A total of 18 stakes events, topped by the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby and Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks are on tap for the 2020 September Meet at Churchill Downs.
The September Meet stakes schedule is led by the revised Kentucky Derby Week, which was moved from April 25-May 2 to Sept. 1-5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will feature 14 graded stakes, including the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic and the GI Derby City Distaff, formerly known as the Humana Distaff.
A new addition to the revised Kentucky Derby day stakes schedule is the $200,000 GIII Iroquois presented by Ford, the launch of the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby (top 4 points: 10-4-2-1) and a “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Division.” The Derby undercard will also feature the GIII Longines Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile, the GII Americna Turf S. and GIII Pat Day Mile.
Kentucky Oaks day will feature the GI La Troienne S., the GII Alysheba S., the GII Eight Belles S,, GII Edgewood S. and GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S.
The GIII Pocahontas S. for juvenile fillies will be held on Thurby, the Thursday before the Derby. It is a 10-point race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks and is a “Win and You’re In” for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The GI Churchill Downs S., which was previously run on Kentucky Derby Day, is tentatively scheduled to be run during the fall meet.
After the Sept. 1-5 Kentucky Derby Week, Churchill Downs will stage its annual nine-day September Meet from Sept. 17-27. The lone stakes event will be the $100,000 Ack Ack for 3-year-olds and up at one mile Sept. 26.
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