Kentucky Derby Purse Increased to $3 Million

The greatest two minutes in sports will be even more lucrative in 2019.

Churchill Downs announced Jan. 10 that the guaranteed purse for the 145th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) has been increased to $3 million. The purse increase is the first for the Louisville classic since 2005, when it was increased from $1 million to $2 million.

The purse increase for the May 4 Kentucky Derby highlights a meet that will see many of the track's signature races offer more money in 2019. Track officials said the success of historical racing games added this year have helped make the increases possible.

The $1 million increase to the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds highlights a record-setting, 34-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $12.03 million for Churchill Downs' 2019 spring meet. Fifteen of the stakes races received significant purse hikes, including the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), and Humana Distaff Stakes (G1), and two new races were added to the historic Louisville racetrack's action-packed season, which will be run over 38 dates from April 27 to June 29.  

With a race record $3 million in prize money now guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby, the winner will receive the event's highly sought-after gold trophy and a $1.86 million payday. Also, $600,000 will be awarded to the runner-up, $300,000 to third, $150,000 to fourth, and $90,000 to fifth. Pre-entry and entry fees have not changed, remaining at $25,000 each.

The Kentucky Derby purse was $1 million from 1996-2004.

The Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Belmont Park. Last year, the Preakness and Belmont each offered guaranteed purses of $1.5 million. 

The 1 1/8-mile Longines Kentucky Oaks—the Derby's sister race staged the day before—received a $250,000 boost to $1.25 million and remains the nation's most lucrative race for 3-year-old fillies. It had been worth $1 million since 2011, and it was worth $500,000 from 1996-2010.

The race that annually precedes the Kentucky Derby, the 1 1/8-mile Old Forester Turf Classic, has been doubled from $500,000 to $1 million, making it one of the most lucrative grade 1 grass races for older horses in North America and attractive to potential international competitors. 

Another Derby Day fixture, the seven-furlong Humana Distaff for older fillies and mares, had its purse enhanced by $200,000, from $300,000 to $500,000.

All told, there will be a record 18 stakes races cumulatively worth $9.58 million staged over the week of the Kentucky Derby, including seven stakes totaling $6.2 million on Derby Day and six totaling $2.9 million on Oaks Day. There also will be a pair of stakes on the May 2 "Thurby" program and stakes races on Tuesday and Wednesday of Derby Week. 

The significant increases in stakes prize money are attributed to early returns from state-of-the-art historical racing machines at Derby City Gaming, Churchill Downs Inc.'s $65 million facility that opened in mid-September in Louisville.

"Our recent investment into historical racing machines is paying immediate dividends to Kentucky horsemen," said Churchill Downs racetrack president Kevin Flanery. "It's extremely gratifying to meaningfully raise the purse of the iconic Kentucky Derby and other important racing fixtures on our stakes schedule as we continue to advance the overall racing program at Churchill Downs. Our steady growth in available prize money is truly exciting for the Kentucky horse racing and breeding industry." 

Purses at Churchill Downs in 2019 will be supercharged with more than an additional $10 million as a result of handle generated by Derby City Gaming's initial year of operation. 

More than $30 million in total prize money—$12 million in stakes races and another $18 million in overnight races—is expected to be offered during this year's spring meet. The first condition book of scheduled races is being finalized by director of racing Ben Huffman and is expected to be published in early February. 

Last year, Churchill offered a 32-race spring meet stakes schedule worth $8.84 million, and total purses paid during the 372-race meet was $22.2 million. 

Historical racing games have the look of slot machines but use previously run races to determine winning combinations and base payouts on a pari-mutuel formula. Derby City Gaming has been a hit with bettors. In November, the facility saw $1,660,163 in average daily handle for a total of $49,804,893. 

The Stephen Foster Handicap (G2), the 1 1/8-mile test that has annually attracted some of the nation's top older horses, will be worth $600,000 in 2019 and is one of four stakes that was boosted by $100,000. The others are the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T), American Turf Stakes presented by Ram Trucks (G2T), and Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG&E and KU (G3), which are now worth $400,000 apiece and run on the Derby Day undercard. 

Seven races received $50,000 hikes. Oaks Day's Eight Belles Stakes (G2), Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T), Edgewood Stakes presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) as well as mid-June's Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) and Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) are now worth $250,000 each. The Matt Winn Stakes (G3) and Regret Stakes (G3T) each have $150,000 purses.

The Foster, Fleur de Lis, Wise Dan, Matt Winn, and Regret will be run during a "Downs After Dark" nighttime program June 15 that features five graded stakes races under the lights cumulatively worth $1.4 million.

Two $90,000-added overnight stakes races were added to the 2019 schedule: the Champions Day Marathon for older horses at 1 1/2 miles April 30, and the Mamzelle for 3-year-old fillies at five furlongs on turf May 11.

The American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded a trio of Churchill Downs stakes races for 2019 and downgraded two others. The $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) over seven furlongs on Derby Day has been raised to grade 1 status, and Oaks Day's Twin Spires Turf Sprint was elevated to a grade 2 race. Opening night's $100,000 William Walker Stakes for 3-year-olds at five furlongs on turf is now a listed stakes race. The Stephen Foster was downgraded from grade 1 to grade 2, and the $100,000 Aristides Stakes lost its grade 3 status to become a listed stakes race. 

In other changes to the stakes schedule, the Stephen Foster, Fleur de Lis, $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (G3T), and $100,000 Louisville (G3) will no longer be run under handicap conditions. Also, the distances of the Twin Spires Turf Sprint and $100,000 Unbridled Sidney (formerly an overnight stakes race and now the headliner on Thurby) have been extended from five furlongs on turf to 5 1/2 furlongs on grass.

2019 CHURCHILL DOWNS SPRING MEET STAKES SCHEDULE