Churchill sees attendance, handle records set on Derby Day 2015

Churchill sees attendance, handle records set on Derby Day

2015

It was ideal weather for Saturday's 141st running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) as a record 170,513 fans, the

highest attendance in Derby history, watched American Pharoah take home the

garland of roses in the final stretch at Churchill Downs. Prior attendance record of 165,307 was

set in 2012 when I'll Have Another won the 138th Kentucky Derby.

Wagering from all-sources was the highest all-time on both

the Kentucky Derby Day program and on the Kentucky Derby race.

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program

totaled $194.3 million, an increase of 4 percent for both the 2014 total of $186.6 million

and the previous record set in 2012 of $187 million.

Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby race jumped 7 percent to $137.9

million from 2014's $129.2 million and saw 4 percent rise over the previous record

set in 2012 of $133.1 million.

On-track wagering on the Kentucky Derby program of $23

million declined 2 percent from $23.4 million in 2014. On-track wagering on the

Kentucky Derby race totaled $12 million, an increase of 1 percent over 2014's

$11.9 million.

Churchill Downs returned $154.3 million to bettors on the

Kentucky Derby Day race program. Additionally, purses earned from the Kentucky

Derby Day race program approximated $10.7 million that will be paid out to

horsemen during the remainder of the 2015 race meets.

"We congratulate the connections of American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) on his

victory in this year's 141st running of the Kentucky Derby," said Kevin Flanery,

president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. "It was truly a team effort here at

Churchill Downs and I want to thank the horses, jockeys, trainers, owners and

employees who created an extraordinary opening week and an unforgettable Derby

day. We look forward to an impressive 2015 spring meet."

"The Kentucky Derby is an awe-inspiring spectacle and all

of us who work here feel privileged to be a part of this experience," said Bill Carstanjen,

CEO of Churchill Downs Inc. "We saw continued improvement again this year and we

preliminarily expect record Adjusted EBITDA with growth over last year's

Kentucky Oaks and Derby week of $5-to-$6.5 million."

Bettors took full advantage of

TwinSpires.com and the new TwinSpires app for iOS devices to handicap, place wagers, and watch live races.

For Derby Day, TwinSpires, the country's leading online betting platform, handle

on all Churchill Downs races for the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $20.8

million, up 17 percent over $17.8 million in 2014.

For the Kentucky Derby race itself,

handle totaled a record $13.2 million on TwinSpires, up 17 percent from $11.3 million

in 2014.

All-sources handle for opening night, Saturday, April 25,

through Derby Day, Saturday, May 2, rose to a record $263.3 million, up 4

percent from

2014's $253.8 million, and 2 percent over the record set in 2013.

Attendance for those

five days was a record, up 5 percent to 365,006 from 348,530 in 2014 and up 1.5

percent over

the previous record set in 2011.

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