2001 2005

| 1874-1899 | 1900-1924 | 1925-1949 | 1950-1974 | 1975-2000 | | 2001-2005

Current Era

2001 - Growth of the Kentucky Derby continued on all fronts as the 127th running attracted a crowd of 154,210, the second largest attendance in Derby history. Overall Derby Day wagering (all sources) rose to a record $107,598,904. For the first time in Derby pari-mutuel wagering history, all horses ran uncoupled with no entries or mutuel fields as betting interests. Early nominees to the Visa Triple Crown totaled a record 440 and broke the previous mark of 422 established in 1986, the first year of the common nomination process for the Visa Triple Crown. Monarchos won the Derby in the second-fastest running, 1:59.97. The National Broadcasting Company's (NBC) first-ever television coverage of the Kentucky Derby attracted a national rating of 8.1, a 40 percent increase over ABC's 5.8 rating for the 2000 Derby. Jockey Pat Day scored the 8,000th win of his career on May 31, as he joined Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Bill Shoemaker as the only North American riders to reach that plateau. Chairman William S. Farish is nominated to the post of U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, he is formally confirmed in July. Carl F. Pollard replaces Farish on July 24 to become the fourth-consecutive breeder to serve as chairman. Following the end of the Spring Meet, Levy Restaurants replaced Aramark, which has served as the food service provider at the Downs since 1994 when they acquired the former harry M. Stevens Company. An economic impact study commissioned by Churchill Downs is released in August and reports that the 2001 Kentucky Derby weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) provided nearly $218 million to the Kentucky economy. The Kentucky Racing Commission and representatives of the racing industry host three hearings at sites around the state to address issues facing the industry including shrinking purses, competition for gambling dollars and the mare reproductive loss syndrome. On September 11, Churchill Downs Incorporated suspends all live racing and off-track wagering operations in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York; facilities re-opened on Sept. 13. The board of directors, on Sept. 27, approved a renovation plan to begin a $27 million Phase I project that will include 66 luxury suites, built atop the existing grandstand roof; a large club area adjacent to the suites; and renovations of the first-floor grandstand and first and second floors of the Jockey Club (the oldest portion of the track built in 1894-95); the plan also calls for a $100 million Phase II to be voted on by the board in June 2002. A new video board, utilizing light-emitting technology, is placed on the roof of the paddock structure prior to the Fall Meet to replace the original board used since 1986. The 1990 Kentucky Derby winner, Unbridled, is euthanized on Oct. 18 after suffering a severe bout of colic. In the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedies on America, the Fall Meet opened with tighter security measures including uniformed officers, prohibiting of duffel bags and coolers, and extra surveillance cameras for the admissions gates and service gates. A crowd of 19,806 flocked to the track for the Pat Day Bobblehead Doll giveaway, with 10,000 giveaway vouchers distributed within a half-hour. Leonard Coleman, former president of National League Baseball, became the first African-American to be appointed to the Downs board of directors following an announcement in November. The Fall Meet closed with a crowd of 18,571 on hand, the largest meet-ending crowd since 1990. The Stephen Foster handicap and Humana Distaff Handicap are elevated to Grade I status, and join the Derby and Oaks as the track's only Grade I races. Two additional $100,000 stakes are placed on the spring schedule and include the Matt Winn and Northern Dancer.

2002 - City Of Louisville officials and Churchill Downs seek special national security status for Kentucky Derby from Homeland Security Office, but were denied…Increased Oaks and Derby security measures are implemented including magnetic wand searches of all persons entering the track; no coolers, backpacks, bottles, cans or lotion containers; and an increase in the presence of uniformed security personnel…An 11th race is added to the Derby Day card as the derby event is moved to the 9th event from its previous slot as the 8th race…For the first time in history, the color coded, standardized numbered saddle towels are used for the Kentucky Derby…Derby attracts 145,033, fifth largest crowd in history, and the Oaks draws 101,923, the third largest attendance…On May 7 Seattle Slew, the only remaining Triple Crown winner, dies on the 25th anniversary of his Derby win…Churchill Downs strengthens tie to Derby Festival as official sponsor of the Great Steamboat Race…Two Japanese-breds are nominated for the Triple Crown, making a first for Japan…Employees cleaning a storage area find trainer Woody Stephens's 1984 Derby trophy that was mistakenly stored there for 18 years - the trophy was returned to Stephens's widow, Lucille…After approximately eight years of groundwork, on Feb. 26 legislative leaders file House Bill 768 to allow slots at the state's eight racetracks with the bill passing the House Licensing and Occupations Committee before stalling in the Appropriations and Revenue Committee…Following the spring meet, work begins on the Master Plan's $26 million Phase I with construction of three additional floors to the grandstand area that provide 66 luxury suites…During Phase I, the famed Twin Spires receive a total renovation…On Sept. 26, the board of directors approves $95 million Phase II renovations that will totally rebuild the track's clubhouse area with construction to begin in July 2003…Due to a conflict in dates with the national FFA convention in 2005, the Breeders' Cup announces its intent to host the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs in 2006…On Nov. 13, Churchill implements a policy in which wagering ends when the tote board reaches zero minutes to post, the measure is developed to bolster the integrity of wagering following a scandal in the Breeders' Cup Ultra Pick Six…Jockey John McKee breaks Steve Cauthen's record for most Fall Meet wins by an apprentice rider with 27 victories…Steve Sexton is appointed as the 12th track president of Churchill Downs on Dec. 10…Churchill Downs Incorporated's CFO Bob Decker resigns his position and is replaced by Mike Miller, the company's senior vice president of finance…Churchill and the City of Louisville finalized a 30-year-argreement on Dec. 26 to help fund the Master plan giving the city title to the track and then leasing it back - by removing the track from city property tax the plan would save the track approximately $250,000 per year following annual donation of $250,000 to Jefferson County Schools.

