Churchill Downs Sets Dates for 2012 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pools

Churchill Downs has set the dates for its trio of three-day betting pools for its 2012 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) and a single pool for the historic track’s Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (“KOFW”).

Dates for the pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is now in its 14th year, are:

    Pool 1 – Feb. 10-12
    Pool 2 – March 2-4
    Pool 3 – March 30-April 1

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 Wagering on each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will open at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday and close on Sunday at 6 p.m.  The KDFW Pools will feature both win and exacta wagering.

The single three-day pool for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, now in its ninth year, is scheduled for March 2-4 and will run concurrent to Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.  Betting on the KOFW pool will open at noon on Friday and is set to conclude on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes after the conclusion of betting on the accompanying Kentucky Derby Future pool.  The Kentucky Oaks Future Pool will also offer win and exacta wagering.

The wagers provide fans of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks opportunities to bet on potential competitors in those great American races at odds that could be considerably more attractive than those available on the days on which the respective races are run.  Winning mutuel payouts on both wagers are determined by the odds that are in place at the conclusion of each respective betting pool.

The 138th running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), America’s greatest race and the 1 ¼-mile first jewel of the coveted Triple Crown for 3-year-olds, is scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs.  The $1 million-guaranteed Kentucky Oaks, the nation’s top prize for 3-year-old fillies, will be run on Friday, May 4, the eve of the Derby.  Like the Derby, the Kentucky Oaks has been contested annually since 1875 and its 2012 renewal will mark the 138th consecutive year that the 1 1/8-mile “Derby for Fillies” has been run beneath the track’s historic Twin Spires.

Both the KDFW and KOFW pools consist of 24 wagering interests that include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field, or “all others” interest.  In the Kentucky Derby wager, the mutuel field is made up of all other 3-year-olds – including fillies.  The mutuel field in the Kentucky Oaks bet consists of all other 3-year-old fillies.

All bets in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are $2 minimum wagers.  No refund will be made on any wager placed during the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future pools.  If it is determined during an individual pool that any of the individual betting interests has suffered an illness, injury or other circumstance that would prevent that horse from competing in either race, wagering on that betting interest will be suspended immediately.

Wagering on the Derby and Oaks Future wagers is available through TwinSpires.com and other advance deposit wagering platforms and at racetracks and simulcast centers throughout North America.

Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom, who went off at odds of 20-1 and paid $43.80 for a $2 win wager in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, was listed as an individual betting interest only during Pool 3 of last year’s Derby Future Wager.  He closed at odds of 31-1 in that pool and a $2 future wager on trainer Graham Motion’s colt returned $64.40 on Derby Day.  As a member of the “all others” mutuel field in the first two pools of 2011, he returned $6.20 for a Pool 1 bet and $9.40 for a Pool 2 wager.  Both Animal Kingdom and Derby runner-up Nehro were part of the “all others” interest (#24), so the KDFW $2 exacta payouts for the three pools were:

    Pool 1 – 24-13 (mutuel field over third-place Mucho Macho Man) for $230;
    Pool 2 – 24-12 (mutuel field over third-place Mucho Macho Man) for $388.20;
    Pool 3 – 1-12 (Animal Kingdom over runner-up Nehro) for $3,074.60.

 The Derby Day $2 exacta payout for Animal Kingdom over Nehro (16-19) was $329.80.

Eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty was not an individual betting interest in the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool, but returned $21.80 to win as member of the KOFW mutuel field.  The Peachtree Stable filly trained by Bob Baffert returned $14.60 for a $2 win wager on Oaks Day.  Both Plum Pretty and runner-up St. John’s River were members of the mutuel field, so the KOFW exacta paid to 24-23, with third-place Zazu under the top two “all others” finishers, and returned $142.20 for a $2 bet.  The Oaks Day exacta of Plum Pretty over St. John’s River (12-13) paid $163 for a $2 wager.

Wagering for the three 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pools totaled $1,362,101, the fifth highest total since the Derby bet was introduced in 1999 and its largest three-pool betting total since 2007.  Kentucky Oaks fans wagered $92,902 during the single KOFW pool of 2011, second only to the single-pool total of $117,368 recorded in the wager’s introductory year in 2003.

Wagering interests for the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks future pools will be announced on the Wednesday prior to the Friday start of each pool.  Real-time odds and other information on the KDFW will be available at the official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com, and information on the KOFW will be available at www.KentuckyOaks.com.

