'Road to the Derby' series starts Saturday

Like every prolific sporting championship, the Kentucky Derby (G1) is the

culmination of months -- even years -- of preparation, determination and the

heart-felt desire to win America's greatest race for horses. For many, the

chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and

not making the cut means saying goodbye to a dream.

Just like the road to the Super Bowl, World Series and Final Four, teams of

Thoroughbred horses, owners, trainers and jockeys must perform well in schedule

of preparatory races -- a playoff series -- in order to earn a start in the "Run

for the Roses."

The newly launched "Road to the Kentucky Derby" television series, produced

in partnership by Churchill Downs Incorporated and NBC Sports, will take viewers

into the middle of this gutsy competition and show them the intense commitment

made by both human beings and horses chasing the Kentucky Derby dream.

The three-part series, slated to run on consecutive Saturdays from March 27

through April 10, will provide live coverage of six Derby prep races, key

competitions that contenders must win to earn a coveted spot in the Derby's

20-horse starting gate. The series will also give viewers at home a sense of the

spectacle surrounding a day at the races, including snapshots of the fashion,

food, famous faces and racing's real "characters" -- the fans -- to draw viewers

into the social scene that makes racetracks the ultimate source for

entertainment.

"We are excited to partner with NBC Sports on this new approach to televised

horse racing, which has helped us grow viewership for the Kentucky Derby

telecast over the last three years," said Bob Evans, president and chief

executive officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated. "Derby prep races are still

the focal points of each telecast, and viewers will have the chance to invest

themselves in the compelling storylines of Derby hopefuls as they earn a berth

in America's premier horse race. By blending traditional sports coverage with

feature and lifestyle stories, we will offer entertainment programming that

appeals to a broad audience, including women and younger viewers, while widely

distributing live racing coverage for our core fans."

The broadcast schedule for the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series is as

follows:

MARCH 27 (USA Network, Fair Grounds, 5-6 p.m. EDT):

* $750,000 Louisiana Derby (G2), Fair Grounds

* $500,000 Lane's End (G2), Turfway Park

APRIL 3 (NBC Sports, Santa Anita, 5-6 p.m. EDT):
* $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1), Santa Anita

* $750,000 Wood Memorial (G1), Aqueduct

APRIL 10 (NBC Sports, Keeneland, 5-6 p.m. EDT):

* $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), Oaklawn Park

* $750,000 Blue Grass (G1), Keeneland

While viewers take in the action at home, fans at the track will have the

chance to enjoy the "DreamBet" of a lifetime. Churchill Downs Incorporated will

sponsor a special promotion at each of the broadcast host tracks for the "Road

to the Kentucky Derby" series, allowing on-track patrons to enter a drawing for

the opportunity for a free $10,000 wager on the broadcast host track's

race. A winning fan will be drawn at random during the course of the racing

program at each broadcast host track. Churchill Downs will then place a $10,000

"win" wager on the horse the winning contestant at each host site selects in the

following races:

* Louisiana Derby on March 27

* Santa Anita Derby on April 3

* Blue Grass on April 10

Viewers at home can watch to see if the contestant wins big as the race

unfolds. Churchill Downs Incorporated piloted a similar wagering concept during

its three "Downs After Dark" night racing events in the summer of 2009 that

proved extremely popular with fans of all ages and wagering experience levels.

For more information and to review official rules for each "DreamBet"

Sweepstakes visit

www.KentuckyDerby.com/dreambet.