Churchill's September Meet Begins With Large Fields

Horse racing on the Kentucky circuit shifts to Churchill Downs Sept. 15 with the first of three Twilight Thursday programs at 5 p.m. ET as the famed Louisville racetrack opens its 10th annual September meet for 14-date run through Oct. 2.

Thursday's eight-race opener lured 87 entries (plus also six also-eligible runners) for an average of 10.9 horses per race. The Sept. 15 card drew 93 regular entries and five also-eligibles in 10 races. The large fields come despite Churchill Downs not racing turf for the duration of its September Meet over its immature turf course.

The course was laid down with sod last year and experienced problems during the spring meet that forced a suspension of grass racing. The track ran a reduced turf stakes schedule of two grass races this summer on Arlington Million Day, Aug. 13.

A field of 10 older horses was entered for the featured seventh race, a $141,000 second-level allowance optional claiming event at seven furlongs. Familiar entries include the regally bred Gun It , the well-backed Hidden Scroll , and 2020 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) participant Major Fed .

The opening day program also has a $134,000 second-level allowance optional claimer for fillies and mares at one mile (Race 2); a first-level allowance optional claimer for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs (Race 6); and a $120,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds at one mile (Race 5) headlined by the Todd Pletcher-trained Summonyourcourage , who finished second to impressive maiden winner Echo Again  last month at Saratoga Race Course.

Horsemen will compete for a record $13.791 million (all purses include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund) offered in vice president of racing Ben Huffman's September Meet condition book, including an 11-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $3.36 million.

Average daily purses are $985,071. Maiden special weight races have a $120,000 purse while allowance races range from $127,000 to $141,000. Purses in Kentucky are bolstered by revenue generated from slot-like historical horse racing gaming.

Both barn areas—Churchill Downs (1,325 stalls) and Trackside Louisville (490 stalls)—are at full capacity, according to Huffman. New additions to the Trackside Louisville barn area include trainers Ricky Courville, Kelsey Danner, Carlos Santamaria, and Carlo Vaccarezza.

Five stakes races, including two important fixtures for juveniles that could produce starters in this year's Breeders' Cup and next spring's Kentucky Derby and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), will be showcased Sept. 17. 

The $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) kicks off the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, while the $300,000 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) starts the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Damon's Mound  and Echo Again  headline the Iroquois.

Meanwhile Breeders' Cup prospects may surface in a pair of Saturday stakes for fillies and mares, the $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes (G3) over 1 1/16 miles and the $300,000 Open Mind Stakes at six furlongs. 

The $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes, an open sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, wraps the stakes-laden program. 

Entries for Saturday's 11-race card were drawn Wednesday.

Other marque events during the September Meet include a stakes quartet in primetime under the light for the final Downs After Dark of the year Sept. 24: the $275,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs; $275,000 Bourbon Trail Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles; $275,000 Harrods Creek Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs; and $160,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.