Churchill Downs' September Meet begins Thursday. 3 things you need to know

Churchill Downs’ September Meet begins Thursday. 3 things you need to know

Posted by Admin September 12, 2024 Horse Racing

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Live racing will return to Churchill Downs on Thursday as the 12^th annual September Meet opens.

The 14-day meet will be staged over three weeks with racing scheduled for Wednesdays-Sundays. First posts are set for 12:45 p.m., except on Thursdays (5 p.m.) and the Downs After Dark card on Saturday, Sept. 28 (6 p.m.).

General admission is $10 ($20 for Downs After Dark on Sept. 28). Reserved box seats are $13 ($28 for Downs After Dark). Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets.

Here are three things to know about the September Meet:

The road to qualifying for the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks will begin during the September Meet.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will start with the $300,000, Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes on Saturday. A total of 21 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby will be offered, with 10 going to the winner.

Trained by Brian Lynch, Owen Almighty is among the headliners for the Iroquois. The son of Speightstown is 2 for 2, including a 4 ¾-length victory Aug. 11 in the Ellis Park Juvenile. Owen Almighty, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., drew the No. 5 post in a field of 12 (post time: 5:29 p.m.).

Saturday’s $300,000, Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes will offer 21 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks, with 10 going to the winner.

Ellis Park Debutante winner Stilettos, trained by Bret Calhoun, is one of the top contenders. The daughter of Upstart drew the No. 12 post in a field of 14 (post time: 4:25 p.m.).

Two big stakes races Sept. 28 could serve as preps for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships set for Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.

The $400,000, Grade 3 Ack Ack is a “Win & You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The Ack Ack is a mile race for horses 3 and up.

The $500,000, Grade 2 Lukas Classic for horses 3 and up will be contested at 1 ⅛ miles.

All races during the September Meet will be on the dirt track as Churchill Downs continues to tinker with the $10 million turf course that was installed before the 2022 Spring Meet.

Churchill Downs hopes to return to racing on the turf course for the Fall Meet set to start Oct. 27.

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Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.