FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Joe Kristufek
Racing Analyst/Media Relations
[email protected]

• Taraz could join Kentucky Derby trail
• Monomoy Girl returns to Fair Grounds
• Two turns next for No Parole
• Serengeti Empress confirmed for Houston Ladies
• Lynn’s Map to “take a look” at Smarty Jones
• Faucheux scores career win #500

 

“SPECIAL” FILLY TARAZ COULD JOIN
THE ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY

Should she win the Martha Washington impressively,
a stakes run against the boys could be next

New Orleans (January 16, 2020) – Should she win the Martha Washington Stakes (February 1) at Oaklawn impressively, trainer Brad Cox has indicated that Juddmonte Farm’s homebred three-year-old filly Taraz could tackle the boys in her subsequent start and thus join the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve.

“Look, she’s special,” Cox explained. “Everything has to line up, everything has to go right. The way she trains, she gives you that amount of confidence to think about things like that, bottom line. It’s one step at a time, obviously. The Martha Washington and then go from there.”
A 7 ½ length winner in her career debut at Churchill on November 14, the daughter of Into Mischief returned five weeks later to score an even more impressive 11 ¼ length victory over sloppy going in the Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds. Both of those races were one-turn sprints. A two-turn, short-stretched one mile event restricted to three-year-old fillies, the Martha Washington is a points race on the Road to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) (10-4-2-1).

“It’s always exciting when fillies take on the colts,” said Kevin Kerstein, publicity manager, communications and media services for Churchill Downs. “If a really nice filly like Taraz joins the Road to the Kentucky Derby, it would add an intriguing storyline to the lead up to this year’s race.”

According to Kerstein, since the system was implemented in 2013, there have been several fillies who have earned points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, including 2018 El Camino Real winner Paved and 2017 UAE Derby (G1) runner-up Rayya.. No filly has competed in the Run for the Roses since Devil May Care in 2010 and only three fillies have won the Kentucky Derby – Winning Colors (1988), Genuine Risk (1980) and Regret (1915).

 

CHAMPION MONOMOY GIRL BACK TRAINING AT FAIR GROUNDS

Unraced as a 4-year-old following a couple of setbacks, Dubb, Monomoy Stables LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC (Stuart Grant) and Bethlehem Stable LLC’s champion mare Monomoy Girl arrived to barn 29 early Wednesday morning at Fair Grounds as she continues what her team hopes will be a successful comeback.
“She galloped a little bit this morning,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Physically she looks amazing. She’s moving well. She was doing great in Ocala (at Paul Sharp’s Stables) before coming back up here. We’re excited to have her back in the barn and give her another shot. At the end of this month or very early February we will start picking up the pace (with her) a little bit.”
Monomoy Girl parlayed a win in the 2018 Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds into subsequent victories in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland, the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs, the Acorn (G1), the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga and eventually the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) en route to an Eclipse Award as Champion 3-year-old filly.

 

UNDEFEATED LOUISIANA-BRED NO PAROLE
TO TEST TWO TURNS IN NEXT OUTING

Maggi Moss’ three-year-old Louisiana-bred colt No Parole, a winner of his first two career starts by a combined 27 ½ lengths, will test two turns for the first time in his next start, although according to trainer Tom Amoss, a specific race has not been targeted.
“Even though his pedigree slants strongly towards sprinting, we are going to stretch him out in his next start,” Amoss said No Parole. “He’s a horse who deserves an opportunity. Because he’s already won a couple of races, more than likely he’ll run next in a stake.”
By Violence, No Parole is out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One, who won four times from 15 starts with an average winning distance of 5.13 furlongs. Her first foal, Violent Ways, also by Violence, won three of six starts with an average winning distance of 5.83 furlongs. On the plus side, No Parole’s granddam License Fee, a $1.2 million earner, was a multiple graded stakes winner around two turns.
If connections wanted to pick some low-hanging fruit, the restricted $100,000 LA. Bred Premier Night Prince for three-year-olds at one mile at Delta Downs on February 8 would fit the schedule timing-wise.
“No decision has been made,” Amoss said. “We’re not really sure where we are going. It doesn’t help that the transition (to stakes) here (at Fair Grounds) would be to the Risen Star which is 1 1/8th miles (on February 15). That seems a lot to ask, so I would say running there is doubtful.”

