Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington wraps its fall meet on Saturday, but live racing continues in Kentucky as Churchill Downs opens its fall meet Sunday. The meet will run Sunday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 25 with live racing Wednesdays through Sundays. The meet will also mark the last season of race calls by track announcer Larry Collmus who will replace the now retired Tom Durkin in New York.
The 26-day meet kicks off Sunday, Oct. 26, with the Stars of Tomorrow card that features all two-year-old races, including two one-mile overnight stakes races on the dirt—the $58,000 Rags to Riches for the girls and the $58,000 Street Sense for the boys. In previous editions, the 10-race Stars of Tomorrow card has showcased such young talent as 2008 Kentucky Oaks winner and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, and last year’s 3-Year-Old Champion Will Take Charge.
The meet offers plenty of things to keep fans entertained throughout the five-week schedule, including 13 stakes races and special events every weekend.
Stakes Schedule:
The meet includes 13 stakes races worth over $2 million. As mentioned above, the stakes schedule begins opening day with two overnight stakes for 2-year-olds. Two more $58,000 overnight stakes run Oct. 31 and Nov. 1—the six-furlong Dream Supreme for fillies and mares three years old and up (Oct. 31) and the six-furlong Bet On Sunshine for 3-year-olds and up (Nov. 1).
The remaining nine stakes races on the meet schedule include the $200,000 Grade II Chilukki (Nov. 1) for fillies and mares three years old and up; $100,000 Grade III River City Handicap (Nov. 8) for three years old and up on the turf; the $100,000 Grade III Commonwealth Turf (Nov. 15) for 3-year-olds and up; the $200,000 Grade II Mrs. Revere (Nov. 15) for 3-year-olds and up; the $100,000 Grade III Cardinal Handicap (Nov. 22) for fillies and mares three years old and up; the $200,000 Grade II Falls City Handicap (Thanksgiving Day) for fillies and mares three years old and up; and the $500,000 Grade 1 Clark Handicap (Nov. 28) for 3-year-olds and up. The stakes schedule wraps Nov. 29 with the Stars of Tomorrow II card that includes two $200,000 Grade II stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds—the Kentucky Jockey Club for the boys and the Golden Rod for the fillies.
Special Events:
Trick-or-Treat with Churchill Charlie: Opening Day is a great day to bring the family out to Churchill Downs. In addition to live racing and a fun atmosphere, Sunday Oct. 26 boasts trick-or-treating for the kids in a trick-or-treat parade through the grounds led by the one and only Churchill Charlie. Kids are asked to gather by Gate 17 at 2:30 p.m. This is a fun event for the family and great opportunity to see the kids in costume (plus, the kids score a good haul of candy that will keep them content as Mommy and Daddy watch a few more races).
