Record $26 Million in Stakes Purses Scheduled for Spring Meet; Derby Day's American Turf Now Grade I, Worth $1 Million

Mar 07, 2025

The American Turf for 3-year-olds, annually staged on the Kentucky Derby undercard, had its purse raised to $1 million after the American Graded Stakes Committee elevated the 1 1/16-mile grass race to Grade I status.

 

All told, 50 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $26,175,000 – a $525,000 increase – are scheduled to be run during Churchill Downs’ 2025 Spring Meet, which covers 43 race dates between April 26-June 29.

 

The highlights, as always, are the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) for 3-year-olds at 1 ¼ miles on Saturday, May 3 and the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles held one day prior.

 

The American Turf is one of four Spring Meet stakes that received purse hikes for 2025 and one of seven races that warranted upgrades by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

 

Here are the changes for 2025:

 

American Turf

Upgraded status from Grade II in 2024 to Grade I in 2025
Purse increased from $600,000 in 2024 to $1 million in 2025
Aristides

Upgraded from Listed to Grade III status in 2025
Chicago

Upgraded status from Grade III in 2024 to Grade II in 2025
Purse increased from $250,000 in 2024 to $300,000 in 2025
Chorleywood

Received Listed status in 2025
Purse increased from $175,000 in 2024 to $200,000 in 2025
Issac Murphy Marathon presented by Resolute Racing

Received Listed status in 2025
Mamzelle

Upgraded from Listed to Grade III status in 2025
Maxfield

Purse increased from $175,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025
Roxelana presented by LG&E

Received Listed status in 2025
During Kentucky Derby Week (April 26-May 3), there will be 22 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $17.9 million, including nine stakes totaling $11,150,000 on Derby Day and seven totaling $5.25 million on Oaks Day.

 

As was the case last year, Churchill Downs has partnered with Ascot Racecourse and Great Britain’s The Jockey Club to extend a “wild card” entry initiative that ties together Kentucky Derby Week with the Betfred Derby Festival and Royal Ascot.

 

The winner of the American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day will receive an entry and travel stipend to compete in the Group 1 Betfred Derby at Epsom on June 7 and Group 1 St. James’s Palace at Royal Ascot on June 17, while the winner of the Edgewood on Kentucky Oaks Day will receive the same benefits for the Group 1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom on June 6 and Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20.

 

The winner of the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) will receive a berth to either the Queen Anne Stakes (GI) or the Prince of Wales’ Stakes (GI) at Royal Ascot, and the Twin Spires Turf Sprint winner will receive an entry to the King’s Charles III Stakes (GI), also staged at Royal Ascot.

 

In return, a runner from both the Queen Anne and Prince of Wales’s will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the Grade I Arlington Million at Colonial Downs in mid-August. Also, a runner from the Tattersales Falmouth Stakes (GI) will receive an entry and travel stipend for the Grade II Beverly D Stakes on the Arlington Million undercard.

 

Other Spring Meet highlights include Stephen Foster Preview Day on Saturday, May 31; Stephen Foster Day on Saturday, June 28; and five closing day stakes on Sunday, June 29.

 

Following its annual closure for wintertime renovations, the Churchill Downs stable area will reopen Tuesday, March 18. The first day of training on the main dirt track will be Wednesday, March 19.

Every stakes race, excluding the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, includes Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund prize money.

Complete Spring Meet Stakes Schedule: 20250307 Spring Meet Stakes Schedule

All Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund purse allotments are subject to KHRC approval.