Odds On Takes Friday Feature

May 21, 2011 Travers Manley

Haras Old Friends’ Odds On-BRZ took the lead from a determined Mine Train at the sixteenth pole and extended his lead in the final 50 yards to prevail by three-quarters of a length in the $47,360 feature on Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

            Trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Manny Cruz, who celebrated his 41^st birthday Friday, Odds On covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.27 on a fast track to give the McPeek-Cruz duo their second victory of the day.

            A 5-year-old Brazilian-bred son of Roi Normand, Odds On improved his record to 12-3-1-2 and increased his earnings to $88,604 with Friday’s check of $26,400.

            Slightly favored over William’s Kitten in the field of seven, Odds On returned $7, $4.20, and $3. Mine Train, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $4.60 and $3.60 and finished 8 ¼ lengths in front of Adulare, who paid $6.60 to show under Marcelino Pedroza Jr.

            Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program that kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET. There’s a two-day Pick 6 carryover of $8,489 on Races 6-11, and a $7,702 Super Hi-5 carryover in the finale.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2012. The track’s 2011 Spring Meet opened April 30 and continues through July 4. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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