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Churchill Downs Announces Trio Of Investment Projects, Including New Plans For Clubhouse Turn

Churchill Downs announced three major multi-year capital investments to transform key areas at the home of the Kentucky Derby. These projects will ultimately provide new, unique and extraordinary guest experiences in the coming years. Plans include the debut of a new project each year over the next three years, beginning with the Homestretch Club for Kentucky Derby 2022 and culminating with a Paddock area redesign for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby in 2024.

The Homestretch Club will renovate and update the grandstand area adjacent to the Twin Spires along the famed track's homestretch. The project will convert what is currently outdoor bleacher seating next to the Winner's Circle Suites and below the Jockey Club Suites into three unique seating options with all-inclusive amenities. This seating offers an ideal view of the starting gate, a superior vantage of the track's Big Board and a bird's eye view of the homestretch as the horses thunder to the finish line. Ticketed guests in the Homestretch Club will have access to 18,600 sq. ft. of new interior premium hospitality space in the first-floor concourse area that will be transformed into a newly reimagined, high-end air-conditioned club atmosphere to place a bet, enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverage offerings and other amenities. This premium hospitality space will be accented by a grand staircase and a 100 ft. feature bar making it an elegant and desirable option for special events at historic Churchill Downs.

The new all-inclusive ticket offerings for the Homestretch Club will include:

· 30 Trackside Lounges along the rail for up to 200 guests offering a “courtside seat” experience

· 66 Terraced Dining Tables for up to 440 guests creating covered outdoor dining

· 2,610 Stadium Club seats providing a cushioned, comfortable and upgraded experience

· 5 private VIP Hospitality Lounges for up to 60 guests

In total, the project will provide for 3,250 all-inclusive seats, which is 1,950 fewer reserved seats than were previously in this area. The $45 million Homestretch Club project is scheduled for completion in time for the 148th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

The Turn 1 Experience will introduce permanent all-inclusive stadium seats at Churchill Downs in a unique location with exclusive views of the Kentucky Derby walkover and the picturesque first turn framed by the Twin Spires. The project will upgrade and expand what is currently 3,400 temporary Oaks and Derby seats to 5,100 all-inclusive permanent stadium seats with significantly improved amenities to enhance the overall guest experience. The permanent construction will also add a climate-controlled hospitality venue below the new stadium seats that will serve as premium seating for up to 2,000 guests who will have access to an adjacent trackside reserved viewing terrace allowing them to view signature moments along the rail.

The Turn 1 Experience will include:

· 5,100 Covered Stadium Seats

· 50,000 sq. ft. climate-controlled Hospitality Venue that includes reserved dining room tables for up to 2,000 guests with an adjacent trackside Viewing Terrace

· 2 Concourses to allow for better guest circulation and additional customer amenities for stadium seat-ticketed guests, creating a convenient place for socializing with outdoor racetrack view

In total, the project will provide for 7,100 all-inclusive seats, which is 3,700 more reserved seats than were previously in this area. The $90 million Turn 1 Experience is scheduled for completion in time for the 149th Kentucky Derby in 2023.

The combination of these two capital projects will result in a net addition of 1,750 premium reserved seats.

The Paddock Area Redesign is in the early design stage and will transform the existing Paddock area in a manner that will enhance the experience for nearly every guest who enters the gates of the historic racetrack. In addition to introducing new and innovative seating and experiences, the redesign will reduce congestion by significantly improving the flow of guests through the Paddock and Plaza areas. This project is tentatively scheduled to debut for the 150th Kentucky Derby in 2024. More details will be shared in the coming months.

“We have so much to anticipate as we look toward the 150th Kentucky Derby in 2024,” said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We've listened to our customers' feedback over the years and the response to those demands can be seen in these upcoming capital projects. The design of each will blend 147 years of tradition with an updated atmosphere that celebrates our storied past and ushers in a spectacular future for Churchill Downs.”

Guests with inquiries about reserving premium seating in the Homestretch Club and Turn 1 Experience may call (502) 636-4450 or (502) 636-4447.

Every fall, Churchill Downs sells the following year's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks via an online sale. Guests may sign-up to be invited to the 2022 Kentucky Derby online sale to receive ticket and pricing information at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/tickets/2022-sale-signup.

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Claiming They Are Owed $368,272, Zayat’s Attorneys Want Out Of Bankruptcy Case

Ahmed Zayat, who filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year after being sued by MGG Investment Group for allegedly defaulting on a $24 million loan, has stopped paying his attorneys, according to a court filing.

