SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Churchill Downs Incorporated

600 N. HURSTBOURNE PARKWAY, STE. 400

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40222

Record Date:

The close of business on March 2, 2026 has been fixed as the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Only shareholders of record at that time will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and at any adjournments thereof.

Voting:

March 12, 2026

    By Order of the Board of Directors.

    BRADLEY K. BLACKWELL

    Executive Vice President and

    General Counsel,

    Secretary

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 21, 2026

The Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the Annual Report to

Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 are available at

http://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/proxy

The letter to shareholders and the accompanying proxy statement contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “scheduled,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions), although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations are described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Proxy Statement

600 N. HURSTBOURNE PARKWAY, STE. 400

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40222

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 21, 2026

The Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or “Board”) of Churchill Downs Incorporated (“Company” “or “CHDN”) is soliciting proxies to be voted at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (the “Annual Meeting”), and at any adjournment or postponement thereof. The Annual Meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. You will be able to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting online by visiting www.proxydocs.com/CHDN. Certain officers and directors of the Company and persons acting under their instruction may also solicit proxies on behalf of the Board of Directors by means of telephone calls, personal interviews and mail at no additional expense to the Company. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) was first mailed to shareholders on or about March 12, 2026.

Voting Rights

Only holders of record of the Company’s Common Stock, no par value (“Common Stock”), as of the close of business on March 2, 2026 (the “Record Date”), are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. On that date, 69,696,376 shares of Common Stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. Each shareholder has one vote per share on all matters coming before the Annual Meeting. The shareholders of the Company do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.

To ensure your votes are counted, please vote over the Internet, by telephone or by mail as instructed in these materials as promptly as possible.

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

When and where is our virtual Annual Meeting?

We will hold our virtual Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time online at www.proxydocs.com/CHDN.

How are we distributing our proxy materials?

In accordance with the “notice and access” rules and regulations adopted by the SEC, instead of mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to each shareholder of record (the “full set delivery” option), we are furnishing proxy materials to our shareholders over the Internet (the “notice only” option). A company may use either option, “notice only” or “full set delivery,” for all of its shareholders or may use one method for some shareholders and the other method for others. We believe the “notice only” process expedites shareholders’ receipt of proxy materials and reduces the costs and environmental impact of our Annual Meeting. The Company will bear the entire cost of the solicitation.

On or about March 12, 2026, we began mailing a Notice to our shareholders containing instructions on how to access this Proxy Statement and our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and vote online, as well as instructions on how to receive paper copies of these documents for shareholders who so select. This Proxy Statement and the 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K are also available at http://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/proxy.

Who can vote and ask questions at the Annual Meeting?

You are entitled to vote or direct the voting of your shares of CHDN Common Stock if you were a shareholder of record or if you held CHDN Common Stock in “street name” at the close of business on the Record Date (Monday, March 2, 2026). On that date, 69,696,376 shares of CHDN Common Stock were outstanding. Each share of CHDN Common Stock held by you on the Record Date is entitled to one vote.

Proxy Statement

To vote during the Annual Meeting, you must be properly logged into the meeting website, as explained below under “What do I need to attend, and vote at, the Annual Meeting?” We will respond to questions submitted that are applicable to our business and otherwise in compliance with the rules of conduct for the meeting.

How many votes must be present to hold the Annual Meeting?

We must have a “quorum” to conduct the Annual Meeting. A majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote, represented in person by virtual attendance or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum. Once a share is represented for any purpose at the Annual Meeting, it will be deemed present for quorum purposes for the remainder of the Annual Meeting and for any adjournment of the Annual Meeting, unless a new record date must be set for the adjourned meeting.

What do I need to attend, and vote at, the Annual Meeting?

In order to attend the Annual Meeting, you must register in advance at www.proxydocs.com/CHDN prior to the deadline of April 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). Upon completing your registration, you will receive further instructions via email, including your unique link that will allow you access to the Annual Meeting and to submit questions prior to the Annual Meeting. Only CHDN shareholders of record as of the close of business on the Record Date will be permitted to attend the Annual Meeting. If you hold shares in “street name,” you will also need a valid “legal proxy” in order to vote at the Annual Meeting, which you can obtain by contacting your account representative at the broker, bank or similar institution through which you hold your shares. This legal proxy must be submitted with your registration to be able to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting.

If you encounter any technical difficulties accessing the virtual Annual Meeting, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the virtual meeting log-in page.

What proposals will be voted on at the Annual Meeting?

The following proposals from the Company will be considered and voted on at the Annual Meeting:

You may also vote on any other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof, including matters incident to the Annual Meeting’s conduct.

How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote?