2003 - CDI launches the "Pay Day" online contest, which offers a $5 million prize to the player that picks the exact order of finish of the 129th Kentucky Derby. CDI open NASDAQ market site April 25. Funny Cide defeated heavily favored Empire Maker to become the first New York-bred to win the Kentucky Derby. Phase I of the Master Plan renovations are completed and the new Jockey Club luxury suites are open for the Fall Meet, as Phase II of the renovations begin. October 3, Chief Operating Officer John Long resigns from Churchill Downs to take the position of chief executive officer of the newly formed United States Equestrian Foundation. The Klein Family Learning Center and WinStar Library open on Churchill's backside to provide educational opportunities to backside employees and their families. Churchill Downs records gains in on-track attendance and wagering despite construction and total betting sets a record.

2004 - Churchill Downs faced the prospect of a full year without the clubhouse, which was in the midst of a $121 million dollar renovation. When the Spring Meet arrived in late April, the lower level of the new clubhouse was opened for our customers through Derby Day. Derby Day saw a huge challenge to the race, as a torrential rainstorm threatened to wash away the racing surface. Thanks to great work by the track crew, the race went off without incident, and just a shade over 140,000 were on hand to see Smarty Jones race his way into America's consciousness. While Smarty fell just short in his Triple Crown bid, he and his connections will be long remembered as one of the most endearing Derby winning teams. Back on the homefront, the clubhouse construction continued briskly while fans used the grandstand area to watch the races. Indeed, as the Fall Meet approached, Churchill announced that the lower three levels, including the new food court and simulcast areas would be open for the public. The new menus and dining areas met with rave reviews thanks to the hard work of chef Gil Logan and his staff. Throughout the year, Churchill Downs Simulcast Network featured the on-line Eliminator games, giving great trips, cash, and other prizes to our lucky winners at all Churchill Downs Inc. properties. Late in September, Churchill added another track to its strong stable, purchasing the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Churchill also offered some new bets to our patrons at Churchill, Hollywood, and Fair Grounds in the fall: guaranteed pools on designated Pick Fours and Superfectas, which also proved a big hit and had some huge payoffs for the bettors. John McKee earned his first riding crown at Churchill Downs at the Fall Meet as the 23-year-old Ohio native won 27 races - four more than Pat Day, the track's all-time leading jockey. Steve Asmussen, who recently became the first trainer to saddle 500 winners in a single year, notched 14 victories to complete a sweep of Churchill Downs' spring and fall training titles. As the year wound down, construction on the clubhouse, scheduled for completion in April, 2005, hit the homestretch, and a new chapter in the history of America's most legendary racetrack will begin.

2005 - The Kentucky Derby purse was doubled to a record $2 million guaranteed minimum gross, the first purse increase since 1996...Stakes purses rose to a record $10 million...An outbreak of equine strangles, a bacterial infection of the lymph nodes, forces the quarantine of two barns at the Trackside Training Center...Churchill Downs, and other Kentucky tracks, increased medical insurance coverage for injured jockeys to $1 million from the previous sum of $100,000...Churchill’s sweeping $121 million renovations are unveiled to the public as the track opens its 131st Spring Meet on April 30...NBC-Sports, in its final year of a five-year-agreement, renews to televise the Derby for an additional five years...Digital scales are used for the first time at the Downs to weigh jockeys prior and after races...The Kentucky Oaks sets a record with a crowd of 111,243....Giacomo wins the Derby at 50-1 as second biggest win payoff in Derby history ($102.60) with a crowd of 156,435, the second largest in race history on hand...During the Spring Meet an outbreak of equine herpes forces the quarantine of approximately 100 horses at the Downs...A May 7 stewards ruling fines three jockeys for wearing unapproved advertising during the Derby...Trainer Joe Woodard sets a Downs record with ten consecutive victories at the track...CDI completes the sale of Hollywood Park in September for a price of $257.5 million...The original 1969 Kentucky Derby trophy is purchased by an individual in a public auction for $60,000 - it marked the first time a Derby trophy had been auctioned since 1951...The Spring Meet, the first full meet in the newly renovated Downs, ended with gains in attendance, 10% and wagering, 12%...All simulcast operations were moved back to Churchill Downs from Trackside, marking the first time off-season simulcast wagering was held at Churchill since 1992 ...Churchill’s all-time leading rider Pat Day retired in August...Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast forcing the closing of the Fair Grounds and its OTB outlets...Churchill introduced the Fanta-Bet in Nov. - a $20 wager in which players received a “fantasy” $1,000 to wager the races, with the winner determined by the player with the highest fantasy winnings at meet’s end...A tornado struck Ellis Park on Nov. 6 with the death of three horses, total loss of 11 barns and heavy damage to the grandstand terrace...The Downs carded its first-ever “Stars of Tomorrow” race card during the Fall Meet featuring only races for 2-year-olds...Churchill Downs President Steve Sexton is called to testify before US Congressional subcommittee concerning health care issues relating to jockeys in the racing industry...A Churchill record nine-day pick six carryover pool grew to $1,694,336.41 and included records for total pool $5,698,493, and largest one-day wagering of $4,004,157 it was hit on Nov. 19...Riding legend Gary Stevens retires from racing after making his final ride at the Downs on Nov. 26...A Dec. 28 announcement confirmed that racing would be held at Ellis Park in 2006 with an abbreviated 36-day meet.

| 1874-1899 | 1900-1924 | 1925-1949 | 1950-1974 | 1975-2000 | | 2001-2005