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Apparent Tornado Inflicts Damage on Ellis Park

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- An apparent tornado, spawned by a line of severe weather that moved through southwestern Indiana and northwestern Kentucky early Sunday morning, has inflicted significant damage at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.

Ellis Park Vice President and General Manager Paul Kuerzi said that horse barns and several other buildings at the Thoroughbred track were damaged in the storm. There were some minor injuries to people working at the track and Kuerzi said some horses stabled at the track had died from injuries suffered in the high winds.

"We took a couple of people to the hospital, but none of those injuries appear to be serious or life-threatening," said Kuerzi. "It appears at this point that three horses have died from injuries suffered in storm. It's too early to know if any other horses were injured."

Ellis Park's 2005 racing season ended on Sept. 5, but an estimated 150 horses remained in training on the track's grounds.

Kuerzi estimated that several barns were damaged by the high winds and parts of the track's grandstand and other structures also sustained damage. The track's infield totalisator board and portions the track's safety rail were also damaged by the storm's winds. Representatives of Churchill Downs were en route to Henderson on Sunday morning to help assess the damage. Ellis Park is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated ("CDI") and operates under Churchill Downs racetrack as part of CDI's Kentucky operations.

Simulcast wagering at Ellis Park has been cancelled for Sunday and until further notice.

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