Churchill Downs Releases First Condition Book, Stakes Schedule for Spring Meet

[Wandering Eyes]

Churchill Downs Racetrack released the first condition book for its upcoming spring meet, which is now scheduled to begin May 16. A total of 125 races cumulatively worth $7,265,000–for a daily average of $559,000–are offered in the first condition book, which covers racing from May 16-June 5. Maiden special weight races offer a purse of $79,000 and allowance races range between $81,000 and $88,000. All purses include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

The stakes schedule throughout the meet features 16 stakes totaling $2,250,000. The first graded stakes of the meet will be the $150,000 GIII Matt Winn S. May 23. That race has been added to an extension of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and will offer Top 4 points on a scale of 10-4-2-1 for the series of qualifying races to the rescheduled GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5.

Churchill’s June 27 card will feature the $500,000 GII Stephen Foster H. and $200,000 GII Fleur de Lis S., as well as the $100,000 GIII Regret S. and $100,000 GIII Bashford Manor S.

The Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis are part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge Series, with the winners receiving automatic berths and a travel stipend to the GI Longines Classic and GI Longines Distaff, respectively, Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

After opening weekend (May 16-17), racing at Churchill Downs will be staged Thursday through Sunday with a special holiday Monday card Memorial Day, May 25. Post time for the first race each day will be 1 p.m. ET. Closing day of the shortened 26-day Spring Meet is Saturday, June 27. All racing for the Spring Meet will be conducted spectator-free until government officials issue approval of fans attending the Louisville track.

Churchill’s stable areas will reopen in phases, with the following listing of racetracks and when horses based there may return to Churchill Downs between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.:

• Fair Grounds, May 11-13;
• Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, May 14-16;
• Oaklawn Park, May 17-19;
• All other locales, May 20.

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