ARLINGTON PARK ANNOUNCES 257 NOMINATIONS TO MID-AMERICA TRIPLE

Includes 45 Overseas Horses from International Racing Bureau

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (March 29, 2001) -- A total of 257 horses, including 45 submitted by the International Racing Bureau, have been nominated for the Mid-America Triple at Arlington Park this summer. Total purses for the trio of races has been increased by $100,000, a $50,000 boost in each of the first two legs, from a year ago to $850,000.

The series of turf races for three-year-olds of world-class caliber kicks off with the 67th running of the Grade 2 $200,000 Arlington Classic at a mile and an eighth on Saturday, June 30, followed by the Grade 2 $250,000 American Derby over a mile and three-sixteenths scheduled to be run for the 87th time on Sunday, July 22, 2001.

The triple concludes on International Festival of Racing Day at Arlington Park on Aug. 18, 2001 with the 25th edition of the Grade 1 $400,000 Secretariat Stakes at a mile and a quarter. On that Saturday, Illinois' only three Grade 1 stakes will be run for only the third time on the same day with the $1 million Arlington Million and the $500,000 Beverly D. combining with the Secretariat for total purse money of $1.9 million in those three races.

On the list of 257 original nominees are 44 foreign breds including, 16 Irish breds, 12 from Great Britain, four French breds and one each from Japan and Switzerland.

The trainer with the most Mid-America Triple nominations is Elliott Walden with 17, followed by Irish-conditioner Dermot Weld with 14. Bill Mott is next with 12 and Robert Hess and D. Wayne Lukas have nine each.

International powerhouse Godolphin Racing, Inc. is tops on the owner's list with seven nominees while five other stables have four apiece -- Fog City Stable, Full Circle Racing, Padua Stables, Stronach Stables, Inc. and Team Valor.

Late closing dates for the three races are as follows -- the Arlington Classic on Wed., June 6, American Derby on Wed., July 4 and Secretariat Stakes on Wed. July 25, 2001.

Arlington Park, the Chicago area's premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill., will run its 102-day live racing meet from June 13 through October 28, 2001. Arlington Park, which merged with Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN) in September 2000, also operates off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities at -- Trackside at Arlington Park, Quad City Downs and in Chicago, Rockford, Waukegan. For further information on Arlington Park, visit our website at www.arlingtonpark.com.