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Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet Stakes Schedule Worth Record $13.44 Million

Led by America's greatest race, the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, Churchill Downs will present 40 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $13.44 million during its 38-day Spring Meet that runs April 24-June 26.

Derby Week (April 24-May 1) kicks off the nine-week 147^th Spring Meet in style with 18 stakes events that total a record $10.14 million over the six-day stretch, culminating with the 147^th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds at 1 ¼ miles.

Half of the 14 races on Derby Day are stakes races, including four Grade 1 events: the Derby; $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic; $500,000 Churchill Downs presented by Ford and $500,000 Derby City Distaff. There also will be a trio of Grade 2 events: the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile; $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU; and $500,000 American Turf.

One day earlier, Churchill Downs will host the Derby's female counterpart, the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at 1 1/8 miles – the nation's most lucrative race for 3-year-old fillies. The six stakes that day total $3 million: the Oaks; $500,000 La Troienne (G1); $400,000 Alysheba (G2); $300,000 Eight Belles presented by Smithfield (G2); $300,000 Edgewood (G2); and $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (G2).

Derby Week stakes action that precedes Oaks and Derby days includes the $125,000 William Walker on Opening Night, Saturday, April 24; the newly-renamed $120,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes on Champions Day, Tuesday, April 27, which honors the legendary African-American who was a three-time Derby winner and arguably the greatest jockey American racing has ever known; $125,000 Kentucky Juvenile on Wednesday, April 28; and the $150,000 Unbridled Sidney and $120,000 Opening Verse Overnight Night Stakes on Thurby, Thursday, April 29.

After Derby Week, there will be 22 stakes worth a total of $3.3 million.

Stephen Foster Preview Day is Saturday, May 29 with seven stakes that total $825,000: the $125,000 Matt Winn (G3); $125,000 Regret (G3); $125,000 Aristides (Listed); $125,000 Blame; $125,000 Shawnee; $100,000 Audubon; and $100,000 Douglas Park Overnight Stakes.

The $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2), which annually attracts some of the nation's top older horses, is situated on closing day, Saturday, June 26, for a second consecutive year. The 1 1/8-mile race anchors a seven-race stakes bonanza that totals $1.6 million and includes the $250,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) for fillies and mares and $250,000 Wise Dan (G2) for turf horses.

The lucrative prize money is attributed to returns from historical horse racing at Derby City Gaming, Churchill Downs Incorporated's $65 million facility that opened September 2018 at nearby 4520 Poplar Level Road.

The first condition book of scheduled races features $106,000 maiden races on Derby Week and $91,000 maiden races after Derby. The Churchill Downs stable area reopens Tuesday, March 16, and the first day of training is Friday, March 19.