CHDN’s Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote:

Proxy Statement

What vote is required to approve each proposal?

How do I vote?

You may cast your vote in one of four ways:

How can I revoke my proxy or substitute a new proxy or change my vote?

You can revoke your proxy or substitute a new proxy by use of any of the following means:

For a Proxy Submitted by Internet or Telephone

Proxy Statement

For a Proxy Submitted by Mail

What is a broker non-vote?

Brokers, banks or other nominees holding shares on behalf of a beneficial owner may vote those shares in their discretion on certain “routine” matters even if they do not receive timely voting instructions from the beneficial owner. With respect to “non-routine” matters, the broker, bank or other nominee is not permitted to vote shares for a beneficial owner without timely received voting instructions. The only routine matter to be presented at the Annual Meeting is the proposal to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026. The remaining proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting are considered non-routine.

A broker non-vote occurs when a broker, bank or other nominee does not vote on a non-routine matter because the beneficial owner of such shares has not provided voting instructions with regard to such matter. If a broker, bank or other nominee exercises its discretionary voting authority on the proposal to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026, such shares will be considered present at the Annual Meeting for purposes and broker non-votes will occur as to each of the other proposals presented at the Annual Meeting. Broker non-votes will have no impact on the voting results of the election of directors or the other proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting.

How will my shares be voted if I return a blank proxy card or a blank voting instruction card?

If you are a holder of record of shares of our Common Stock and you sign and return a proxy card without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted:

If you hold your shares in street name via a broker, bank or other nominee and return a signed but blank voting instruction card (and do not otherwise provide the broker, bank or other nominee with voting instructions), your shares:

Our Board knows of no matter to be presented at the Annual Meeting other than the proposals described above. If any other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting upon which a vote properly may be taken, shares represented by all proxies received by us on the proxy card will be voted with respect thereto as permitted and in accordance with the judgment of the proxy holders.

Proxy Statement

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth information as of the Record Date (except as otherwise indicated below) regarding the beneficial ownership of the Common Stock by the only persons known by the Company to beneficially own more than five percent (5%) of the Common Stock, each director and director nominee of the Company, each named executive officer (as defined in “Executive Compensation—2025 Summary Compensation Table” herein), and the Company’s directors and executive officers as a group. Except as otherwise indicated, the persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of the shares of Common Stock shown as beneficially owned by them. The percentage of beneficial ownership is calculated based on 69,696,376 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Record Date. We are not aware of any pledge of our Common Stock or any other arrangements the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of our Company.

Proxy Statement

Proxy Statement

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The Company’s executive officers, as listed below, are elected annually to their executive offices and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

At the Annual Meeting, shareholders will vote to elect the two (2) persons identified below to serve in Class III of the Board of Directors and to hold office for a term of three (3) years expiring at the 2029 annual meeting of shareholders and thereafter until their respective successors shall be duly elected and qualified or until the earlier of their resignation, death or removal.

The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company provide that the Board of Directors shall be composed of not fewer than three (3) nor more than fifteen (15) members, the exact number to be established by the Board of Directors, and further provide for the division of the Board of Directors into three (3) approximately equal classes, of which one (1) class is elected annually to a three (3) year term. Currently, the Board of Directors is comprised of seven (7) directors, with three (3) directors in Class I, two (2) directors in Class II, and two (2) directors in Class III.

The Nominating and Governance Committee has recommended, and the Board has approved, the nomination of the two (2) persons named in the following table for election as directors in Class III. The nominees currently serve as directors in Class III and have agreed to serve if re-elected.

Directors are elected by a plurality of votes cast by the shares entitled to vote in the election at a meeting at which a quorum is present. With each shareholder having one vote per share to cast for each director position, the nominees receiving the greatest number of “FOR” votes will be elected. The biographical information for our directors and director nominees below includes information regarding certain of the experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills that led to the determination that such individuals are qualified to serve on the Board of Directors.

		The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the election of each director in Class III named below.

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

Election of Directors

The following table sets forth information relating to the Class III director nominees of the Company who are proposed to the shareholders for election to serve as directors for a term of three (3) years, expiring at the 2029 annual meeting of shareholders, and thereafter until their respective successors shall be duly elected and qualified or until the earlier of their resignation, death or removal.

Class III—Nominated for Terms Expiring in 2029⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will be unavailable to serve as a director. If any nominee should become unavailable before the Annual Meeting, the persons named in the proxy, or their substitutes, reserve the right to vote for substitute nominees selected by the Board of Directors.

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

Continuing Directors

The following tables set forth information relating to the Class I and Class II directors of the Company who will continue to serve as directors until the expiration of their respective terms of office and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified.

