Fair Grounds Race Course Names New Director

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN) today named D. Ben Huffman director of racing and racing secretary for Fair Grounds Race Course ("Fair Grounds") in New Orleans, La. The announcement was made by Donald R. Richardson, CDI's senior vice president of racing.

Huffman will assume his new position as soon as CDI completes the purchase of Fair Grounds, which is scheduled to occur on or before Oct. 15, 2004. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, authorized the sale of Fair Grounds to CDI on Sept. 24 when it approved the bankruptcy reorganization plan submitted by CDI; Fair Grounds Corp., principal owner of the racetrack; and the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

Huffman will report to Randall Soth, who was recently named president and general manager of Fair Grounds, pending the completion of CDI's acquisition of the historic racetrack and its affiliated off-track betting network.

Huffman, a 35-year-old native of Louisville, Ky., served as director of racing and racing secretary at Fair Grounds during the 2003-2004 racing season will continue in his current posts as racing secretary for both the Fall and Spring Meets at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and as a placing judge for portions of Churchill Downs' Fall and Spring Meets that do not conflict with his live racing schedule at Fair Grounds.

"I am very excited to return to Fair Grounds and to expand upon my professional relationship with the management team at Churchill Downs Incorporated," said Huffman. "Fair Grounds already offers an attractive racing product, and I look forward to working with Louisiana horsemen and my team in the racing office as we build on that tradition. Fair Grounds should be a show place for winter racing, with competitive stakes and purse programs, and a stable area that meets the needs of our horsemen. CDI is committed to making the improvements necessary to return Fair Grounds racing to national prominence, and I welcome the chance to be part of the team that makes that happen."

"Ben is one of the best racing secretaries in the horse racing industry, and we are thrilled to have him accept this important role at Fair Grounds," said Richardson. "He has an excellent track record with horsemen and the kind of experience we need to make Fair Grounds racing the preferred wintertime product for horse racing fans across the nation.

"We also realize that Ben is an important part of the Kentucky racing circuit, and we are pleased to know that Ben's position at Fair Grounds will still allow him to serve as Keeneland's racing secretary and as a racing official at Churchill Downs."

Assisting Huffman in the Fair Grounds racing office will be Jason M. Boulet and David Heitzman, who will serve as co-assistant racing secretaries. Boulet will also serve as stakes coordinator.

"Jason and David have been exceptional to work with and will be an important part of my team at Fair Grounds," said Huffman. "They both have tons of talent and a strong knowledge of the Louisiana horse industry. I look forward to working with them as we prepare for what should be an exciting 2004-2005 live racing season in New Orleans."

Huffman's professional and personal background is rooted in horse racing. His father, William G. (Blackie) Huffman, and his uncle and brother are Thoroughbred trainers. Ben Huffman worked for his father as an assistant trainer before becoming a racing official.

Prior to accepting his current post at Keeneland in 2002, Huffman served as racing secretary for CDI's Ellis Park from 1999 to 2001, and as assistant racing secretary at the Henderson, Ky., track in 1998. He served as assistant racing secretary at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., from 1994 to 2001, and as co-assistant racing secretary at the famed Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., during the 1996 and 1997 racing seasons. His first job in a racing office was as a claims clerk at Ellis Park in 1990.

Huffman attended Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville. Huffman and his wife, Christi, live in Kentucky and have two daughters.