Racing Returns to Churchill Downs Sunday at 1 p.m. for 19-Day Fall Meet
Oct 27, 2022
Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky shifts from Keeneland to Churchill Downs on Sunday as the home of the Kentucky Derby readies to open its 133rd Fall Meet with an 11-race program – all for promising 2-year-old Thoroughbreds – at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern).
The popular 19-day stand covers a four-week stretch every Wednesday-Sunday through Nov. 27, with the exception of Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 when the Breeders’ Cup World Championships return to Keeneland.
The Fall Meet kicks off in style Sunday with the 18th annual “Stars of Tomorrow I” program, which is entirely devoted to hopeful 2-year-old stars that have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
Sunday’s 11-race opening day card is headlined by the 10th runnings of two 1 1/16 miles, $200,000 stakes – the open-company Street Sense (GIII) and Rags to Riches for fillies. Those races serve as local steppingstones to the two Grade II, $400,000, 1 1/16-mile counterparts on the Saturday, Nov. 26 “Stars of Tomorrow II” program – the open Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod for fillies that are part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks series which award points to the Top 5 finishers (10-4-3-2-1).
Inaugurated in 2005, Churchill Downs’ “Stars of Tomorrow” programs have helped launched the careers of numerous graded stakes winners, including more than 50 future Grade I winners led by Horse of the Year champions Gun Runner (2017) and Rachel Alexandra (2009); Kentucky Derby winners Super Saver (2010) and Mandaloun (2021); Kentucky Oaks winners Rachel Alexandra (2009), Believe You Can (2012), Monomoy Girl (2018) and Secret Oath (2022); Preakness winners Rachel Alexandra (2009), Shackleford (2011), War of Will (2019) and Swiss Skydiver (2020); Belmont winner Creator (2016) as well as 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic and 2013 Stephen Foster hero Fort Larned and 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge.
Horsemen will compete for $21.1 million offered in Vice President of Racing Ben Huffman’s Fall Meet condition book of 201 races, including a 15-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $4.95 million.
Average daily purses are $1,111,263. Maiden special weight races have a $120,000 purse while allowance races range from $127,000 to $141,000. All purses, including claiming races, include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Racing on the new Bermuda-hybrid turf course is scheduled to return in a limited capacity this fall with 15 races – including four graded stakes and three Claiming Crown events – scheduled for the grass.
The lucrative stakes schedule is anchored by the 148th running of the $750,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GI). The 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds and up on “Black Friday,” Nov. 25 annually lures some of the top horses in North America and is the centerpiece of nine stakes races scheduled over Thanksgiving weekend.
An added feature to this year’s Fall Meet is the 24th renewal of the Claiming Crown Championship Series, which will be staged at Churchill Downs for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 12 – one week after the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. Open to claiming horses, the Claiming Crown features eight races with starter allowance conditions and a total of $1.05 million in prize money for some of the most competitive, blue-collar horses in the country. In addition, registered Kentucky-breds will compete for an extra $10,000 to $25,000 in KTDF supplements.
A list of the 201 horses made eligible to the 2022 Claiming Crown, along with past performances, are available online at https://claimingcrown.com/forms/. Horses that were not made eligible by the Oct. 22 deadline can be supplemented for $1,000 at the time of entry on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
Tyler Gaffalione, who won his ninth Churchill Downs riding title during the September Meet, had the hot hand during last year’s Fall Meet with 34 wins. Steve Asmussen, who won his 26th Churchill Downs’ training title during the Spring Meet, led all trainers during the 2021 Fall Meet with 20 victories. Last fall’s leading owner was Mike Sisk’s M and M Racing with four wins.
Two major construction projects at Churchill Downs continue to progress. The $90 million First Turn Experience is scheduled for completion before next year’s Kentucky Derby. Demolition, utility and foundation work on the $200 million Paddock Area Redesign project continues, with select areas on the ground, second and third floors around the vast facility closed to guests. The Paddock Area Redesign will be compete for the 150th Kentucky Derby in 2024.
Trick-or-Treat at the Track at Family Adventure Day on Sunday
Sunday’s opener is the day before Halloween and Churchill Downs will present Family Adventure Day: Trick-or-Treat at the Track at Family Adventure Day.