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Kentucky Derby Museum Announces New Urban Bourbon Exhibit Presented by Four Roses Distillery

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan 09, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Two pillars of Kentucky heritage, Bourbon and Derby, will come together in Louisville on March 5, 2012 when a new exhibit: Urban Bourbon at the Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses opens to the public. The Urban Bourbon exhibit is a direct tie to the city of Louisville's Urban Bourbon Trail passport program which encourages visitors to sample the culture of Bourbon at various establishments in the metro area.

Located at the historic Churchill Downs race track, the Kentucky Derby Museum will showcase the history and heritage of Louisville's involvement in the bourbon industry as it grew along with the horse industry and the Kentucky Derby. With bourbon roots in the city dating back to the early 1800s, a large number of whiskey blending houses became established as Louisville developed into a major trade city along the river. As distilleries popped up all over the commonwealth, Louisville grew as a major shipping port expanding the reach of bourbon bottlers on historic Main Street downtown. Later access to railroad lines, further aided in the distribution of Kentucky's treasured spirit where bottling, advertising and the recognition of "Whiskey Row" grew.

"Four Roses is a quality brand with roots in Louisville's bourbon history dating back to the 1880's on Main Street. We're thrilled to align their brand with this exhibit and appreciate their generous support of the Kentucky Derby Museum," says the museum's Executive Director, Lynn Ashton.

Urban Bourbon at the Kentucky Derby Museum presented by Four Roses will run on the second floor of the museum in the Matt Winn Gallery from March 5, 2012- December 31, 2012. Exhibit is included in general daily admission for the Kentucky Derby Museum.

"We are delighted to be partnering with the world renowned Kentucky Derby Museum on the Urban Bourbon exhibit," said Patrick Stewart, Four Roses Director of Marketing and Sales - North America. "When you think of the Kentucky Derby you naturally think of superior horses vying for the infamous garland of roses and of course, premium Kentucky Bourbon. It's just a great fit for both of us."

The design for the exhibit will have an upscale, urban loft feel and is being created as a dimensional space that will not only provide information in a fun, upscale presentation but will also be available as event space for bourbon tastings. Four Roses Distillery, LLC located near Lawrenceburg, KY is the presenting sponsor of the exhibit and will be showcased in a variety of ways within the context of the exhibit.

The Derby Cafe will offer select tastings of bourbon flights including a "Run of Roses" to guests daily during the week from Mon.-Fri. and on occasional weekends during peak season.

The Kentucky Derby Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit museum in Louisville, KY dedicated to sharing the fun of the Kentucky Derby experience. www.derbymuseum.org

SOURCE: Four Roses


        
        Kentucky Derby Museum
        Wendy Treinen, 502-992-5910 or 502-693-5605
        wtreinen@derbymuseum.org
        or
        Four Roses
        Karen Kushner, 502-839-3436 ex 17 or 502-905-3808
        karen_kushner@fourroses.biz
        

Churchill Downs to Permit Also-Eligible Entrants for Derby, Oaks Beginning in 2012

Churchill Downs will permit four also-eligible entrants to the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), America’s greatest race, and the $1 million guaranteed Kentucky Oaks (GI), the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, beginning with the respective 138th runnings of those races in 2012.

For the first time in the history of those races, the new system allows as many as four horses to remain eligible to compete in each race beyond the official time of entry and one or more of the “also eligible” horses could be allowed to run in their respective race if members of the original fields for their races scratch from the race within a specified period of time.  A maximum of 20 horses is allowed to compete in the Kentucky Derby, the 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds conducted each year on the first Saturday in May, while the Kentucky Oaks, the Derby’s 1 1/8-mile counterpart for fillies run on the eve of the Derby, is limited to 14 starters.

Entries for the Kentucky Derby are due the Wednesday before the race, while Oaks entries are taken on the Tuesday before its annual Friday renewal.  Also-eligible horses would be permitted to compete in the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks if there are scratches from either race prior to their shared official “scratch time” of 9 a.m. (Eastern) on Friday, Kentucky Oaks Day.  That time is the opening of wagering on the Kentucky Oaks Day racing program and the beginning of preliminary betting on the Kentucky Derby.

In the event of a scratch or scratches from either race, preference among also-eligible entrants would be determined under the current eligibility system for the Derby and Oaks.  Horses with the highest total earnings in graded stakes races would “draw-in” to the field for their respective race.  If the total entrants for either of those races should exceed the maximum field size plus four, the four horses listed as also-eligible entrants would be determined by the same system.

