Kentucky Downs is adding the $500,000 National Thoroughbred League H. to its already lucrative stakes schedule, the track announced on Monday. The one-mile event for 3-year-olds and up will be worth $300,000 with an additional $200,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund up for grabs. It will be contested on Sunday Sept. 3.
The newest stakes race is named after the Kentucky Downs Day sponsor, which is a new concept based on teams of horses representing different owners and markets. The jockeys in the race will wear NTL team silks, regardless of ownership.
“We want to encourage new ideas and innovation, especially concepts created with the goal of bringing more people into horse racing,” Ron Winchell, the co-managing partner in Kentucky Downs, said. “The way you get better is to try something different or see if there is a way to tinker with with an old idea to bring it back. We also like the idea of having a handicap race, allowing horses of slightly different levels of ability to compete against each other for a lot of money.”
Horses must be nominated by Aug. 21 so they can be weighted, though there will be no fees, including entry and starter. Weights will be announced Aug. 24.
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