TwinSpires opens 2009 Leaderboard competition

TwinSpires.com, the official advance deposit wagering service for Churchill

Downs Incorporated, has launched its second annual "TwinSpires.com Leaderboard"

competition in which top players can secure spots in the Daily Racing Form/NTRA

National Handicapping Championship XI (NHC X) or Coast Casinos' Horse Player

World Series in Las Vegas early next year.

The six players who top the TwinSpires.com Leaderboard competition will earn

spots in the field for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship and a

chance at its $1 million in prize money. Six runners-up in those Leaderboard

categories will be awarded entries in the Coast Casinos Horse Player World

Series.

The 2009 "TwinSpires.com Leaderboard" competition, which was launched on

March 1, does not require a separate entry fee. It asks TwinSpires.com players

to designate their "real money" wagers as Leaderboard wagers. Participants may

choose to compete in either of two Leaderboard categories:  "Points" or "ROI."

Players who compete in "Points" will be rewarded for simply picking winners,

while the "ROI" Leaderboard rewards its players for finding value and amassing a

large bankroll of winnings. There are three separate contests for win, place and

show wagers within both the "Points" and "ROI" leaderboards.

New features in 2009 include a new "Iron Man" competition that will begin in

April and reward consistent Leaderboard excellence throughout the end of

November. Players who register a top 10 finish in each month of 2009

"TwinSpires.com Leaderboard" play will win or share in an "Iron Man" prize pool

of $5,000. A top 10 finish in at least one of the six Leaderboard categories

during each month will qualify players to win or share the "Iron Man" prize

money.

"The level of participation in last year's inaugural Leaderboard competition

was very encouraging and we are delighted to bring it back this year," said

Jeremy Clemons, vice president of Marketing for TwinSpires.com. "This year's

Leaderboard offers players additional opportunities to win, which include four

additional months of competition and the 'Iron Man' concept that rewards skill

and consistency over the length of 'Leaderboard' play."

The beginning of each month marks the start of a new contest in each of the

six Leaderboard categories, so players can join the competition at any time. The

contestant with the highest monthly score in each Leaderboard is eligible to win

the yearly Leaderboard competition, which involves players with the highest

individual monthly scores. Along with the spots in NHC X and the Coast Casinos'

Horseplayer World Series that go to the top two finishers in each division,

prizes will be awarded to the top five finishers in each yearly or monthly

Leaderboard category.

All monthly Leaderboard winners will receive a satellite entry into

TwinSpires.com's "25 Seat Guarantee," an on-line competition on November 21 that

provides 25 qualifying spots to NHC XI, while the yearly Leaderboard winners

will be off to Vegas for National Handicapping Championship.

Each of the six Leaderboard categories will award its winner a maximum of

3,000 National Handicapping Championship Tour points.

A TwinSpires.com account is required for players to participate "Leaderboard"

play.  New members may open a TwinSpires.com account with an initial $50

deposit either online at www.twinspires.com or via telephone at 1-877-SPIRES-1.

After an initial $50 deposit to open a TwinSpires account, there is no minimum

deposit amount. Customers may deposit funds into their TwinSpires accounts at

any time via their phone, the TwinSpires Web site or postal mail. TwinSpires

charges no fees to register, wager or to maintain an account, and TwinSpires

offers live video streaming of races and free race replays to all wagering

customers.