Stephen Foster Tops Churchill's Spring Stakes Schedule

Two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series events and a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race head the shortened spring meet stakes schedule at Churchill Downs, which received the green light April 29 from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to conduct racing without spectators.

The $500,000 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) tops the 16 stakes totaling $2.25 million scheduled for the 26-day meet, which is set to open May 16 after its original start date of April 25 was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1 1/8-mile feature for 4-year-olds and up will highlight the closing day June 27 card and award an automatic berth to the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland to the winner. The June 27 card will also include the $200,000 Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, and will award the winner an entry to the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

With the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) postponed to Sept. 5, Churchill Downs has added the $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3), scheduled for May 23, to the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds will award Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers. Additional races will be added to the series schedule in the coming weeks when more information from other racetracks becomes available.

After opening weekend, racing at Churchill Downs will be staged Thursdays through Sundays with a special holiday Monday card on Memorial Day, May 25. Horsemen will be able to compete for an average of $559,000 each day. A total of 125 races, cumulatively worth $7.265 million, are offered in the first condition book, which covers May 16 through June 5 and was released Sunday. Maiden special weight races offer a purse of $79,000 each and allowance races range between $81,000 and $88,000. All purses include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

Post time for the first race each day will be 1 p.m. ET. All racing for the spring meet will be conducted spectator-free until government officials issue an approval of fans at Churchill Downs.

The second condition book for racing between June 6-27 is expected to be published by May 29.

On April 29, Churchill Downs received approval from state officials to reopen its stable areas May 11 at both Churchill Downs and the auxiliary training center Trackside under strict guidelines to effectively mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

The stable areas will reopen under a phased, systematic approach. Horses stabled at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will be allowed to return May 11-13. Horses at Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Florida training centers can enter May 14-16. Oaklawn Park-based horses can move in May 17-19 and horses from all other locales will be given access May 20. Horses may enter the backstretch between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on their day of arrival.

Only authorized racetrack employees and KHRC license holders who are providing support for a horse stabled at the facility will be permitted on property. This specifically includes only trainers with horses stabled or racing on the facility grounds and those who are responsible for the care of the horses such as veterinarians, grooms, exercise riders, and farriers.