Class I—Terms Expiring in 2027⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

Class II—Terms Expiring in 2028⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

DIRECTOR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE MATRIX

Experience and Attributes

Executive Leadership

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Finance / Capital Markets

●

●

●

●

●

●

Mergers & Acquisitions / Business Development / Strategy

●

●

●

●

●

●

Human Capital / Talent Development / Compensation

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Risk Management / Regulatory

●

●

●

●

●

●

Industry / Horseracing

●

●

●

●

Corporate Governance and Diversity

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

The table below provides certain diversity information regarding our Board members.

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

Retirement Age Policy

The Company has a mandatory retirement age policy in the Corporate Governance Guidelines with regard to directors, which provides that a person is not qualified to serve as a director unless he or she is less than seventy-five (75) years of age on the date of election. No director nominees in Class III will have met the mandatory retirement age as of the date of the Annual Meeting.

Director Compensation for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2025

During 2025, each non-employee director of the Board of Directors received the compensation set forth below (all fees shown are annual fees). After considering market data and the input of the Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant, the Company increased the Retainer Fee from $75,000 to $105,000 and the Stock Award from $155,000 to $205,000 and eliminated the Meeting Fee that was provided to reimburse travel expenses for directors not residing in Louisville, Kentucky.

In accordance with the fees described above, in 2025, we provided the following compensation to our non-employee directors. Occasionally, a spouse or other guest may accompany a non-employee director on corporate aircraft when the aircraft is already scheduled for business purposes and can accommodate additional passengers. In those cases, there is no aggregate incremental cost to the Company and, as a result, no amount is reflected in the compensation table below. Mr. Carstanjen, our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), is not separately compensated for his service on our Board. Please see the 2025 Summary Compensation Table on page 42 for a summary of the compensation paid to our CEO with respect to 2025.

Election of Directors (Proposal No. 1)

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

As memorialized in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board expects all directors to display confidence in the Company by ownership and retention of a meaningful amount of Common Stock. Pursuant to the Company’s insider trading policy, all directors are subject to the Company’s anti-hedging policy, which prohibits hedging and monetization transactions with respect to Common Stock. In addition, each director is expected to own shares with a fair market value equal to five times the director’s annual retainer. Each director appointed or elected to the Board has five years from the date of appointment or election to the Board to meet this requirement. Each director’s continuing compliance with the ownership guidelines will be measured in the year he or she stands for re-election and will be considered as one of the criteria for nomination by the Nominating and Governance Committee.

The chart below shows each current director’s compliance with the ownership guidelines calculated as of December 31, 2025, other than with respect to Mr. Carstanjen, who is subject to maintaining holdings of Common Stock equal to at least six times his annual base salary, pursuant to the Key Executive Stock Ownership and Retention Guidelines, as further described in the “Executive Stock Ownership Guidelines” section below. In addition, deferred shares acquired by directors under the Churchill Downs Incorporated 2005 Deferred Compensation Plan and RSUs and RSAs granted as director compensation are included for purposes of measuring compliance with the Company’s share ownership guidelines.

Corporate Governance

The Board of Directors is responsible for providing effective governance over the Company’s affairs. The Company’s corporate governance practices are designed to align the interests of the Board and management with those of our shareholders and to promote honesty and integrity throughout the Company.

We annually review our corporate governance policies and practices and compare them to those suggested by various authorities in corporate governance and the practices of other public companies, as well as any updated SEC and Nasdaq rules.

Copies of the current charter, as approved by our Board, for each of our Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees, as well as copies of our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Conduct (along with any amendments or waivers related to the Code of Conduct), are available on our corporate website, http://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com, under the “Governance” subheading under the “Investors” tab. Please note that information available through our website is not incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement.

The Company has adopted an insider trading policy governing the purchase and sale and other disposition of Company securities by our directors, officers and employees. The Company believes this policy is reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules and regulations, and Nasdaq listing standards. It is also our policy that the Company will not trade in company securities in violation of applicable securities laws or stock exchange listing standards. Our insider trading policy was filed as Exhibit 19 to our Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

Shareholder Communications

Shareholders and other interested parties may send communications to the Company’s Board of Directors addressed to the Board of Directors or to any individual director c/o Churchill Downs Incorporated, 600 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, Ste. 400, Louisville, Kentucky 40222. Any correspondence addressed to the Board of Directors in care of the Company is forwarded to the Board of Directors without review by management.