Jay L. Lubetkin, a partner in the Rabinowitz, Lubetkin & Tully law firm that has been representing Zayat in both the bankruptcy and MGG adversary proceedings, filed a notice with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey on Monday seeking to withdraw from the case.

Lubetkin said Zayat has failed to fulfill his promise to keep outstanding invoices within 60-day terms and a subsequent promise to make minimum monthly payments of $50,000. Lubetkin said he tried communicating with Zayat “at least nine times” in July to discuss the status of payments but has not received a “substantive or satisfactory response” from the Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder who campaigned 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah.

Lubetkin said Zayat currently owes $368,273.33, not including billings incurred since June 29, 2021. Lubetkin said the last payment received was May 5, with outstanding bills now dating back to February of this year.

“If (Zayat) were to satisfy his previously expressed commitment to keep our receivables within 60-day terms,” Lubetkin wrote, “it would require an immediate payment of $232,899, and a further payment of $76,717 when the billing governing July's efforts is tendered.”

Lubetkin commented that the MGG Investment Group lawsuit is “in its earliest stages” and likely would not go to trial until the second quarter of 2022, at the soonest.

Zayat's “payment failures constitute a failure to substantially fulfill obligations to our firm,” Lubetkin wrote, “and the debtor (Zayat) has been given reasonable warning that we will have no choice but to withdraw unless those obligations were fulfilled. … Additionally, continuing representation of the debtor will result in an unreasonable financial burden on our firm.”

Zayat, Lubetkin added, is “an extremely intelligent individual who fully understands the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process, the nature of the claims being made against him by MGG Investment Group in its adversary proceeding seeking the non-dischargeability of the alleged debt due MGG Investment Group, the role of his individual Chapter 7 trustee, the role of the Chatper 7 trustee for Zayat Stables LLC, the prospect of an objection to discharge complaint being filed against the debtor by his individual Chapter 7 trustee and the prospect of a Section 523 complaint being filed against the debtor by the Stables' trustee. The debtor also understands the exemption available to his interest in residential real property, the exemption available to his ownership interest in home furnishings, and the impact of the real property and personalty appraisals obtained by his Chapter 7 trustee.

“Based on the debtor's intelligence and the detailed statutory and caselaw information which has been shared with the debtor,” Lubetkin concluded, “the debtor is fully capable of representing himself in his main bankruptcy case and in the adversary proceeding.”

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‘Two Bay Fillies That Look Exactly The Same’: Trainer Apologizes After Horse Mix-Up At Galway

Trainer Jessica Harrington issued an apology via the Racing Post on Tuesday after her stable ran the wrong horse in a 2-year-old fillies' maiden at Galway. Alizarine was supposed to run, but instead it was her year-older stablemate, Aurora Princess, who started and won the race. Aurora Princess was to have started later on the same card, and was scratched.

“We ran the wrong horse,” Harrington told the Racing Post. “They are two bay fillies that look exactly the same. One has a tiny little bit of white on the back of her hind coronary band but they are the same size and very similar.

“My representative Bubba Amond held his hands up straight away. He had the saddle on by the time I saw her in the ring. It's human error and I apologize to everyone.”

The issue was discovered before the race was declared official, when the winning filly's microchip was scanned as she was leaving the parade ring. The winner was subsequently disqualified, and the case referred to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board for further review.

Owner Provides Hastings With $1 Million Interest-Free Loan To Extend 2021 Season

Racehorse owner Glen Todd, who operates as the North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, has provided a $1 million interest-free loan to the purse account at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, British Columbia. According to the Vancouver Sun, that funding will allow the track to extend the 2021 race season by another month.

The purse account is generally funded by online wagering platforms, the casino, and trackside wagering. With COVID-19 shutting down Hastings in March of 2020, there was only enough money for 25 race dates that summer. This year, again, there was only enough revenue to support 25 race dates from May 3 to Aug. 2.

“People were getting desperate, we were going to have to lay all these people off, they had no where to go with their horses,” Todd told the Sun.

With the additional funding Todd provided, racing will now continue through Aug. 31. David Milburn, president of the local Horsemen's' Benevolent and Protective Association, said the hope is that the extra month of racing in August will allow revenue streams to rebuild enough to continue funding purses through additional race dates in September.

Milburn also said Hastings has received no assistance from the provincial government during the pandemic.

“We are asking the government to step up to ensure the jobs of the people that work with the horses, and the people who live here who call the track home,” Milburn told the Sun. “We continue to engage with government and we are hopeful.”