Committee Approves Keeneland, Churchill KTDF Funds

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund Committee met Feb. 3 to discuss the upcoming Keeneland and Churchill Downs spring meets' purse allotments. 

Keeneland's request for $6 million to $6.25 million in KTDF funds for Kentucky-bred runners was approved by the committee. The funds are anticipated to take up 29% of the total purses for the spring meet.

Keeneland runs $2.88 million worth of purses in maiden special weight races, allowances, and allowance optional claimers. This makes up 47% of the total. Claiming races, maiden claiming, maiden optional claiming, and starter allowance races comprise roughly 16% of the total ($1.96 million). The stakes schedule will have $2.25 million KDTF supplements, the remaining 37% 

Keeneland's 15-day spring meet runs April 3-24. Its stakes schedule includes 19 races worth $9.55 million, highlighted by the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and the $750,000 Ashland Stakes (G1). 

Churchill Downs' request for $10 million to $11 million was also approved by the committee. These approvals are later subject to approval by the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation.

Churchill Downs' spring stakes schedule has yet to be announced, but the meet is expected to run April 25 - June 28, highlighted by the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1). 

Tuesday's meeting included praise for Chip Bach, the general manager of Turfway Park, who will be retiring at the conclusion of the track's current meet in March. Chip joined Turfway Park in August 1999 as director of human resources and safety, before being promoted to director of operations in 2008, and eventually general manager in 2012.

Drew Conners, director of KHRGC incentives and development, said, "Chip played an integral role in the successful opening of the new Turfway Park in 2020 and has continued to be a steady leader within the Churchill Downs Incorporated portfolio."