louisiana derby clubhouse, black gold room and box reservations now open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, January 6, 2013) - Clubhouse and box seat reservations for the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots are now open. The milestone 100^th running of the track's signature race is set for March 30. Reservations can only be made by phone Wednesdays to Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Mondays, 9 a.m. to Noon, at (504) 943-2200.

Clubhouse dining reservations - which include admission, buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, tax and gratuity and track program - start at $70 per person and go up to $150 per person for the most coveted spots in the first two rows, near the glass.

Black Gold Room
Reservations are also available for the Black Gold Room in the private event space on the second floor of the Derby Building, across from the sixteenth-pole. Black Gold Room admission includes buffet, open bar (12:30-6 p.m.), non-alcoholic beverages, tax and gratuity and track program, as well as access to an open-air balcony facing the track. Louisiana Derby Day reservations in the Black Gold Room are $150 per person and can be made by calling the Group Sales department at (504) 948-1285.

Grandstand Boxes
In addition to dining tables, fans can reserve Grandstand boxes, which go for $80 (for six) or $40 (for three), including the Grandstand general admission charge. Call (504) 943-2200 for box reservations.

General Admission
General Admission will be unlimited on Louisiana Derby Day and does not require advance purchase. Grandstand General Admission will be $10 and Clubhouse General Admission will be $15. Limited General Admission seating is available in both areas on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Louisiana Derby Infield Festival
Tickets for the inaugural Louisiana Derby Infield Festival, a new Louisiana Derby Day experience with a Cowboy Mouth concert and one of the city's largest-ever food-truck gatherings, will be available online starting January 15. Further details on Infield Festival advance ticketing will be announced later this week. 

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 www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.