Board Leadership Structure

R. Alex Rankin is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Board continues to deem it advisable to maintain certain aspects of its governance structure to assure effective independent oversight. These governance practices include maintaining executive sessions of the independent directors after each Board meeting, annual performance evaluations of the CEO by the independent directors, and separate roles for the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines state that the offices of the Chairman of the Board and CEO may be either combined or separated, in the Board’s discretion; provided, that if the Board designates one individual to serve as the Chairman of the Board and the CEO, the Board will then designate an independent director to serve as the Lead Independent Director. The Board will review the designation of Lead Independent Director periodically, but in no event less often than every two years. The Board is currently led by an independent Chairman, Mr. Rankin. The Board believes that separating the roles of CEO and Chairman of the Board is the most appropriate structure at this time. Separating the roles of CEO and Chairman of the Board ensures that our CEO is able to more exclusively focus on this role. The Board also believes that an independent Chairman of the Board allows for independent oversight of management, increases management accountability, and encourages an objective evaluation of management’s performance relative to compensation.

The Chairman of the Board has the following responsibilities (in conjunction with the Lead Independent Director, if applicable): (i) preside at all Board meetings and meetings of shareholders, (ii) serve as liaison between the Board and Company management; (iii) work with the CEO to formulate the Company’s business strategies; and (iv) represent the Company, Board and management to the shareholders and the public. Additionally, the Chairman of the Board serves as an ex officio member of each Board committee on which the Chairman does not already serve as a voting member. The duties of the Lead Independent Director, if applicable, are set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

Oversight of Company Risk

As part of its responsibility to oversee the management, business and strategy of the Company, the Board of Directors has overall responsibility for risk oversight. While the Board of Directors performs certain risk oversight functions directly, such as its ongoing review, approval and monitoring of the Company’s fundamental business and financial strategies and major corporate actions, the majority of the Board of Directors’ risk oversight functions are carried out through the operation of

Corporate Governance

its committees. Each committee oversees risk management within its assigned areas of responsibility, as described below in the discussion of committee responsibilities. Enterprise risk management falls under the leadership of our executive team with oversight from the Audit Committee. The purpose of this program is to promote risk-intelligent decision making and, in turn, increase the likelihood of achieving our operational objectives. Our Board of Directors is regularly advised of potential organizational risks and supporting mitigating policies, including quarterly reports from management on cybersecurity matters. For further details on cybersecurity oversight, please see Item 1C. Cybersecurity in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The Audit Committee is primarily responsible for overseeing the Company’s risk assessment and risk management practices, as well as its compliance programs. The Audit Committee is also responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Company’s information technology security and control, which includes insurance coverage for protection against cyber-attacks. The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities include oversight of the risks associated with the Company’s compensation policies and practices, as well as its managerial development and succession plans. The Nominating and Governance Committee oversees the risks related to the Company’s corporate governance structure and processes, including risks related to environmental and sustainability matters.

Board Evaluations

The Board conducts an annual self-evaluation to assist in determining whether it and its committees are functioning effectively. The Nominating and Governance Committee solicits comments from all directors and reports annually to the Board with an assessment of the Board’s performance and how its committees are functioning. This is discussed with the full Board following the end of each fiscal year. The assessment focuses on the Board’s contribution to the Company and specifically focuses on areas in which the Board or management believes that the Board could improve.

Board Meetings and Committees

Seven (7) meetings of the Board of Directors were held during the last fiscal year. During the fiscal year, all incumbent directors attended at least 75% of their Board and committee meetings for the period for which they served. The Company encourages its directors to attend the annual meeting of shareholders each year. Each of the directors on the Board attended the Company’s annual meeting in 2025.

The Board has determined that all of the directors of the Company who served during any part of the last completed fiscal year are “independent directors,” as defined under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2), except William C. Carstanjen, due to his position as CEO of the Company.

As required by the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board of Directors currently has four (4) standing committees: the Executive, Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees. The current composition of the committees is illustrated in the table below, along with the number of meetings held in 2025.

Director Name		Board of Directors		Executive Committee		Audit Committee		Compensation Committee		Nominating and Governance Committee
William C. Carstanjen		Member
Douglas C. Grissom		Member						Member		Chair
Daniel P. Harrington		Member		Member		Member		Chair
Karole F. Lloyd		Member				Chair				Member
R. Alex Rankin		Chair		Chair
Paul C. Varga		Member				Member		Member
Andréa Carter		Member						Member		Member
Number of meetings in 2025		7		0		4		4		3

		=		Ex-officio Member

Corporate Governance

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee is authorized, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, to exercise the authority of the Board of Directors between Board meetings. The Executive Committee does not meet on a regular basis, but instead meets as and when needed.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

The primary purposes of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibility in monitoring management’s conduct of the Company’s financial reporting process and overseeing the Company’s risk assessment and risk management practices. The Audit Committee is generally responsible for monitoring the integrity of the financial reporting process, systems of internal controls and financial statements and other financial reports provided by the Company to any governmental or regulatory body, the public or other users thereof, as well as overseeing the processes by which management assesses the Company’s exposure to cybersecurity and other risks and evaluating the guidelines and policies governing the Company’s monitoring, control and minimization of such exposures.

