Churchill Downs is set to host eleven stakes races with a combined prize pool of $3,575,000 during its 14-day September racing season, which spans from September 12 to September 29.
The 12th annual September Meet, lasting three weeks, provides ample preparation opportunities for horsemen leading up to the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. Highlight races include the Grade 2 Lukas Classic, which offers a $500,000 purse for 3-year-olds and older at a distance of 1 1/8 miles, and the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3) for ages 3 and up over one mile, which serves as a direct qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28.
The meet also marks the beginning of the journey to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks with the $300,000 Iroquois (G3) and $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) respectively, both taking place on Saturday, Sept. 14. These races, suited for 2-year-olds, will be contested over a one-turn, one-mile track.
There are a couple of adjustments in the stakes schedule compared to the previous year. The Open Mind stakes for fillies and mares, one of five stakes events on Sept. 14, has been extended from six furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. The Jefferson Cup, a race for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf, is paused this year as all races during the September meet will take place on dirt. This decision ensures the turf course is in optimal condition for the fall meet from Oct. 27 to Dec. 1 and the upcoming spring meeting.
The races at Churchill Downs will stretch over three weeks from Thursday, Sept. 12, to Sunday, Sept. 29, featuring racing days from Wednesday through Sunday. Except for the three Thursdays with a post time of 5 p.m. EDT, and Saturday, Sept. 28, with a post time of 6 p.m., races will begin at 12:45 p.m. The schedule includes nine races on Wednesdays, eight on Thursdays, and ten on Fridays and Sundays, with eleven featured each Saturday.
| Date | Grade | Purse | Race | Conditions | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 14 | 2 | $400,000 | Locust Grove | 3&up, f&m | 1 1/16 miles |
| Sept. 14 | 3 | $300,000 | Iroquois | 2yo | 1 mile |
| Sept. 14 | 3 | $300,000 | Pocahontas | 2yo f | 1 mile |
| Sept. 14 | Listed | $300,000 | Open Mind | 3&up, f&m | 6 1/2 furlongs |
| Sept. 14 | $300,000 | Louisville Thoroughbred Society | 3&up | 6 furlongs | |
| Sept. 21 | 3 | $300,000 | Dogwood | 3yo f | 7 furlongs |
| Sept. 21 | $300,000 | Bourbon Flight | 3yo | 1 3/16 miles | |
| Sept. 21 | $300,000 | Harrods Creek | 3yo | 7 furlongs | |
| Sept. 21 | Listed | $175,000 | Seneca Overnight Stakes | 3yo f | 1 1/16 miles |
| Sept. 28 | 2 | $500,000 | Lukas Classic | 3&up | 1 1/8 miles |
| Sept. 28 | 3 | $400,000 | Ack Ack (win-and-you’re-in for BC Dirt Mile) | 3&up | 1 mile |
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