Spendthrift Stallion Stakes to be Discontinued

[Wandering Eyes]

The Spendthrift Stallions Stakes at Churchill Downs will be discontinued after 2018 due to a refusal by the North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee to give black-type consideration, Spendthrift Farm announced Friday. The $300,000 race for 2-year-olds is set to run for the final time Oct. 28.

“I am disappointed that the North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee has told us they will not give black-type consideration to the Spendthrift Stallions Stakes going forward, and that significantly limits the race’s ability to grow,” said Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes. “Because of that unwillingness, we will be discontinuing our support of the race after this year, and, instead, shifting our focus to other ways we can help breeders.”

Under its agreement with Churchill, Spendthrift has supplemented the entire purse for the Spendthrift Stallions S. Unlike traditional races, half the purse money gets distributed to the breeders of the top four finishers in the seven-furlong dirt race.

“When we created this race in partnership with Churchill in 2016, we believe we made a significant commitment in earnest to something that would help breeders and be a positive thing for our industry,” said Hughes. “We held high expectations for what it could develop into. Our sport got to see a new race that showcased quality 2-year-olds, many of which have proven to be accomplished stakes horses including some Graded winners. Field sizes averaged double digits. It gave the breeding community a rare chance to earn purse money from a race. So, we felt it was a race everyone could benefit from: breeders, owners, horse players, Spendthrift, Churchill Downs, and, in turn, the industry.”

 

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