The Audit Committee’s responsibilities are as follows, among others:

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors operates under a written charter which is reviewed annually and the Company’s Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Company’s Audit Committee are independent as defined under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act.

The Board of Directors has determined that Daniel P. Harrington and Karole F. Lloyd are “audit committee financial experts” as defined by regulations promulgated by the SEC.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

Responsibilities of the Compensation Committee

The Board established the Compensation Committee to assist it in discharging the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of the CEO, each of the Company’s other executive officers, and the Company’s non-employee directors. The Compensation Committee has overall responsibility for decisions relating to all compensation plans, policies and perquisites as they affect the CEO and other executive officers and may form and delegate authority to subcommittees when it deems appropriate.

Corporate Governance

The Compensation Committee’s responsibilities are as follows, among others:

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors operates under a written charter which is reviewed annually and is comprised entirely of directors meeting the independence requirements of Nasdaq and Rule 10C-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act.

Corporate Governance

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of the directors who served on the Compensation Committee at any time during the last fiscal year were officers or employees of the Company or were former officers of the Company. None of the members who served on the Compensation Committee at any time during fiscal 2025 had any relationship with the Company requiring disclosure under Item 404 of Regulation S-K. Finally, no executive officer of the Company serves, or in the past fiscal year has served, as a director or member of the compensation committee (or other board committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more of its executive officers serving on the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee.

Compensation Risk Assessment

The Compensation Committee performed an assessment of whether risks arising from the Company’s compensation policies and practices for all employees during 2025, including non-executive officers, are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company. Each policy and plan was evaluated based on certain elements of risk, including, but not limited to, (i) the mix of fixed and variable pay, (ii) types of performance metrics, (iii) performance goals and payout curves, (iv) payment timing and adjustments, (v) equity incentives, and (vi) stock ownership requirements and trading policies. Based on this evaluation, an assessment of each plan was performed, along with an overall assessment of compensation risk to the Company. After evaluation and discussion, the Committee determined that the Company’s compensation policies and practices are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

The Company’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and recommending individuals qualified to become members of the Board, overseeing annual performance of the Board and Committees, and establishing the criteria for and reviewing the effectiveness of the Company’s Board of Directors. In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee provides oversight regarding the Company’s environmental, sustainability and governance efforts and progress and corporate governance policies.

The Company’s Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter and is comprised entirely of directors meeting the independence requirements of Nasdaq.

Pursuant to the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Nominating and Governance Committee determines and recommends to the Board criteria regarding personal qualifications needed for Board membership, and the Committee considers, reviews qualifications, and recommends qualified candidates for Board membership. In doing so, the Nominating and Governance Committee reviews the composition of the Board and the Company’s strategic plans to determine its needs regarding Board composition and identify candidates with the appropriate skill sets and qualifications. While the Company does not have a formal policy on diversity for members of the Board of Directors, the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines specifically provide that diversity of race and gender, as well as general diversity of backgrounds and experience represented on the Board of Directors are factors to consider in evaluating potential directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee seeks to include diverse individuals with respect to self-identified characteristics such as gender, race, and ethnicity when conducting a search for qualified candidates for Board membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee may employ an outside consultant to identify nominees with the skill sets, experience and backgrounds that suit the Company’s needs.

A candidate for the Company’s Board of Directors should possess the highest personal and professional ethics, integrity and values and be committed to representing the long-term interests of the Company’s various constituencies. In considering a candidate for nomination as a member of the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider criteria such as independence; occupational background, including principal occupation (i.e., chief executive officer, attorney, accountant, investment banker, or other pertinent occupation); level and type of business experience (i.e., financial, lending, investment, media, racing industry, technology, etc.); self-identified diversity characteristics; number of boards on which the individual serves; and the general diversity of backgrounds and experience represented on the Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee periodically reviews the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and, when appropriate, recommends changes to the Board. It also evaluates the performance of the Board and provides feedback to the Board on how the directors, the committees and the Board are functioning. Finally, it evaluates Board of Director practices at the Company and leadership on an annual basis and recommends appropriate changes to the Board and/or its practices.

