News and Press Releases

Churchill Downs Racetrack has announced a first-of-its-kind, multi-year partnership with Visa serving as the Preferred Payment Partner of Churchill Downs and the 153rd Kentucky Derby.

Tickets for the 153rd running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs will be available for purchase Thursday (today) at 12 p.m. ET. In addition to premium dining seating, reserved stadium-style seating and general admission, fans can purchase tickets for brand-new seating experiences, including Infield Turf Cabanas, offering private reserved seating for groups of 12 along the turf course. Churchill Downs also has expanded the Homestretch Club, Turfside Reserved Seating and Infield General Admission offerings, giving even more fans the opportunity to enjoy some of the most exciting vantage points throughout the racetrack.

Churchill Downs Incorporated team members recently visited Alley Cat Advocates’ Community Cat Complex to present the nonprofit with the $20,000 grand prize from Give for Good Louisville’s Greatest Two Minutes in Giving and learn more about its work with Louisville’s feral cat population.

The Pyure Company (“Pyure”) and Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) today announced a multi-year exclusive agreement that continues the companies’ relationship around indoor air and surface purification technology at select CDI casino and gaming properties.

Derby City Gaming (“DCG”) presented a $63,606.45 donation to Norton West Louisville Hospital today through its Donation Station program. The Donation Station program allows guests to donate ticket vouchers to support local nonprofit organizations. The average contribution was 35 cents per transaction. Together, those contributions generated a $63,606.45 donation to the Norton Healthcare Foundation to support Norton West Louisville Hospital, which opened in November 2024 to expand access to high-quality healthcare for residents of West Louisville.

On Labor Day, Colonial Downs Racetrack concluded the biggest season in the track’s nearly thirty year history with a thrilling finish in the Old Dominion Derby. The 2026 live racing season saw new highs for the number of races and race days, horses in competition, prize money awarded, and wagering handle.

The official Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will begin Saturday at the home of America’s greatest race as Churchill Downs stages the 45th running of the $300,000 Iroquois (Grade III) for 2-year-olds at one mile on opening weekend of its 14-day September Meet. The Road to the Kentucky Derby, which debuted in 2013, annually awards a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions in select qualifying races. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse Kentucky Derby – the 1 ¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds annually held on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) ("CDI") today announced the promotion of Jason Stoess to Vice President and General Manager of Calder Casino, effective immediately. Stoess will report to Michael Meagher, Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations.

On Tuesday, August 25, Churchill Downs Incorporated ("CDI") was honored as one of Louisville Business First's Top Ten Large Companies for philanthropic giving at the 2026 Partners in Philanthropy Awards. As the Title Sponsor of this year's event, CDI was proud to support a celebration recognizing the businesses and nonprofit leaders who are making a lasting impact across the Louisville community.