Churchill Downs Announces $9.85 Million September Stakes Schedule Led by Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks and Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby

Jul 08, 2020 Kevin Kerstein,Churchill Downs Communications

A total of 18 stakes events, topped by the 146^th runnings of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), are on tap for the 2020 September Meet at Churchill Downs.

The September Meet stakes schedule is led by the revised Kentucky Derby Week, which was moved from April 25-May 2 to Sept. 1-5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The spectacular week of racing will feature 14 graded stakes, including five Grade I races that will be headlined by the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Kentucky Oaks on Friday, Sept. 4.

Kentucky Derby Day will showcase seven graded stakes races including the Grade I, $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course for older horses and the Grade I, $500,000 Derby City Distaff (formerly known as the Humana Distaff) for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

A new addition to the revised Kentucky Derby Day stakes schedule is the $200,000 Iroquois presented by Ford (GIII), the launch of the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby (Top 4 points: 10-4-2-1) and a “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Division” race for 2-year-olds that will be run at one-mile. The winner will receive an automatic berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) held on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Other stakes on Kentucky Derby Day are the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII) for fillies and mares at one-mile on turf; the $500,000 American Turf (GII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf; and the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) for 3-year-olds at one mile.

Kentucky Oaks Day will feature six graded stakes events which includes the Grade I, $500,000 La Troienne for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Other stakes on the program are the $400,000 Alysheba (GII) for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles; the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by Smithfield Foods (GII) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs; the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf (shortened from its previous 1 1/16 miles on turf); and the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.

While the Iroquois is set for Kentucky Derby Day, its filly counterpart, the $200,000 Pocahontas (GIII), will be run two days prior on “Thurby.” The one-mile event for 2-year-old fillies kicks off the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Oaks (Top 4 points: 10-4-2-1) and is a “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Division” contest with the winner receiving an automatic berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

The Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes, which was previously run on Kentucky Derby Day, is tentatively scheduled to be run during the Fall Meet.

After the Sept. 1-5 Kentucky Derby Week, Churchill Downs will stage its annual nine-day September Meet from Sept. 17-27. The lone stakes event will be the $100,000 Ack Ack for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on Sept. 26.

For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

2020 Churchill Downs September Stakes Schedule

Day/Date	Running	Grade	Purse	Race	Age/Sex	Distance	Surface
Champions Day
Tuesday, Sept. 1	2nd		$100,000	Champions Day Marathon Overnight Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance	3&up	1 ½ M	Dirt
Wednesday, Sept. 2	10th		$150,000	Unbridled Sidney	3&up f/m	5 ½ F	Turf
Thurby Presented By Old Forester
Thursday, Sept. 3	52nd	III	$200,000	Pocahontas	2yo f	1 M	Dirt
Thursday, Sept. 3	15th		$100,000	Opening Verse Overnight Stakes	3&up	1 M	Turf
Longines Kentucky Oaks Day Six stakes races cumulatively worth $3 million
Friday, Sept. 4	146th	I	$1,250,000	Longines Kentucky Oaks	3yo f	1 1/8 M	Dirt
Friday, Sept. 4	35th	I	$500,000	La Troienne	4&up f/m	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Friday, Sept. 4	17th	II	$400,000	Alysheba	4&up	1 1/16 M	Dirt
Friday, Sept. 4	65th	II	$300,000	Eight Belles presented by Smithfield Foods	3yo f	7 F	Dirt
Friday, Sept. 4	36th	II	$300,000	Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank	3yo f	1 M	Turf
Friday, Sept. 4	26th	II	$250,000	Twin Spires Turf Sprint	3&up	5 ½ F	Turf
Kentucky Derby Day Presented by Woodford Reserve Seven stakes races cumulatively worth $6.2 million
Saturday, Sept. 5	146th	I	$3,000,000	Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve	3yo	1 ¼ M	Dirt
Saturday, Sept. 5	34th	I	$1,000,000	Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic	4&up	1 1/8 M	Turf
Saturday, Sept. 5	34th	I	$500,000	Derby City Distaff	4&up f/m	7 F	Dirt
Saturday, Sept. 5	35th	II	$500,000	Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile	4&up f/m	1 M	Turf
Saturday, Sept. 5	96th	II	$500,000	Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU	3yo	1 M	Dirt
Saturday, Sept. 5	29th	II	$500,000	American Turf	3yo	1 1/16 M	Turf
Saturday, Sept. 5	39th	III	$200,000	Iroquois presented by Ford	2yo	1 M	Dirt
Saturday, Sept. 26	28th	III	$100,000	Ack Ack	3&up	1 M	Dirt