Kids 12 and under are encouraged to wear costumes and trick-or-treat at 10 “Trick-or-Treat Boo Stations” throughout the first floor of the racetrack’s Clubhouse area as Churchill Downs and community partners hand out candy between 12:30-4 p.m.
There will be more than 20 activities for children to enjoy including a pumpkin patch, face painting (1-4:30 p.m.), arts and crafts stations, bounce houses, a haunted maze, giant slide, video game truck, bubble station, stick horse races (registration 12-2 p.m.; two races between Races 3-4 in the paddock from 2:25-2:35 p.m.) and games such as pumpkin bowling, cornhole, giant Jenga, giant checkers, giant Connect 4 and Tic-Tac-Toe.
General admission is $7 and up to two children are free per paying adult. For access to Family Adventure Day activities, guests must check in at the Family Adventure Day tent located near the VIP Gate. Also, there will be kid-friendly pricing for meals at the Paddock Grill.
Other Special Fall Meet Events
Other special events during the Fall Meet include a free 2023 Churchill Downs Calendar sponsored by Humana to the first 5,000 guests in attendance on Saturday, Nov. 26.
Other events: Senior Days with a discounted $26 ticket to Millionaires Row or Skye Terrace for seniors age 60 and up on Wednesday, Nov. 2 and Wednesday, Nov. 16; Military Appreciation Day with free admission or a discounted $32 ticket to Millionaires Row or Skye Terrace for active and retired members of the U.S. armed services on Friday, Nov. 11; Sunday Brunch in the Stakes Room ($50 for adults) every Sunday; and a special visit by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus on Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26.
Racing Wednesday-Sunday; First Race 1 p.m. Most Days
After Sunday’s opener, live racing will be conducted on a Wednesday-Sunday schedule with dark days on Mondays and Tuesdays. The lone exceptions will be Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 when Keeneland hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Most race days feature 10 live races. There will be 11 on Sunday’s opener plus two Saturdays: Nov. 12 and 19. Twelve-race cards are scheduled over the final four days, Nov. 24-27.
Post time will be 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) on most racing days with admission gates open at noon. There will be an early 11:30 a.m. start (gates 10 a.m.) on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 24) – a Louisville tradition at Churchill Downs since 1969 where more than 7,000 turkey dinners are served with all the trimmings, making it the largest number anywhere in the region.
General Admission, Reserved Seating Options
General admission to Churchill Downs is $7 ($8 for Thanksgiving on Nov. 24; $9 for Breeders’ Cup Simulcast on Nov. 4-5, Clark Day on Nov. 25 and Stars of Tomorrow II on Nov. 26). Reserved box seats are $10 ($11 for Thanksgiving on Nov. 24; $12 for Clark Day on Nov. 25 and Stars of Tomorrow II on Nov. 26) and indoor dining options are $42 ($49 for Clark Day on Nov. 25 and Stars of Tomorrow II on Nov. 26; $57 for Thanksgiving on Nov. 24). Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets or by calling (502) 636-4400.
Watch and Wager on the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs will simulcast the Breeders’ Cup World Championships from Keeneland on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, but there will be no live racing those days.
A simulcast of the 10-race “Future Stars Friday” card from Keeneland will begin at 11:55 a.m. and the Breeders’ Cup will cover Races 6-10 (3-5:40 p.m.). Championship Saturday’s 12-race program at Keeneland will commence at 10:30 a.m. with the Breeders’ Cup on Races 3-11 (Breeders’ Cup starts at 11:50 p.m.). It will culminate with the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at 5:40 p.m.
Simulcast wagering on the Breeders’ Cup will be available in the ITW area on the second floor of the Clubhouse, as well as select dining spaces. Guests who attend Churchill Downs on Friday will be able to advance wager on the entire Championship Saturday program from Keeneland. There is no advance wagering on-track Thursday for the Championship Friday program.
Simulcast gates at Churchill Downs will open at 11:30 a.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Betting Menu Features 20-Cent Derby City 6 Jackpot
The Fall Meet betting menu will be the same as recent meets and includes the 20-cent minimum “Derby City 6” jackpot, which is offered on the last six races each day with a low 15-percent takeout. The Derby City 6 jackpot will be paid only if there is a single winning wager with six winners placed at the required minimum bet value. If there are multiple winning wagers with six winners in the six-race sequence, 90 percent of the net money wagering into the pool will be paid, and the remaining 10 percent will carry to the Derby City 6 jackpot. If there are no tickets will all six winners, 100 percent of the pool will carry to the Derby City 6 jackpot. There will be a mandatory payout on closing day.
