In an effort to help elevate Thoroughbred racing among the everyday sports fan, Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association will launch a championship series for three-year-old horses beginning in 2027. The six-race series will start on the first Saturday in May with the Kentucky Derby and end in September at Churchill Downs, showcasing the world’s top 3-year-old horses to build sustained rivalries. A prize of $5 million in bonus cash will be awarded to the runner that accumulates the most points throughout the series.
New Series Features Three Of The Biggest Thoroughbred Races
The world’s most famous race, and perhaps race track, will bat leadoff in this newly proposed racing series on May 1, 2027. The Kentucky Derby has been contested every year since 1875 on that dirt oval in Louisville, Kentucky known as Churchill Downs. Restricted to three-year-olds only, the consistency of this event and the ever-building notoriety surrounding it has made it the focal point for fans of all ages. In an effort to continue to cultivate the massive interest generated by the Derby, the Belmont Stakes at the newly renovated Belmont Park will be the next race in the series on June 5. The Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs will follow in early July and then the series will shift to historic Saratoga for the Jim Dandy Stakes (late July, early August) and Travers Stakes (late August). The final race will be run in September back beneath the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs.
The dates for both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes are set and the other dates will be finalized soon. The time span between races will be crucial. Recent Kentucky Derby winners have skipped the Preakness Stakes because it takes place just two weeks after the Derby. Trainers stressed that the turnaround doesn’t give horses enough time to prepare for the shorter track.
Of course, another encouraging factor is a proposed $5 million prize pool that will be awarded based on points accrued during the series. Each individual race will still carry its own purse as well.
What Does The New Series Mean For Preakness Stakes Future
A quick look at the series reveals the absence of the Preakness Stakes. The second leg of the Triple Crown has recently had its woes as waning interest and a decaying Pimlico Race Course have contributed to a decline in the run over the Maryland dirt just two weeks after the Derby. Thoroughbred racing is a sport that is tradition heavy but also in need of capturing more of the 21st century audience. Depending on the lens you look through, this endeavor can be seen as a huge step in the right direction for an adrenaline-rich game looking to grow its fan base.
“When you get two of the biggest engines that drive the sport together, I think it can only be good,” says Dale Romans, President of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. “Churchill Downs Incorporated and the New York Racing Association teaming up is very positive for Thoroughbred racing as a whole. There will be national TV coverage of all the races in the series and it will help promote the sport beyond just the Triple Crown races to the everyday sports fan. Golf did something like this with the FedEx Cup and more exposure is good for all of us in the game. I don’t see this as an attack on the Preakness. Once the renovations at Pimlico are complete and the race gets more stability, I could see it being included.”
Finalizations of dates and the points system are still a work in progress. Financial incentives will be present throughout for trainers and owners in an effort to keep participation levels high. More details will be released as particulars are ironed out between Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association. Churchill Downs races will be televised on NBC with Fox carrying the New York racing television coverage.
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