Ellis Park Stakes Schedule Features Record Purse Distribution Across Eighteen Races
Stakes purses at Ellis Park will reach a record number this summer with an expected $4-million available across 18 races during the 25-day meeting, it was announced via press release.
With the season set to begin July 3, the stakes lineup is led by the $400,000 GIII Pucker Up Stakes, one of seven races on Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend Aug. 2-3, and will also include the $300,000 Listed Ellis Park Derby and the $200,000 Listed Groupie Doll Stakes the weekend of Aug. 10. Those two contests lead a six-stakes lineup that Sunday.
Racing will begin on a Thursday-Sunday schedule before shifting to a Saturday-Monday format July 13 to Aug. 18, and the meet will conclude with a Friday-Sunday series of cards Aug. 22-24.
The full-stakes calendar is below. All purses include funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.
Friday, July 4: $150,000 Dade Park Dash
Sunday, July 6: $150,000 Pea Patch
Sunday, July 20: $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial
Monday, July 21: $150,000 Twin Bridges
Saturday, Aug. 2:
- $250,000 KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile
- $250,000 KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint
- $250,000 KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby
Saturday, Aug. 3:
- $400,000 GIII Pucker Up
- $300,000 KY Downs Preview Turf Cup
- $250,000 KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint
- $250,000 KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile
Sunday, Aug. 10:
- $300,000 Ellis Park Derby
- $200,000 Groupie Doll
- $200,000 Ellis Park Juvenile
- $200,000 Ellis Park Debutante
- $200,000 Audubon Oaks
- $200,000 R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial
Sunday, Aug. 24: $150,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes