Derby, Oaks Draws Highlight Opening Night at Churchill

One week before the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), Churchill Downs opens April 26 with a nighttime card to kick off its 43-day spring meet.

Though the $200,000 Roxelana Stakes at six furlongs on dirt is the featured race of the evening at 9:40 p.m. ET, the most eagerly awaited activities will take place about two hours earlier when post positions are drawn for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Kentucky Derby, the track's most prestigious races. The draws will take place midcard, between races 5 and 6 from 7-8 p.m. ET.

For those less concerned about posts and focused on immediate racing, 10 races are on the Saturday night program. Two races are on the Churchill Downs grass course, which has drawn continued efforts from track staff after underperforming since its installation in 2021 and its first use in 2022.

This winter, "We brought in some turf blankets, which we've seen tracks like NYRA use, and that really helped insulate it and protect it, especially during some of the real bad snowstorms that we had," said Gary Palmisano Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs Inc. "So we're looking forward to continuing to get the turf course where we want it to be."

Horses have breezed over it in recent days.

"We had Jose Ortiz out there and a couple other riders that gave us a thumbs up on the turf," Palmisano said.

In Saturday night's featured race, Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Donamire Farm's Harbor Springs , who is among the favorites in the eight-horse field of older female sprinters. The Greg Foley-trained 4-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky , graded-placed last spring at Keeneland, comes off two consecutive victories against lesser allowance or allowance optional claiming company.

Non Violence  and Sandy Bottom  are other contenders.

On Derby day itself, Churchill is considering somewhat shorter periods between races.

"Instead of 50 minutes between races, we might do 42 or 44 or something like that to try to bring an extra race into NBC," Palmisano said.

Following initial television coverage on USA of Derby day racing, NBC begins its coverage at 2:30 p.m. ET and continues until just after the Derby.

Longer periods between races are meant to accommodate the massive crowd at Churchill Downs—attendance was more than 156,000 last year—and the time needed to stand in line and make wagers. Sections of the facility, such as the infield, have a "critical mass of people out there," Palmisano said.

"So, yeah, we're gonna evaluate this one and see how it goes," he added.