2021 CHURCHILL DOWNS SPRING MEET STAKES SCHEDULE

Date	Running	Grade	Purse	Race	Conditions	Distance	Surface
Saturday, April 24	6^th	Listed	$125,000	William Walker	3yo	5 ½ F	Turf
Tuesday, April 27	3^rd		$120,000	Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes	4&up	1 ½ M	Dirt
Wednesday, April 28	27^th		$125,000	Kentucky Juvenile	2yo	5 F	Dirt
Thursday, April 29	11^th		$150,000	Unbridled Sidney	3&up, f&m	5 ½ F	Turf
Thursday, April 29	16^th		$120,000	Opening Verse Overnight Stakes	4&up	1 M	Turf
Friday, April 30	147^th	I	$1,250,000	Longines Kentucky Oaks	3yo f	1 1/8 M	Dirt
Friday, April 30	36^th	I	$500,000	La Troienne	4&up, f&m	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Friday, April 30	18^th	II	$400,000	Alysheba	4&up	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Friday, April 30	66^th	II	$300,000	Eight Belles presented by Smithfield	3yo f	7 F	Dirt
Friday, April 30	37^th	II	$300,000	Edgewood	3yo f	1 1/16 M	Turf
Friday, April 30	27^th	II	$250,000	Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco	3&up	5 ½ F	Turf
Saturday, May 1	147^th	I	$3,000,000	Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve	3yo	1 ¼ M	Dirt
Saturday, May 1	35^th	I	$1,000,000	Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic	4&up	1 1/8 M	Turf
Saturday, May 1	86^th	I	$500,000	Churchill Downs presented by Ford	4&up	7 F	Dirt
Saturday, May 1	35^th	I	$500,000	Derby City Distaff	4&up, f&m	7 F	Dirt
Saturday, May 1	36^th	II	$500,000	Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile	4&up, f&m	1 M	Turf
Saturday, May 1	97^th	II	$500,000	Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU	3yo	1 M	Dirt
Saturday, May 1	30^th	II	$500,000	American Turf	3yo	1 1/16 M	Turf
Saturday, May 8	2^nd		$100,000	Mamzelle Overnight Stakes	3yo f	5 F	Turf
Saturday, May 15	84^th	III	$125,000	Louisville	4&up	1 ½ M	Turf
Saturday, May 22	18^th	III	$125,000	Winning Colors	4&up, f&m	6 F	Dirt
Saturday, May 22	8^th		$100,000	Keertana Overnight Stakes	4&up, f&m	1 ½ M	Turf
Saturday, May 29	24^th	III	$125,000	Matt Winn	3yo	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Saturday, May 29	52^nd	III	$125,000	Regret	3yo f	1 1/8 M	Turf
Saturday, May 29	33^rd	Listed	$125,000	Aristides	4&up	6 F	Dirt
Saturday, May 29	2^nd		$125,000	Blame	4&up	1 1/8 M	Dirt
Saturday, May 29	2^nd		$125,000	Shawnee	4&up, f&m	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Saturday, May 29	2^nd		$100,000	Audubon	3yo	1 1/8 M	Turf
Saturday, May 29	1^st		$100,000	Douglas Park Overnight Stakes	4&up	1 1/16 M	Turf
Saturday, June 5	5^th		$100,000	Mighty Beau Overnight Stakes	3&up	5 F	Turf
Saturday, June 12	45^th	III	$125,000	Old Forester Mint Julep	4&up, f&m	1 1/16 M	Turf
Saturday, June 19	11^th		$100,000	Roxelana Overnight Stakes	3&up, f&m	6 ½ F	Dirt
Friday, June 25	11^th		$100,000	Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes	3&up	7 F	Dirt
Saturday, June 26	40^th	II	$600,000	Stephen Foster	4&up	1 1/8 M	Dirt
Saturday, June 26	46^th	II	$250,000	Fleur de Lis	4&up, f&m	1 1/8 M	Dirt
Saturday, June 26	32^nd	II	$250,000	Wise Dan	4&up	1 1/16 M	Turf
Saturday, June 26	120^th	III	$125,000	Bashford Manor	2yo	6 F	Dirt
Saturday, June 26	120^th	Listed	$125,000	Debutante	2yo f	6 F	Dirt
Saturday, June 26	2^nd		$125,000	War Chant	3yo	1 M	Turf
Saturday, June 26	2^nd		$125,000	Tepin	3yo f	1 M	Turf

The post Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet Stakes Schedule Worth Record $13.44 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Churchill Downs Considers Increasing Kentucky Derby Capacity

On Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced that businesses would be allowed to increase indoor capacity from 50 to 60 percent. According to the Courier-Journal, Churchill Downs is now considering increasing fan capacity at this year's Kentucky Derby, scheduled for Saturday, May 1.

Previously, Churchill had announced that 40 to 50 percent of the track's reserve seating capacity would be sold for Derby day. Now, that capacity might be increased to 60 percent, though a specific number of seats has not been decided. General admission tickets will not be sold until closer to the date of the Kentucky Derby.

“With the governor's announcement yesterday, we've started to analyze how we can flex up and remain nimble for the weeks to come for any additional charges and restrictions as that might come out,” Churchill president Mike Anderson told the Courier-Journal. “We'll continue to follow the guidelines for both local and state health agencies to make sure we are following all the COVID compliance.”

