicap for top female sprinters. First post is 12:40 p.m.

February 22 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Groovy 7 in the Clubhouse and DJ Jive in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

February 23 - Louisiana Derby Preview Day Presented by Lamarque Ford with six stakes worth more than $1 million, topped by the Grade II Risen Star Stakes for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, plus food trucks, bounce houses for kids and more! First post is 12:10 p.m.

March 1 - Starlight Racing, with live music by The Mixed Nuts in the Clubhouse and DVDJ Crush in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

March 8 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Bucktown All-Stars in the Clubhouse and DJ Digital in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

March 15 - Starlight Racing, with live music by Topcats in the Clubhouse and DJ Kemistry in the trackside tent, plus food trucks and drink specials

March 30 - Louisiana Derby Day, annually Louisiana's richest racing program, with seven stakes worth $2.51 million, including four Grade II events, topped by the milestone 100^th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby for horses hoping to move on to the Kentucky Derby, plus a new Louisiana Derby entertainment experience (details to be announced Nov. 13). First post is 2 p.m.

More details on these and additional special events will be announced as they become available. Visit FGNO.com throughout the 141^st Thoroughbred Racing Season for the latest news and promotional information.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation's third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 141^st Thoroughbred Racing Season runs Thanksgiving Day, November 22, through March 31, 2013, highlighted by the milestone 100^th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby for Kentucky Derby hopefuls on March 30, 2013. More information can be found online at http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/.

-FG-