Churchill Downs kicks off its 25-day fall racing calendar on Sunday, Oct. 27. The meet will run Wednesdays through Sundays, with closing day held Saturday, Nov. 30. The meet includes nine graded stakes races and two ungraded overnight stakes; special Breeders’ Cup viewing party; Downs After Dark program; and Family Fun Days presented by Kroger. Also, the meet will see the start of a new wagering menu similar to Gulfstream Park’s Rainbow Six.
Stakes Schedule:
Two $65,000 ungraded overnight stakes will run opening day—the Street Sense and the Rags to Riches. The Street Sense is open to two-year-olds and the Rags to Riches is restricted to two-year-old fillies.
The graded stakes schedule starts Nov. 2 when fillies and mares, three-years-old and up, attempt the Chilukki Stakes (G2), going a mile on the main track. The 1 1/8 mile Cardinal Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares, three-years-old and up, on the turf will run Nov. 9. Two stakes will run on the Downs After Dark card Nov. 16—the Mrs. Revere (G2) for fillies and mares, three-years-old and up, at 1 1/16 miles on the turf and the Commonwealth Turf (G3) for three-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The 1 1/8 mile River City Handicap (G3) for three-year-olds and up over the turf course will run Nov. 23. The Thanksgiving Day feature is the Falls City Handicap (G2), a 1 1/8 mile route for fillies and mares three-years-old and up. The stakes highlight of the meet is the Clark Handicap (G1) for three-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, Friday, Nov. 29. The meet concludes Nov. 30 with its Stars of Tomorrow II program that includes two 1 1/16 mile stakes for juveniles—the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) for two-year-olds and the Golden Rod (G2) for two-year-old fillies.
Special Events:
Free calendar giveaway on opening day. The first 5,000 fans through the gates will receive a voucher for a free 2014 Churchill Downs Calendar sponsored by Humana. Vouchers can be redeemed after the fourth race.
Trick-or-treating with Churchill Charlie on opening day. As part of the Sunday Family Fun Days presented by Kroger, kids can come in costume and decorate trick-or-treat bags in the Plaza Balcony before joining Churchill Charlie in a trick-or-treat parade in which the kids will receive treats at designated “boo stations.” Kids 12 and under should assemble as the bottom of the Plaza Staircase to join Churchill Charlie in the trick-or-treat parade at 2:30 p.m.
Breeders’ Cup Viewing Party. Although the Breeders’ Cup will be run at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Cal., Churchill Downs will host a viewing party Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2 in the Paddock Plaza. The races will be streamed on the big screen in the Plaza.