No fans were permitted at the 2020 edition of the Kentucky Derby, which was held on Sept. 5, due to the pandemic.

Champion Vequist Tops 106 Early Nominees To Kentucky Oaks

Champion 2-year-old filly Vequist, winner of the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1), tops the roster of 106 early nominations to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), North America's premier race for 3-year-old fillies that will be staged at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. on Friday, April 30.

Owned in partnership by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swillcan Stable and trained by Butch Reid Jr., Vequist was a dominant two-length winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is based at Palm Meadows in South Florida and is entered in Saturday's $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Other top contenders that were nominated to the Longines Kentucky Oaks include Stonestreet Stables' $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) winner Clairiere and OXO Equine's runner-up Travel Column; Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables' $350,000 Alcibiades (G1) winner Simply Ravishing; and Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat.

Each of the 106 fillies nominated to the Oaks were made eligible by a $200 payment that was due Feb. 13. A complete list of nominations will be available at https://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/stakes/nominations/.

Trainer Todd Pletcher led all conditioners with nine fillies nominated to the Oaks followed by Kenny McPeek who had eight.

Fillies not nominated to the Kentucky Oaks can be made eligible through a $1,500 late fee due April 10 or a $25,000 supplemental nomination due at the time of entry. The Oaks field is limited to 14 starters and up to four fillies can be designated as “also-eligible” to start. Eligibility to compete is determined by points amassed during the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” point series.

Like the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, the Longines Kentucky Oaks has been run each year without interruption since 1875. The lucrative race is the centerpiece of a spectacular day of racing and entertainment at Churchill Downs that celebrates fashion, food, celebrity and fun with a focus on women's health issues and outreach.

Klaravich Stables' millionaire Digital Age (IRE) is nominated to attempt a repeat bid in this year's $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (Grade 1) on Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs.

The Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, run at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, annually attracts some of the nation's top turf horses. This year's race has 75 horses that were nominated. Previous winners include 2019 Horse of the Year and Champion Turf Male Bricks and Mortar; two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan; and Eclipse Award winners Manila, English Channel, Sky Classic and Paradise Creek. Einstein (BRZ) a Grade 1 winner on both dirt and turf, won back-to-back renewals in 2008-09.

Digital Age is one of 17 horses from trainer Chad Brown's stable nominated to the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic.

Another accomplished turf specialist nominated to this year's race is Robert and Lawana Low's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) winner Colonel Liam. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Colonal Liam joined six other stablemates on the nomination list.

In total, 13 Grade 1 winners were nominated to this year's Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic. The full list of nominations are available at https://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/stakes/nominations/.

The winner of the March 20 Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2) at Fair Grounds will be granted an automatic berth to the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic as well as the Arlington Million (G1). The winner of the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic also will be granted an automatic berth to the Arlington Million.

Horses nominated to the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic were made eligible by a $100 payment that was due Feb. 13. Horses not nominated can qualify through a $1,000 late fee due April 10 or a $20,000 supplemental nomination due at the time of entry on April 27. The race is limited to 14 starters with preference given to winners of graded turf stakes and, after that, highest earnings in stakes races on turf in 2020-21.

The post Champion Vequist Tops 106 Early Nominees To Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Construction To Resume At Turfway Park; Churchill Hotel Plans Remain On Hold

During Thursday's conference call with investors, Churchill Downs, Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen revealed that construction of a new grandstand and Historical Horse Racing venue will resume at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., reports bloodhorse.com.

Construction had been halted due to uncertainty over the future of Historical Horse Racing in the state of Kentucky, but on Feb. 22 Gov. Andy Beshear signed legislation that specifically includes HHR under the state's definition of pari-mutuel wagering.

“We anticipate spending approximately $145 million in project capital to finish building this premier facility,” Carstanjen said of Turfway. “And that will deliver approximately 800 construction jobs and 400 full-time permanent jobs in the Northern Kentucky area, as well as revitalize the Kentucky winter Thoroughbred racing circuit.”

However, construction on a hotel on the Churchill Downs property in Louisville, Ky. remains on hold as the company reviews revised plans for the project.