Corporate Governance

The Nominating and Governance Committee receives and considers issues raised by shareholders or other stakeholders in the Company and recommends appropriate responses to the Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider recommendations for director candidates submitted by shareholders. Such questions, comments or recommendations should be submitted in writing to the Nominating and Governance Committee in care of the Office of the Secretary at 600 N. Hurstbourne Parkway, Ste. 400, Louisville, Kentucky 40222. The Nominating and Governance Committee, in having adopted criteria to be considered for membership on its Board, considers such candidates applying such criteria and follows the recommendation process noted above. Recommendations by shareholders that are made in accordance with these procedures will receive the same consideration as recommendations from other sources.

Proposal to Ratify the Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2026 (Proposal No. 2)

The Board of Directors, on recommendation from the Audit Committee, selected PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. PwC has served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm since the Company’s 1990 fiscal year.

Although the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws do not require that the Company’s shareholders ratify the appointment of PwC as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Board of Directors is submitting the appointment of PwC to the Company’s shareholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate governance. This proposal will be approved if the votes cast favoring the action exceed the votes cast opposing the action. If the appointment is not ratified, the Company’s Audit Committee will consider whether it is appropriate to select another independent registered public accounting firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Company’s Audit Committee, in its sole discretion, may select a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.

Representatives of PwC are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will be available to respond to appropriate questions and will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so.

		The Board of Directors and the Audit Committee recommend that the shareholders vote “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for fiscal year 2026.

Independent Public Accountants

Audit Fees

The audit fees incurred by the Company for services provided by PwC (i) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, were $3,708,000 and (ii) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, were $3,159,500. Audit fees include services related to the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, the audit of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, involvement with registration statement filings, statutory audits and consultations related to miscellaneous SEC and financial reporting matters.

Audit-Related Fees

The Company incurred fees in the amount of $1,790,000 for 2025 and $4,600 for 2024 for assurance and related services performed by PwC that were reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements that are not reported in the preceding section.

Tax Fees

The Company did not incur any tax fees for services provided by PwC in 2025 or 2024. Tax fees include services related to tax return preparation for a related entity, tax consultation and tax advice.

All Other Fees

All other fees incurred by the Company for services provided by PwC relate to the use of Inform, PwC’s accounting research software, and PwC’s disclosure checklist software, which amounted to $2,000 in each of 2025 and 2024. The Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of non-audit services to the Company is compatible with maintaining PwC’s independence.

The Audit Committee has adopted a policy of evaluating and pre-approving all audit and non-audit services provided by the independent auditors. The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to a member, provided that decisions of such member shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee pre-approved all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent auditors in 2025.

Churchill Downs Incorporated Audit Committee Report

The following is the report of the Company’s Audit Committee (the “Committee”), each member of which has been determined by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) to meet the current standards of the SEC and the Nasdaq exchange to be considered an “independent director.” The Board has also determined that two members, Daniel P. Harrington and Karole F. Lloyd, are “audit committee financial experts” as defined by the SEC.

The Committee has an Audit Committee Charter (the “Charter”). The Charter sets forth certain responsibilities of the Committee, which include oversight of the integrity of the financial reporting process and financial statements of the Company, the systems of internal controls over financial reporting which management has established, the independence and performance of the Company’s internal and independent auditors, the Company’s compliance with financial, accounting, legal and regulatory requirements, and the effectiveness of the Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) function. The Committee reviews the work of the Company’s management, the internal audit staff and the independent auditors on behalf of the Board.

Specifically, the Committee:

Churchill Downs Incorporated Audit Committee Report

No portion of this Audit Committee Report shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), through any general statement incorporating by reference in its entirety the Proxy Statement in which this report appears, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates this report or a portion of it by reference. In addition, this report shall not be deemed to be filed under either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

Members of the Audit Committee

Karole F. Lloyd, Chair

Daniel P. Harrington

Paul C. Varga

R. Alex Rankin, ex officio

Advisory Vote to Approve Executive Compensation (Proposal No. 3)

Pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, the Company’s shareholders are entitled to a vote to approve, on an advisory and non-binding basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers (“NEOs”) as disclosed in this Proxy Statement in accordance with SEC rules. In accordance with the preference expressed by shareholders, the Company is holding such advisory votes on an annual basis and the next advisory vote following the Annual Meeting will occur at the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders.

The Company has a “pay-for-performance” philosophy that forms the foundation of all decisions regarding compensation of the Company’s NEOs. We believe that this compensation philosophy, and the program structure approved by the Compensation Committee, is central to the Company’s ability to attract, motivate and retain individuals who can achieve superior financial results while also aligning the interests of the executives with the interests of shareholders over the long-term. This approach has resulted in the Company’s ability to attract and retain the executive talent deemed necessary to guide the Company successfully during a period of growth and transformation and react quickly to potential threats to the Company’s financial health. Please refer to “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Summary” for an overview of the compensation of the Company’s NEOs.