“There has been significant discussion in recent years regarding also-eligible entrants for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, especially in light of the late scratches of Derby favorites I Want Revenge in 2009 and Uncle Mo from this year’s running,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack.  “Our concerns have always focused on preliminary wagering on the Kentucky Derby permitted during our Kentucky Oaks Day racing program, including refunds of wagers on scratched Derby horses and potential confusion during those two special days among our massive crowds of bettors.

“Also-eligible horses for Oaks will have nearly three days of opportunity to get into their race, while the Derby’s window for also-eligible entrants to participate is just under 48 hours. We feel strongly that the deadline for also-eligible horses to join the Derby field must be set before preliminary wagering on the race begins.  Despite the more limited window for also-eligible horses for the Derby, this system provides owners and trainers an opportunity to keep their Derby dreams alive that has never existed before.”

Equibase past performances for also-eligible horses for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks will appear in racing programs along with the original fields for the two races.  As many as four also-eligible horses outside of the Kentucky Derby’s 20-horse field would be listed, in order of preference, with program numbers 21, 22, 23 and 24.  Kentucky Oaks also-eligible fillies would be numbered between 15 and 18, also in order of preference.

In the event of a scratch from either the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks fields, horses in post positions outside of the scratched horses would move in a spot and the also-eligible horse would then occupy the outermost position in the starting gate.  Also-eligible entrants are not required to compete in either race in the event of a scratch. Source>>>

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Strike the Gold, the 1991 Kentucky Derby The oldest living Kentucky Derby winner dies at age 23.

Strike the Gold, the 1991 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner, was euthanized at Karacabey Stud Farm in Turkey Dec. 13, it was confirmed by the Turkish Jockey Club. The 23-year-old son of Alydar had been the oldest living Derby winner.

Strike the Gold, who was still the leading active stallion in Turkey, fractured his left front pastern Dec. 13 and, after being examined by a team of veterinarians, was euthanized. He had battled laminitis recently, but was still in relatively good health until his injury.

“He was a champion stallion and our top stallion,” said Adem Kutay Yusufoglu, an officer of the Turkish Jockey Club. “He had some problems, but he was still a happy horse until he died.”

The chestnut horse, who was bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm and was out of the Hatchet Man mare Majestic Gold, won the 1991 Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) prior to scoring the Derby by 1 3/4 lengths over Best Pal. He was ridden to victory by Chris Antley for trainer Nick Zito. B. Giles Brophy, William J. Condren, and Joseph M. Cornacchia owned Strike the Gold and raced him under the name BCC Gold Stable during his 3-year-old season.

Strike the Gold would go on to finish sixth in the Preakness (gr. I) and second by a head to Hansel in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). As a 4-year-old, after a reported ownership dispute, he was sold at the Fasig-Tipton New York sale for $2.9 million, with Condren and Cornacchia signing the ticket. Later in 1992 he tallied his only other grade I victory when taking the Pimlico Special Handicap and then won the Nassau County Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park. He was graded stakes placed 10 times in his career.

He retired in 1993 with a record of 6-8-5 from 31 starts and earnings of $3,457,026.

Strike the Gold began his stallion duties at Ben Walden Jr.’s Vinery near Midway, Ky., and in 1998 was sold to Turkey. He was a tremendously successful sire in Turkey, with total progeny earnings of more than $20.4 million, according to the Turkish Jockey Club. At the time of his death, he was the leading stallion in 2011, with progeny earnings of more than $4.3 million.

His best runner was Sabirli, a seven-time champion sprinter/miler who earned more than $6 million.
Source>>>

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Rapid Redux extends his win streak to 21 races and ties Citation's record for wins in one season (19) on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at Laurel Park.

WHAT A WIN by the hard knocking wonder horse, Rapid Redux, who has won 19 races in a calendar year to tie Citation’s modern-day record! His victory yesterday increased his winning streak to 21 consecutive victories…an unprecedented feat in modern era racing!
Watch his incredible achievement

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Louisville native Andre Foreman revealed as Kentucky Derby poster artist

The first Saturday in May is still several months away, but the Derby Festival has just revealed the poster artist for 2012.It’s Louisville native Andre Foreman, a self-taught visual artist and sculptor who has a studio space in the Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center.

Although the poster won’t be revealed until Jan. 25 at the Derby Festival Poster Premiere at the Henry Clay, you can check out his latest work, “Ode to Woman: The Poetics of Movement,” which opens Friday at Mellwood and runs through Dec. 30.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected as the official poster artist ... I’m interested in everything related to art and I’m excited about people being able to see my work,” Foreman, who grew up in Old Louisville and is a Marine Corps veteran, said in a press release. Source>>>