Kentucky Downs

Ellis Park is projecting a significant boost for maiden special weight (MSW) purses at its upcoming 25-date summer meet, up from $71,000 last year to "in the $100,000 range" according to Gary Palmisano, Jr., the vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the gaming company that is the corporate owner of the Western Kentucky track. Palmisano also projected that planned transfers of Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money from Kentucky Downs and the allocation of funding from other sources within CDI's in-state gaming operations would bridge a gap...

The GIII Nashville Derby leads the lucrative 2025 Kentucky Downs meet which will feature 18 total stakes offering over $30.5 million in purses over seven racing days from August 28 through September 10. One of five stakes held Saturday, Aug. 30 on NBC, the 1 5/16-mile GIII Nashville Derby will again be America's richest race for 3-year-olds behind only the GI Kentucky Derby. The card also includes a 'Win and You're In' race--the GII Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, whose winner earns a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf...

The National Thoroughbred League (NTL), which is looking to bring the team concept to horse racing, has had more than its fair share of growing pains since it started in 2023. The series starts up again on May 10 at Pimlico and league organizers are confident the 2025 version of the NTL will be the biggest and most successful so far. "We definitely have momentum on our side and we're offering good purses," said NTL co-founder Randall Lane. "It's a win-win. The horses will be  running for good purses and...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races at the seven-day Kentucky Downs meet in August and September are once again projected to be $170,000, the same level as last season. Although that number isn't going up in 2025, it's still by far the biggest money outlay for maidens at any North American racetrack, because Kentucky Downs boasts the highest overall purse structure on the continent. At Tuesday's meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee, some board members-as they have in past years-cautioned against the risks of...

The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) has revealed the schedule for the 2025 season with races throughout the summer including Preakness Week festivities and during the lucrative Kentucky Downs meet, the group announced Monday morning. The four dates are May 10 at Pimlico for 'The Baltimore Cup'; June 15 at Parx for 'The Philadelphia Cup'; July 19 at Fairmont Park for 'The St. Louis Cup'; and Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs for 'The Nashville Cup'. Dozens of Thoroughbreds have been nominated to compete for the 10 NTL teams across the year,...

A Grade III stakes race that is on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' isn't exactly the easiest place for a trainer to start his career, but that's what Nick Vaccarezza, 25, will be doing when he sends out Golden Afternoon (Goldencents) in Saturday's Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 25-year-old trainer is in this position because his father, Carlo, has decided to step away from training to focus his attention on trying to save racing in South Florida. The situation could be dire because of the tenuous future of...

Fitriani Hay's Clock Tower (Not This Time), the 4-5 favorite, glided up and over from his outside post to take the early lead and never looked back in a wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar Sunday. The dark bay gelding was in control through an opening quarter in :23.62 and was under a strong hold while getting a breather down the backstretch as the half went up in :48.75. Second choice Scipio (Caravaggio) made eye-catching progress on the turn and loomed a threat while...

May Day Ready (Tapit), the runner-up in last Friday's GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar, will make her next start in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan Dec. 8, according to a tweet on X by her trainer Joseph Lee. Lee posted, "After discussing May Day Ready's future with Mr. and Mrs. Doyle and George Barnes @katierichfarms, the decision has officially been made to ship her to JAPAN to run her in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on December 8th." The...

North American track record-setter Cogburn (Not This Time) will stand at WinStar Farm for an opening fee of $30,000 S&N, the farm announced Tuesday. The GI Jaipur Stakes winner arrived in good order at WinStar Farm and will be available for showing at WinStar's open houses each day Nov. 6-15, between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors are welcome without an appointment during the designated times. Cogburn set a North American record for 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in that Jaipur win, completing the distance in a final time...

1st-BAQ, $95k, OC/N2X, 3yo/up, 7f, 12:10p.m. ET LOCKED (Gun Runner) will make his return to the races here after not being seen since suffering a knee injury which knocked him off the Triple Crown trail this past spring. Racing with first-time Lasix, and made the 4-5 morning line favorite, he's been working steadily over the Saratoga training track with two of his last three moves being bullet efforts. Last year's GI Breeders' Futurity winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third will have John Velazquez in the irons. TJCIS PPs 3rd-KEE,...

7th-Horseshoe Indianapolis, $32,000, Msw, 9-26, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:38.10, gd, 1 1/2 lengths. INDIGO STUNNER (f, 2, Authentic--Blue Gallina, by Street Sense) became the 10th winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief) with a good-looking victory trying two turns for the first time. A promising third going a mile at Kentucky Downs Aug. 31, the $310,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase argued the early pace and was eased back into third by Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. as they hit the backstretch. Traveling comfortably on the back of the leaders through the middle...

Bellavinino (Get Stormy), who was a fast-closing second in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes in her most recent start, will be the first horse offered by Taylor Made Sales through Inglis Digital USA. Bidding is currently open for the online auction's September Sale and lots will close on Wednesday, Sept. 25 starting at 2 p.m. ET. Bellavinino will sell as Hip 18.  Taylor Made's Steve Castagnola said their team is excited about making their Inglis Digital USA debut. "This is the first time Taylor Made has consigned on the...