SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                      WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                             FORM 8-K

                          CURRENT REPORT

                Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):  MARCH 19, 1998


                  CHURCHILL DOWNS INCORPORATED
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



   KENTUCKY                0-01469              61-0156015
(State or other        (Commission File      (IRS Employer
 jurisdiction            Number)               Identification No.)
 of incorporation)



700 Central Avenue
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY                                  40208
(Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)



REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (502) 636-4400



                          NOT APPLICABLE
   (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

                                       


ITEM 5.   Other Events.

          On  March  19,  1998,  the  Board of Directors of Churchill Downs
Incorporated (the "Company") declared a  dividend distribution of one right
(a "Right") for each outstanding share of  common  stock,  no par value per
share  (the  "Common  Stock")  to  shareholders of record at the  close  of
business on March 30, 1998 (the "Record  Date").  The description and terms
of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement  dated  as  of  March 19,
1998  (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Bank  of Louisville,
as Rights Agent.

          Prior  to the Distribution Date (hereinafter defined), the Rights
will be represented  by  the  certificates  for  shares  of  Common  Stock.
Separate Right certificates will be distributed to shareholders as soon  as
practicable  after  the  Distribution  Date.  The Rights will expire on the
tenth  anniversary  of the effective date  of  the  Rights  Agreement  (the
"Expiration Date") unless  earlier  redeemed  or canceled by the Company as
provided below.  Initially, the Rights will not be exercisable.  The Rights
will become exercisable upon the earlier of (a)  the tenth business day (or
such later date as may be determined by the Board)  after  such time as the
Company learns that a person or group (including any affiliate or associate
of  such person or group) has acquired, or obtained the right  to  acquire,
beneficial  ownership  of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock (such
person  or group being called  an  "Acquiring  Person")  unless  provisions
intended to prevent accidental triggering of the Rights apply, and (b) such
date, if any, as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company
following  the  commencement of, or first public disclosure of an intention
to commence, a tender  or exchange offer for outstanding Common Stock which
could result in such person  or  group becoming the beneficial owner of 15%
or more of the outstanding Common  Stock  (the  earlier of such dates being
called  the  "Distribution  Date").  Each Right shall  be  exercisable  for
1/1,000 of a share of Series  1998  Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock")
(as described below) at a purchase price  (the  "Purchase Price") of $80.00
(after giving effect to the 1 for 1 share dividend  declared by the Company
on March 19, 1998), subject to adjustment.  Prior to the Distribution Date,
the  Rights shall be transferable only with the related  shares  of  Common
Stock  and  shall automatically be transferred with such shares.  After the
Distribution  Date,  the  Rights  shall  be separately transferable and the
Company will provide Right certificates to all holders of Common Stock.

          The terms of the Preferred Stock  provide  that each 1/1,000 of a
share of Preferred Stock is entitled to participate in  dividends and other
distributions, and to vote, on an equivalent basis with one  whole share of
the  presently  constituted Common Stock of the Company.  In addition,  the
Preferred Stock has  certain  minimum dividend and liquidation rights.  The
amount of Preferred Stock issuable  upon  exercise of the Rights is subject
to  adjustment by the Board of Directors of the Company in the event of any 
change

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in  the  Common  Stock  or Preferred Stock,  whether  by  reason  of  share
dividends,   share   splits,  recapitalizations,  mergers,  consolidations,
combinations or exchanges of  securities, split-ups, split-offs, spin-offs,
liquidations, other similar  changes in capitalization, any distribution or
issuance  of assets,  evidences of  indebtedness  or  subscription  rights,
options  or  warrants  to  holders  of Common  Stock  or Preferred Stock or
otherwise.

          Subject to provisions of the Rights Agreement,  at  such  time as
there  is  an Acquiring Person, proper provision shall be made so that  the
holder of each  Right  will  thereafter  have  the  right  to receive, upon
exercise thereof, for the Purchase Price, that number of thousandths  of  a
share  of  Preferred  Stock  equal  to the number of shares of Common Stock
which at the time of such transaction  would  have  a market value of twice
the  Purchase  Price  (the  "flip-in").   Any  Rights  that   are  or  were
beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person on or after the Distribution Date
shall  become  null  and void.  In the event the Company is acquired  in  a
merger or other business  combination  by  an  Acquiring  Person  that is a
publicly  traded  corporation  or  50%  or more of the Company's assets  or
assets representing 50% or more of the Company's  earning  power  are sold,
leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred (in one or more transactions) to
an Acquiring Person that is a publicly traded corporation, each Right  will
entitle  its  holder  to  purchase,  for the Purchase Price, that number of
common shares of such corporation which  at  the  time  of  the transaction
would  have  a  market value of twice the Purchase Price (the "flip-over").
In the event the  Company  is  acquired  in  a  merger  or  other  business
combination by an Acquiring Person that is not a publicly traded entity  or
50%  or  more of the Company's assets or assets representing 50% or more of
the earning  power  of the Company are sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise
transferred (in one or  more  transactions)  to an Acquiring Person that is
not  a  publicly  traded  entity, each Right will  entitle  its  holder  to
purchase, for the Purchase  Price, at such holder's option, (a) that number
of shares of the surviving corporation  in the transaction with such entity
(or,  at  such  holder's  option,  of  the surviving  corporation  in  such
acquisition,  which  could  be  the Company)  which  at  the  time  of  the
transaction would have an aggregate book value of twice the Purchase Price,
or (b) that number of shares of such  entity  which  at  the  time  of  the
transaction  would have a book value of twice the Purchase Price, or (c) if
such entity has  affiliates  which have publicly traded common shares, that
number of common shares of the affiliate with the greatest aggregate market
value on the transaction date,  which  at the time of the transaction would
have a market value of twice the Purchase Price.

          Any Rights that are or were beneficially  owned  by  an Acquiring
Person  on or after the Distribution Date shall become null and void.   The
"flip-over"  provision  only  applies  to  a  merger  or  similar  business
combination with an Acquiring Person, and it

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does not apply to a merger or business combination with any party which has
not triggered the "flip-in" provision.

          The  Rights are  redeemable  by  the  Board  of  Directors  at  a
redemption price  of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price") any time prior
to the earlier of (a)  the tenth business day (or such later date as may be
determined by the Board)  after  such  time  as  there becomes an Acquiring
Person and (b) the Expiration Date.  Immediately upon  the  action  of  the
Board  electing  to  redeem  the Rights, and without any further action and
without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the
only right of the holders of Rights  will  be  to  receive  the  Redemption
Price.

          After  there  is  an Acquiring Person the Board of Directors  may
elect to exchange each Right  (other  than  Rights  owned  by  an Acquiring
Person)   for  consideration  per  Right  consisting  of  one-half  of  the
securities  that  would  be  issuable at such time upon the exercise of one
Right pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement (or equivalent value in
cash, shares of Common Stock, or other securities).

          At any time prior to  the  Distribution  Date,  the  Company may,
without the approval of any holder of the Rights, supplement or  amend  any
provision  of  the  Rights  Agreement  (including  the  date  on  which the
Distribution Date shall occur and the definition of an "Acquiring Person"),
except  that  no  supplement  or amendment shall be made which reduces  the
Redemption  Price  of  the Rights  or  provides  for  an  earlier  date  of
expiration of the Rights.

          Until a Right  is  exercised,  the  holder thereof, as such, will
have  no  rights  as  a  shareholder  of  the Company,  including,  without
limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

          A copy of the Rights Agreement is  included as an Exhibit to this
Report.  This summary description of the Rights  does  not  purport  to  be
complete  and  is  qualified  in  its  entirety  by reference to the Rights
Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

          The following exhibits are filed as a part of this Report:

     4.1  Rights  Agreement dated as of March 19, 1998,  between  Churchill
Downs Incorporated and Bank of Louisville, as Rights Agent,  which includes
as Exhibit A the Form of Articles of Amendment and as Exhibit B the Form of
Rights Certificate.

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                             SIGNATURE

          Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
of the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                              CHURCHILL DOWNS INCORPORATED



                              By:  /S/ THOMAS H. MEEKER
                                 Thomas H. Meeker, President

Date: March 19, 1998

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                           EXHIBIT INDEX




Exhibit                                                                  Sequentially
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION                           NUMBERED PAGE
                                                                 
4.1                   Rights Agreement dated as of March
                      19, 1998 between Churchill Downs                          6
                      Incorporated and Bank of Louisville,
                      as Rights Agent, which includes as
                      Exhibit A the Form of Articles of
                      Amendment and as Exhibit B the Form
                      of Rights Certificate


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