Churchill's Sexton to head new effort

Steve Sexton, the president of Churchill Downs and an executive vice president of the track's parent company, will head up a new subsidiary at Churchill Downs Inc. that will focus on new racing events, concerts, and "other concepts" for its four racetracks, the company said on Monday.

Sexton's appointment leaves the presidency of Churchill Downs open. In a release, Churchill said it has begun an executive search to fill the position.

Sexton's move was part of a larger restructuring at Churchill that also included the promotion of William Carstanjen to the position of chief operating officer of Churchill Downs Inc., which owns Arlington Park outside of Chicago, Calder Race Course in Miami, Churchill in Louisville, Ky., and Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Carstanjen was previously the company's chief development officer.

Kevin Flanery, a spokesman for Churchill Downs, said that the new subsidiary would seek business for the company's facilities as well as provide consulting services to the racing industry on the use of their tracks.

In addition to being the site of two of the nation's largest racing days, Kentucky Derby Day and Kentucky Oaks Day, Churchill in recent years has staged concerts by the Rolling Stones and the Police, and Fair Grounds is the site of an annual music festival.