Field of Dreams!
Get TIED ON FOR THE FASTEST SEVEN DAYS IN RACING!
The fastest seven days in racing goes to the post Thursday with the opening card of Kentucky Downs’ 33rd all-turf meet.
“It’s like the Field of Dreams,” said jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., the track’s all-time win leader with 60 victories over America’s only European-style course. “If you build it, they will come. And that’s what Kentucky Downs has done.”
The boutique meet runs Aug. 29, 31 and Sept. 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11.
For Kentucky Downs, the unusual has become the standard:
• The highest purses in America and among the richest in the world, including maidens running for a record $170,000 for Kentucky-breds, the vast majority of the horses running.
• A record total of $37 million is being offered, including $15 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund for registered Kentucky-breds.
• Saturday’s $3.1 million, Grade 3 DK Horse Nashville Derby is the most lucrative race for Kentucky-breds for 3-year-olds behind only the $5 million Kentucky Derby. Its $1.9 million base purse by itself is the richest turf race in America outside the Breeders’ Cup.
• The 18 stakes include nine enjoying graded status. Leading the way is Kentucky Downs’ first Grade 1 stakes ever in the Franklin-Simpson for 3-year-old sprinters.
• The Franklin-Simpson is part of the new FanDuel TV U.S. Open Turf Championships composed of six graded stakes worth $2 million apiece for Kentucky-breds ($1 million for others) on Sept. 7. The $13 million in offered purses for the 12-race card has the potential to be surpassed only by Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday in American racing.
As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the winners of the FanDuel TV Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) at 1 1/2 miles and the Ainsworth Turf Sprint (G2) will receive a fees-paid berth in the corresponding Breeders’ Cup race on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. In addition, Kentucky Downs will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Franklin-Simpson, Mint Millions (G3) and Ladies Marathon (G3) if those horses make the corresponding Breeders’ Cup race.
• Overall, 15 stakes are worth at least $1 million for Kentucky-breds, including the four 2-year-old stakes.
“It’s a big meet, now every year,” said Brendan Walsh, who won last year’s training title with eight victories, including two stakes. “It’s huge prize money, and big races. The whole place has just developed unbelievably the last few years. That’s why everybody is going there.”
And that is extending overseas. Last year the Kentucky-bred Ancient Rome came over for the Mint Millions, his connections attracted to the $2 million purse. Mission accomplished, and trainer Charlie Hills is returning Ancient Rome to Kentucky Downs to try for a repeat win. Hills also is scheduled to ship Khaadem (IRE), two-time winner of the Group1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee at Royal Ascot, to Kentucky Downs for the Ainsworth Turf Sprint.
There will be “eight or nine” European horses coming over for stakes and others for non-stakes races, said Martin Panza, co-director of racing operations for Kentucky Downs.
The finest assembly of jockeys in one place outside the Breeders’ Cup will converge on Kentucky Downs. This year that includes international riding star Frankie Dettori.
As always, the trainer to beat is Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs’ all-time leader in virtually every category, with Walsh seemingly poised for another big meet. Others figuring prominently should include Brian Lynch, Joe Sharp, Rusty Arnold, Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Wesley Ward, Mark Casse, Vicki Oliver, Jonathan Thomas and Eddie Kenneally.
East Coast trainers Saffie Joseph, Christophe Clement, Chad Brown and Graham Motion and West Coast trainers such as Phil D’Amato, Peter Eurton, Neil Drysdale, Richard Baltas and Richard Mandella are among those sending horses to the meet.
“Owners are like ‘Can you get me ready for Kentucky Downs?’” Arnold said. “Everybody wants to go there. I love the place. It’s my Royal Ascot.”
It’s a whirlwind of seven days of overflow fields packed into two weeks.
“It’s organized chaos,” Sharp said, “but it’s my favorite place to race.”
Kentucky Downs at a glance
Aug. 29, 31 and Sept. 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11
Franklin, Ky. (Exit 2 coming down I-65 South)
First post: 12:25 p.m. Central except 11:30 a.m. CT Sept. 7
Reserved seating: TheMintKentuckyDowns.com/tickets (options include VIP Chalet, Finish Line Pavilion and Stretch Run
Free general admission in upper stretch and tailgating at the top of the stretch
Free parking
Kentucky Downs 2024 stakes schedule
All on turf; all include KTDF purse supplements for Kentucky-breds
(KTDF money, which is included in the total purse, listed after stakes name)
Thursday Aug. 29 — $500,000 Big Ass Fans Tapit Stakes ($250,000 KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, mile and 70 yards. Restricted to horses that have not won a stakes in 2024.
Saturday Aug. 31 — $3.1 million G3 DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational ($1.2 million KTDF), 3-year-olds, 1 5/16 miles; $1.5 million G2 Exacta Systems Ladies Turf Sprint ($600,000 KTDF), fillies & mares 3 years old & up, 6 1/2 furlongs; $1.5 million G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf ($600,000 KTDF), fillies & mares 3 years old & up, mile.
Sunday Sept. 1 — $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs; $500,000 National Thoroughbred League Overnight Handicap ($200,000 KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, mile.
Thursday Sept. 5 — $500,000 Jeff Ruby One Dreamer ($250,000 KTDF), fillies & mares 3 years old & up, mile and 70 yards. Restricted to fillies and mares that have not won a stakes in 2024.
Saturday Sept. 7 — $2 million G1 Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson Stakes ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs; $2 million G2 FanDuel TV Kentucky Downs Turf Cup ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, 1 1/2 miles. “Win and You’re In” for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); $2 million G2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, 6 furlongs. “Win and You’re In” for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1); $2 million G2 AGS Music City ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs; $2 million G3 Mint Millions ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, mile; $2 million G3 Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon ($1 million KTDF), fillies & mares 3 years old & up, 1 5/16 miles.
Sunday Sept. 8 — $1.5 million Global Tote Gun Runner Stakes ($500,000 KTDF), 3-year-olds, mile; $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-olds, mile; $1 million Untapable Stakes ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs; $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-old fillies, mile.
Wednesday Sept. 11 — $1.6 million Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational ($600,000 KTDF), 3-year-old fillies, 1 5/16 miles; Blackwood Distilling $500,000 Nashville Gold Cup ($250,000 KTDF), 2 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds & up.