This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our NEOs and the policies and practices described in this Proxy Statement. At the Annual Meeting, shareholders will be asked to approve the compensation of the Company’s NEOs by voting FOR the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the Company’s shareholders approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Summary Compensation Table and the other related tables and disclosure in this Proxy Statement.”

This vote is advisory and therefore not binding on the Company. The Board of Directors and Compensation Committee value the opinions of the Company’s shareholders. Should there be a significant vote against the NEO compensation as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, the Board will consider those shareholders’ concerns and will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns.

This proposal will be approved if the votes cast favoring the action exceed the votes cast opposing the action.

		The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the advisory resolution relating to the compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers as disclosed in this Proxy Statement.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis (our “CD&A”) provides an overview of our executive compensation program for 2025 and our executive compensation philosophies and objectives.

Our NEOs were:

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Executive Summary

The Company has been creating extraordinary entertainment experiences for over 150 years, beginning with the Company’s most iconic and enduring asset, the Kentucky Derby. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, the Company has expanded through the acquisition, development, and operation of live and historical racing entertainment venues, the growth of the online wagering businesses, and the acquisition, development, and operation of regional casino gaming properties. Our long-term success depends on our ability to attract, engage, motivate and retain highly talented executives and key employees to achieve our strategic plans and deliver financial returns to shareholders over both the short-term and long-term. One of the key objectives of our executive compensation program is to link executives’ pay to their performance and their advancement of the Company’s long-term performance and business strategies. Other objectives include aligning the executives’ interests with those of shareholders and encouraging high-performing executives to remain with the Company over the course of their careers. We believe that the amount of compensation for each NEO reflects each individual’s extensive management experience, high performance and exceptional service to the Company and our shareholders. We also believe that the Company’s compensation strategies have been effective in attracting executive talent and promoting performance and retention.

This CD&A describes the Company’s executive compensation policies and programs and how these policies and programs apply to our NEOs. It also describes the actions and decisions of the Compensation Committee (or, in this CD&A and related tables, “Committee”), which oversees the executive compensation program and determines the compensation of the NEOs. A detailed discussion of the Committee’s structure, roles and responsibilities, and related matters can be found under “Compensation Committee” on pages 17-19.

Our long-term incentive goals are based on operational results that the Committee believes help drive Company and shareholder success over multi-year performance periods. Certain metrics the Company uses for incentive purposes are as follows (Please refer to “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 for reconciliation of these metrics to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, and the discussion of the Company’s Executive Annual Incentive Plan (“EAIP”) beginning on page 34 and the Company’s Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan (“ELTI”) beginning on page 36):

2025 Highlights

In 2025, we delivered strong performance and made investments in the Kentucky Derby and new entertainment venues that we believe will provide long-term sustainable value creation for our shareholders.

Live and Historical Racing Segment:

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Wagering Services and Solutions Segment:

Gaming Segment:

All Other:

We remain committed to delivering strong financial results and long-term sustainable growth. Our businesses generate strong cash flow, and we have a solid balance sheet that supports our organic growth as well as strategic acquisitions that we believe will create long-term value for our shareholders.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Key 2025 Compensation Actions

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Executive Compensation Philosophy and Core Principles

The fundamental philosophy of the Committee is to provide an executive compensation program that links pay to business strategy and performance in a manner that is effective in attracting, motivating and retaining key executives while also aligning the interests of the executives with the interests of shareholders over the long-term. To that end, the Committee evaluates the pay practices of its peers and generally considers the median of the peer group. In order to continue to support the Company’s high-performance and entrepreneurial culture, the Company’s key principles underlying the executive compensation program are to:

The Committee will continue to evaluate its pay practices and, when it deems appropriate, adjust its pay practices to support these principles over time.

2025 “Say-on-Pay” Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

The Committee monitors closely the results of the annual advisory “say-on-pay” vote and evaluates such results as one of the many factors considered in connection with the discharge of its responsibilities. In 2025, the Company provided shareholders a “say-on-pay” advisory vote on its executive compensation program, as disclosed in the Company’s 2025 proxy statement. At the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders, approximately 97% of the votes cast for the “say-on-pay” proposal were in favor of our executive compensation program. We believe that this result indicates significant shareholder support for our executive compensation program, and therefore made no changes to our executive compensation program as a result of this vote. At the Annual Meeting, we are again holding an advisory vote on executive compensation and will continue to engage with our shareholders as we constantly consider further improvements to our executive compensation program.