 

SERENGETI EMPRESS CONFIRMED FOR HOUSTON LADIES’ CLASSIC

Off just a pair of local half mile works, Joel Politi’s 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress, an Eclipse Award Finalist in the three-year-old filly division, is on target to make her seasonal debut in the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) on January 26.
“She’s a horse who gets herself ready quickly,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “She’s going to go to Houston. There’s not really a dirt race for her here at Fair Grounds.”
In addition to the Kentucky Oaks (G1), the now 4-year-old daughter of Alternation also won the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds and as 2-year-old, the Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill. She was most recently seen finishing third behind Blue Prize and Midnight Bisou in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita.

 

CONNECTIONS OF LYNN’S MAP TO
“TAKE A LOOK” AT SMARTY JONES

David Carroll, assistant trainer to Mark Casse, has indicated that HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud’s Lynn’s Map, who drew post 14 for Saturday’s $200,000 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, will be entered tomorrow for the $150,000 Smarty Jones to be run on Friday, January 24 at Oaklawn.
“Post 14 is a bit of a concern, but we are also not sure we want to ship this horse right on top of a race and run out of town,” Carroll said. “We are going to enter (the Smarty Jones) and take a look.”
Casse, who won last year’s Lecomte with eventual Preakness (G1) victor War of Will, also has John Oxley’s Enforceable (post 10) entered in Saturday’s Lecomte.

 

FAUCHEUX SCORES CAREER TRAINING WIN NUMBER 500

It’s only Thursday, but it’s already been a very good week for trainer Ron Faucheux.
A diehard LSU Tigers fan, Faucheux’s week started with a Monday night victory by his team over Clemson to secure a National Championship, and on Thursday at Fair Grounds, the 37-year-old Louisiana native scored the 500th win of his training career when Hot Melissa returned from a 1 ½ year layoff to take race one with Sophie Doyle aboard.

“We’re ecstatic, the entire barn is super excited,” Faucheux said. “It’s been ten years since we’ve been training. It is a cool milestone to achieve, especially here at the Fair Grounds. I’m happy it happened here. My best friend and former assistant Joey Fontenot just passed away a couple days ago and his whole family was out here for it, so that meant a lot to us. We know he is looking over us and we know he was here. This was the first horse we ran after he passed away, so it was just really cool. It’s a great accomplishment for my crew more than anything. I have two great assistants and it really goes to show how hard they work. It’s really for them and the barn more than myself.”
Perhaps best known for his work with the millionaire Sunbean and Grade II winning sprinter Gantry, Faucheux has a 24% career win percentage with purse earnings exceeding $11.6 million.

-30-
About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global
Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 148th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 107 th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 28, 2019 through March 29, 2020. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.
Information set forth in this press release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) provides certain “safe harbor” provisions for forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this press release are made pursuant to the Act. The reader is cautioned that such forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time and/or management’s good faith belief with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statement was made. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the following: the effect of economic conditions on our consumers’ confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; public perceptions or lack of confidence in the integrity of our business; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; general risks related to real estate ownership, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations, including the impact of natural and other disasters on our operations and our ability to obtain insurance recoveries in respect of such losses; inability to identify and complete acquisition, expansion or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; legalization of online real money gaming and sports wagering in the United States, and our ability to capitalize on and predict such legalization; the number of people attending and wagering on live horse races; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; inadvertent infringement of the intellectual property of others; inability to protect our own intellectual property rights; security breaches and other security risks related to our technology, personal information, source code and other proprietary information, including failure to comply with regulations and other legal obligations relating to receiving, processing, storing and using personal information; payment- related risks, such as chargebacks for fraudulent credit card use; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; compliance with payment processing and payment transmission regulations; work stoppages and labor issues; difficulty in attracting a sufficient number of horses and trainers for full field horseraces; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; the inability of our totalisator company, United Tote, to maintain its processes accurately, keep its technology current or maintain its significant customers; weather conditions affecting our ability to conduct live racing; increased competition in the horseracing business; changes in the regulatory environment of our racing operations; declining popularity in horseracing; seasonal fluctuations in our horseracing business due to geographic concentration of our operations; increased competition in our casino business; changes in regulatory environment of our casino business; the cost and possibility for delay, cost overruns and other uncertainties associated with the develop.m.ent and expansion of casinos; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; impact of further legislation prohibiting tobacco smoking; geographic concentration of our casino business; changes in regulatory environment for our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; increase in competition in the advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; inability to retain current customers or attract new customers to our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; uncertainty and changes in the legal landscape relating to our advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming businesses; and failure to comply with laws requiring us to block access to certain individuals could result in penalties or impairment in our ability to offer advanced deposit wagering, sports wagering, or online gaming.