Farish resigns as Churchill's chairman

William S. Farish stepped down Monday as Chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs Inc. to become the United States's ambassador to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Farish had been nominated by President George W. Bush for the overseas post in March and his departure came as no surprise to Churchill's board of directors, who announced they will conduct a teleconference Tuesday to elect a new chairman.

Owner and operator of the 3,000-acre Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Ky., Farish joined Churchill's board of directors in 1985 and succeeded the late Warner L. Jones Jr. as chairman in June 1992.

Farish has twice won the Eclipse Award as the nation's leading breeder (1992 and 1999).

Champion horses bred by Farish himself or in partnership include 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, 1999 Horse of the Year Charismatic, and 1999 Belmont and multiple graded-stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid.