BEST BARTENDER OF NEW ORLEANS CONTEST COMES TO FAIR GROUNDS FOR FIRST TIME DEC. 15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012) - The annual Best Bartender of New Orleans Contest Presented by Wild Turkey 81 comes to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for the first time during the races on December 15. After thousands of preliminary votes were cast at WhereYat.com, the three finalists will appear in a live "mix-off" in Fair Grounds Clubhouse that afternoon from 12:30-3:30 p.m.

The three Best Bartender finalists, as determined by visitors to the Where Y'At website, are Corey Fayette of The Boot, George Pool of the Mid-City Yacht Club and Lauren Soboul of Finn McCool's. Over the afternoon judging period at Fair Grounds the finalists will each prepare and serve roughly 500 two-ounce sample servings of their original Wild Turkey 81 recipe.

The 13^th Annual Best Bartender of New Orleans Contest is open to the public. All guests will sample the drinks and vote on the winner, who will receive the Grand Prize of a two-night stay at Hotel Monteleone, the official hotel of Fair Grounds.

Admission to the Best Bartender of New Orleans is free with regular Clubhouse admission of $10 at the door.

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 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/.