Large purses and four new stakes events are the highlight of the 2023 Ellis Park Racing & Gaming $3.075 million stakes calendar.
The Ellis Park meet will open Friday, July 7 and run through Sunday, Aug. 27. Owners, trainers and jockeys will be racing for large prize money on newly-released stakes schedule, which has been increased by $1.65 million since 2022 (all prize money includes funds distributed by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund and is pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission).
There are four new stakes events on the calendar including the $300,000 Pucker Up Stakes (Grade 3), which was previously run at Arlington Park and Churchill Downs.
The Pucker Up is one of seven stakes events across Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend on Saturday, Aug. 5 and Sunday, Aug. 6. Saturday's trio of stakes contests are the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile (Listed), the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby and the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint. Sunday's program will be highlighted by the Pucker Up along with the $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile (Listed) and the $200,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed).
There are six stakes events scheduled on Sunday Aug. 13 headlined by the $250,000 Ellis Park Derby (Listed) for 3-year-olds run at one-mile on dirt.
Here is the complete stakes calendar for the Ellis Park Racing & Gaming season:
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | SEX | AGE | DIST | SURF. | Purse | KTDF |
| 7/8 | Dade Park Dash | Open | 3 yo | 5 ½ F | Turf | $100,000 | $25,000 | |
| 7/16 | Pea Patch | Fillies | 3 yo | 5 ½ F | Turf | $100,000 | $25,000 | |
| 7/22 | Jeff Hall Memorial | Open | 3 & Up | 6 ½ F | Dirt | $125,000 | $25,000 | |
| 7/23 | The Twin Bridges | F & M | 3 & Up | 6 F | Dirt | $125,000 | $25,000 | |
| 8/5 | KY Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby | Open | 3 yo | 1 1/8 M | Turf | $200,000 | $75,000 | |
| 8/5 | KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile | Listed | Open | 3 & Up | 1 M | Turf | $200,000 | $75,000 |
| 8/5 | KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint | F & M | 3 & Up | 5 ½ F | Turf | $200,000 | $75,000 | |
| 8/6 | Pucker Up | III | Fillies | 3 yo | 1 1/8 M | Turf | $300,000 | $75,000 |
| 8/6 | KY Downs Preview Turf Cup | Listed | Open | 3 & Up | 1 ¼ M | Turf | $250,000 | $100,000 |
| 8/6 | KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile | Listed | F & M | 3 & Up | 1 M | Turf | $200,000 | $75,000 |
| 8/6 | KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint | Listed | Open | 3 & Up | 5 ½ F | Turf | $200,000 | $75,000 |
| 8/13 | R.A. “Cowboy” Jones | Open | 3 & Up | 1 M | Dirt | $100,000 | $25,000 | |
| 8/13 | Audubon Oaks | Fillies | 3 yo | 7 F | Dirt | $150,000 | $50,000 | |
| 8/13 | Groupie Doll | Listed | F & m | 3 & Up | 1 M | Dirt | $150,000 | $50,000 |
| 8/13 | Ellis Park Derby | Listed | Open | 3 yo | 1 M | Dirt | $250,000 | $100,000 |
| 8/13 | Debutante | Fillies | 2 yo | 7 F | Dirt | $150,000 | $50,000 | |
| 8/13 | Juvenile | Open | 2 yo | 7 F | Dirt | $150,000 | $50,000 | |
| 8/27 | Ellis Park Turf Stakes | F & M | 3 & Up | 1 1/16 M | Turf | $125,000 | $25,000 |
For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park visit www.ellisparkracing.com.
The post Ellis Park To Host Four New Stakes Over 2023 Schedule Worth $3.075 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