The daily betting menu also features 50-cent Pick 5s with a low 15% takeout and 50-cent Pick 4s. Win, Place, Show, Exacta, 50-cent Trifecta, 10-cent Superfecta, Daily Double and 50-cent Pick 3 wagers will be offered every race (on all races that qualify under Kentucky statutes for minimum field size) and the $1 Super Hi-5 will be offered in the last race daily.
New Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool Nov. 1-3 With Up to 40 Betting Interests
A new Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool with up to 40 betting interests, including the popular “All Others” option, will debut Tuesday, Nov. 1 and close Thursday, Nov. 3 in advance of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships’ Future Stars Friday.
The new three-day pool, which features $2 Win and Exacta wagering, will open Tuesday, Nov. 1 at noon (all times Eastern) and close Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m.
Technology advancements now allow up to 40 pari-mutuel betting interests, up from 24 in previous years. Track officials will release the field for Pool 1 following the conclusion of Sunday’s “Stars of Tomorrow I” at Churchill Downs – the Fall Meet opening day showcase of 2-year-olds.
Inaugurated in 1999, the Kentucky Derby Future Wagers provide fans of Thoroughbred racing with opportunities to place bets on possible entrants in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) at odds that could be far greater and more attractive than those available on the day of the race. The 149th running of Kentucky Derby, America’s greatest race and the first leg of the Triple Crown, is set for Saturday, May 6, 2023 at Churchill Downs.
All told, there are six Future Wager pools scheduled in advance of the 2023 Kentucky Derby: Nov. 1-3 (Pool 1); Nov. 24-27 (Pool 2); Jan. 20-22 (Pool 3); Feb. 10-12 (Pool 4); March 10-12 (Pool 5); and March 30-April 1 (Pool 6). The Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which debuted in 2015 and requires bettors to wager on the winning sire for next year’s Kentucky Derby winner, will be held concurrently with Pool 2 on Nov. 24-27. The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5 on March 10-12.
As was the case last year, Pool 1 will assume that horses under the care of trainers suspended from competing in the 2023 Kentucky Derby will not be under consideration. Instead, they will be included within the pari-mutuel field.
A record total of $2,060,691 was bet on future wagers for the 2022 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.
Odds and Ends
Travis Stone will describe the racing action throughout the Fall Meet for the eighth straight year. Veteran odds maker Mike Battaglia has morning line odds duty for the 48th consecutive year.
‘Churchill Downs Today’ Airs One-Hour Before First Race
Joe Kristufek is Churchill Downs’ on-track and simulcast host and Scott Shapiro is the chief analyst. Additional race-by-race analysis will be provided by Kaitlin Free, James Scully and Brandon Stauble.
“Churchill Downs Today,” the track’s daily racing preview program, will air one hour before the first race of the day and can be seen on-track and online at www.TwinSprires.com. The Churchill Downs LIVE app is available free of charge on streaming services such as Amazon, Apple TV and Roku. Fans can download the Churchill Downs LIVE app for full access to a free HD live stream of the Churchill Downs simulcast signal.
Also, horseplayers can visit https://www.churchilldowns.com/racing-wagering/handicapping/expert-picks for daily expert selections.
Churchill Downs Racing Televised on ‘America’s Day at the Races’
The racing action from Churchill Downs throughout the Fall Meet will be broadcast on FOX Sports’ “America’s Day at the Races,” which will air every race day on either FS2 or FS1.
‘Inside Churchill Downs’ Airs Fridays 6-7 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7
“Inside Churchill Downs,” the weekly horse racing radio show co-hosted by Churchill Downs Racetrack’s Kevin Kerstein, Darren Rogers and Scott Shapiro, airs Fridays at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN 680/105.7 through Nov. 18.
The one-hour Friday night program on Louisville’s popular sports radio station has delivered a wide-ranging list of interesting guests – from jockeys, trainers, owners to well-informed handicappers and other industry insiders – since 2015.
Those outside the Louisville radio market can listen live online at www.ESPNLouisville.com or via podcast on the station’s website.
Only three shows remain in 2022: Oct. 28, Nov. 11 and Nov. 18. There will be no program on Nov. 4 because of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships simulcast.