Role of Management and Independent Advisors

The Committee meetings are regularly attended by the CEO, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources, the Vice President of Human Resources, and the General Counsel. The Committee may request the participation of management or outside consultants as it deems necessary or appropriate. The Committee regularly reports to the Board on compensation matters and annually reviews the CEO’s compensation with the independent members of the Board.

The Committee also meets in executive session without any members of management for the purpose of discussing and approving compensation for the CEO, as well as other topics. The CEO reviews the performance of, and makes

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

recommendations to, the Committee regarding total compensation to be paid to the Company’s executive officers other than himself, including salary, annual bonus, and long-term incentive awards, as appropriate. Management also develops and presents to the Committee recommendations for the performance measures and targets to be used to evaluate annual performance incentives.

After the end of each fiscal year, the Committee conducts a review of the CEO’s performance. As part of this process, the CEO provides a written assessment of the Company’s performance. The Committee sets the compensation of the CEO in executive session after considering its assessment of the CEO’s performance, including due consideration of the CEO’s written assessment of the Company’s performance. Neither the CEO nor any other members of management are present during this session.

The Committee has sole discretion, at the Company’s expense, to retain and terminate independent advisors, including sole authority to approve the fees and retention terms for such advisors, if it shall determine the services of such advisors to be necessary or appropriate. Such advisors are engaged by, and report directly to, the Committee. Since March 2015, the Committee has retained Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. (“FW Cook”) as its independent compensation consultant. The scope of the engagement of FW Cook includes:

FW Cook did not provide any services to the Company other than advising the Committee as provided above. The Committee assessed FW Cook’s independence considering the SEC requirements and Nasdaq listing standards, and the Company determined that FW Cook’s work did not raise any conflict of interest or independence concerns.

Factors Used to Evaluate Pay Decisions

The Company seeks to obtain and retain the services of executives who bring the skills, experience, and motivation deemed necessary to significantly expand the scope and scale of the Company’s operations. Therefore, compensation decisions for individual executives are made based on a balance of many subjective factors as evaluated by the CEO in the case of his direct reports (with Committee review and approval) and the Committee in the case of the CEO. These factors include:

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Each element of compensation is evaluated independently based on the role of that component in achieving the Company’s overall compensation objectives, with an emphasis on long-term incentives and retention.

In making executive pay decisions, the Committee considers the advice and experience of FW Cook, its independent advisor, and the CEO to evaluate the reasonableness of executive pay. While the Committee considers input from its independent advisor and the CEO, all of the decisions with respect to the Company’s executive compensation programs are made by the Committee alone and may reflect factors and considerations other than the information and recommendations provided by management or its independent advisor. In addition, the CEO does not make recommendations with respect to his own compensation. The Committee determines pay levels and practices based on the talent needs of the organization as defined by our strategy of growing and diversifying revenues and with the guidance of the Committee’s independent advisor.

The Committee believes that it is important for the Company to provide a competitive compensation program and the Committee, with the assistance of the Committee’s independent advisor, conducts periodic reviews of compensation relative to similarly-situated businesses, which can lead to adjustments in compensation and program offerings. The compensation peer group was selected to represent a reasonable match to the Company in terms of size and business characteristics. The group consists of public, similarly sized gaming and entertainment companies, where the median net income and market capitalization approximate the Company’s net income and market capitalization. The Company periodically reviews the peer group and adjusts, as deemed necessary, for continued appropriateness as a market reference for informing executive compensation levels. The Company’s peer group for 2025 was as follows, which did not change as compared to the 2024 peer group:

Non-Disclosure of Certain Metrics and Targets

The Company believes in transparency and strives to disclose as much information to shareholders as possible except in situations where we believe that providing full, or even limited, disclosure would be detrimental to the interests of the Company and our shareholders. We believe certain disclosures could provide our competitors with insight regarding confidential business strategies without meaningfully adding to our shareholders’ understanding of the metric. Although we set compensation metrics and targets in advance of applicable performance periods, we do not disclose such metrics and targets in advance due to potential risk to the interests of the Company and our shareholders. We disclose such metrics and targets alongside actual performance in our annual filings following the completion of the applicable performance periods.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Components of Compensation

During 2025, the Company used multiple components to provide an overall compensation and benefits package designed to attract and retain the needed level of executive talent for the Company and to incentivize their performance. The Committee believes that the goals that were set for the executives and executive compensation are aligned with the interests of our investors to support enhancing long-term shareholder value. The following table sets forth the principal compensation elements of the Company’s 2025 executive compensation program and how each element fits into the Company’s overall compensation program and is supportive of the Company’s executive compensation objectives.