Wager on Churchill Downs Racing via TwinSpires.com
Racing fans are encouraged to wager on racing from Churchill Downs via www.TwinSpires.com, the official advance-deposit wagering service for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks. TwinSpires.com boasts an improved wagering experience and mobile app combining the latest technology with the ability to wager on virtually every quarter, harness and thoroughbred horse race from venues across the globe. The app provides users with smoother and more intuitive navigation, enhanced live-streaming capabilities allowing players to watch races while searching for their next wager, and all the best bonus offers, free bets, and promotions that TwinSpires.com is known for. TwinSpires.com also offers access to unmatched insight and analysis from our horse racing experts, handicappers, insiders, educators and Bloodstock Research Information Services (Brisnet).
Additional Information
For more information, call (502) 636-4400 or visit www.churchilldowns.com.
2022 CHURCHILL DOWNS FALL MEET STAKES SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Running |
Grade |
Purse |
Race |
Conditions |
Distance |
Surface |
|
Sunday, Oct. 30 |
10th |
III |
$200,000 |
Street Sense |
2yo |
1 1/16 M |
Dirt |
|
Sunday, Oct. 30 |
10th |
$200,000 |
Rags to Riches |
2yo f |
1 1/16 M |
Dirt |
|
|
Sunday, Nov. 13 |
43rd |
III |
$300,000 |
River City |
3&up |
1 1/8 M |
Turf |
|
Sunday, Nov. 13 |
14th |
Listed |
$160,000 |
Bet On Sunshine |
3&up |
6 F |
Dirt |
|
Sunday, Nov. 13 |
17th |
Listed |
$160,000 |
Dream Supreme |
3&up, f&m |
6 F |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 19 |
37th |
III |
$300,000 |
Chilukki |
3&up, f&m |
1 M |
Dirt |
|
Thursday, Nov. 24 |
107th |
III |
$500,000 |
Falls City |
3&up, f&m |
1 1/8 M |
Dirt |
|
Thursday, Nov. 24 |
47th |
III |
$300,000 |
Cardinal |
3&up, f&m |
1 1/8 M |
Turf |
|
Friday, Nov. 25 |
148th |
I |
$750,000 |
Clark presented by Norton Healthcare |
3&up |
1 1/8 M |
Dirt |
|
Friday, Nov. 25 |
31st |
II |
$300,000 |
Mrs. Revere |
3yo f |
1 1/16 M |
Turf |
|
Saturday, Nov. 26 |
96th |
II |
$400,000 |
Kentucky Jockey Club |
2yo |
1 1/16 M |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 26 |
79th |
II |
$400,000 |
Golden Rod |
2yo f |
1 1/16 M |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 26 |
2nd |
$200,000 |
Ed Brown |
2yo |
6 ½ F |
Dirt |
|
|
Saturday, Nov. 26 |
2nd |
$200,000 |
Fern Creek |
2yo f |
6 ½ F |
Dirt |
|
|
Sunday, Nov. 27 |
17th |
III |
$300,000 |
Commonwealth Turf |
3yo |
1 1/16 M |
Turf |
2022 CLAIMING CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS
|
Date |
Purse |
Race |
Conditions |
Claiming Level |
Distance |
Surface |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$175,000 |
Claiming Crown Jewel |
3&up |
$35,000 |
1 1/8 M |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$150,000 |
Claiming Crown Emerald |
3&up |
$25,000 |
1 1/16 M |
Turf |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$150,000 |
Claiming Crown Tiara |
3&up, f&m |
$25,000 |
1 1/16 M |
Turf |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$150,000 |
Claiming Crown Tom Metzen Memorial Canterbury |
3&up |
$25,000 |
5 ½ F |
Turf |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$125,000 |
Claiming Crown Rapid Transit |
3&up |
$16,000 |
7 F |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$100,000 |
Claiming Crown Glass Slipper |
3&up, f&m |
$12,500 |
1 M |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$100,000 |
Claiming Crown Kent Sterling Memorial Iron Horse |
3&up |
$8,000 |
1 1/16 M |
Dirt |
|
Saturday, Nov. 12 |
$100,000 |
Claiming Crown Ready’s Rocket Express |
3&up |
$8,000 |
6 F |
Dirt |
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