Churchill Downs spring meet features upgraded stakes
Photo:
Churchill Downs / Margaret Burlingham
The American Turf for 3-year-olds, annually staged on the Kentucky Derby undercard, had its purse raised to $1 million after the American Graded Stakes Committee elevated the 1 1/16-mile grass race to Grade 1 status.
All told, 50 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $26,175,000, a $525,000 increase, are scheduled to be run during Churchill Downs’ 2025 spring meet, which covers 43 race dates between April 26-June 29.
The highlights, as always, are the $5 million Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 3, and the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles held one day prior.
The American Turf is one of four spring meet stakes that received purse hikes for 2025 and one of seven races that warranted upgrades by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Here are the changes for 2025:
American Turf: Upgraded status from Grade 2 in 2024 to Grade 1 in 2025.
Purse increased from $600,000 in 2024 to $1 million in 2025.
Aristides: Upgraded from listed to Grade 3 status in 2025.
Chicago: Upgraded status from Grade 3 in 2024 to Grade 2 in 2025. Purse increased from $250,000 in 2024 to $300,000 in 2025
Chorleywood: Received listed status in 2025. Purse increased from $175,000 in 2024 to $200,000 in 2025.
Issac Murphy Marathon: Received listed status in 2025.
Mamzelle: Upgraded from listed to Grade 3 status in 2025.
Maxfield: Purse increased from $175,000 in 2024 to $250,000 in 2025.
Roxelana: Received listed status in 2025.
During Kentucky Derby week, April 26 to May 3, there will be 22 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $17.9 million, including nine stakes totaling $11.15 million on Derby day and seven totaling $5.25 million on Oaks day.
As was the case last year, Churchill Downs has partnered with Ascot Racecourse and Great Britain’s The Jockey Club to extend a wild-card entry initiative that ties together Kentucky Derby week with the Epsom Derby festival and Royal Ascot.
The winner of the American Turf on Kentucky Derby day will receive an entry and travel stipend to compete in the Derby (G1) at Epsom on June 7 and St. James’s Palace (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 17. The winner of the Edgewood on Kentucky Oaks day will receive the same benefits for the Oaks (G1) at Epsom on June 6 and Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 20.
The winner of the Turf Classic (G1) will receive a berth to either the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) or the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. The Turf Sprint (G2) winner will receive an entry to the King’s Charles III Stakes (G1), also staged at Royal Ascot.
In return, a runner from both the Queen Anne and Prince of Wales’s will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs in mid-August. Also, a runner from the Falmouth Stakes (G1) will receive an entry and travel stipend for the Beverly D. Stakes (G2) on the Arlington Million undercard.
Other spring meet highlights include Stephen Foster preview day on Saturday, May 31, Stephen Foster day on Saturday, June 28 and five closing-day stakes on Sunday, June 29.
After its annual closure for wintertime renovations, the Churchill Downs stable area will reopen Tuesday, March 18. The first day of training on the main dirt track will be Wednesday, March 19.
| Date | Race | Purse | Increase from 2024 | Conditions | Distance | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 26 | Roxelana (listed) | $200,000 | 4&up, f&m | 6 F | Dirt | |
| April 30 | William Walker (listed) | $300,000 | 3yo | 5 1/2 F | Turf | |
| April 30 | Isaac Murphy Marathon (listed) | $200,000 | 4&up | 1 1/2 M | Dirt | |
| May 1 | Opening Verse | $350,000 | 4&up | 1 M | Turf | |
| May 1 | Kentucky Juvenile | $250,000 | 2yo | 5 F | Dirt | |
| May 1 | St. Matthews Overnight Stakes | $200,000 | 4&up ® | 6 F | Dirt | |
| May 2 | Kentucky Oaks (G1) | $1,500,000 | 3yo f | 1 1/8 M | Dirt | |
| May 2 | La Troienne (G1) | $1,000,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/16 M | Dirt | |
| May 2 | Alysheba (G2) | $750,000 | 4&up | 1 1/16 M | Dirt | |
| May 2 | Eight Belles (G2) | $600,000 | 3yo f | 7 F | Dirt | |
| May 2 | Edgewood (G2) | $600,000 | 3yo f | 1 1/16 M | Turf | |
| May 2 | Modesty (G3) | $400,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/8 M | Turf | |
| May 2 | Unbridled Sidney (G3) | $400,000 | 3&up, f&m | 5 1/2 F | Turf | |
| May 3 | Kentucky Derby (G1) | $5,000,000 | 3yo | 1 1/4 M | Dirt | |
| May 3 | Turf Classic (G1) | $1,000,000 | 4&up | 1 1/8 M | Turf | |
| May 3 | Churchill Downs (G1) | $1,000,000 | 4&up | 7 F | Dirt | |
| May 3 | Derby City Distaff (G1) | $1,000,000 | 4&up, f&m | 7 F | Dirt | |
| May 3 | American Turf (G1) | $1,000,000 | $400,000 | 3yo | 1 1/16 M | Turf |
| May 3 | Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) | $750,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 M | Turf | |
| May 3 | Turf Sprint (G2) | $600,000 | 3&up | 5 1/2 F | Turf | |
| May 3 | Pat Day Mile (G2) | $600,000 | 3yo | 1 M | Dirt | |
| May 3 | Knicks Go Overnight Stakes (listed) | $200,000 | 4&up ® | 1 M | Dirt | |
| May 10 | Mamzelle (G3) | $225,000 | 3yo f | 5 1/2 F | Turf | |
| May 17 | Louisville (G3) | $250,000 | 4&up | 1 1/2 M | Turf | |
| May 24 | Keertana (listed) | $250,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/2 M | Turf | |
| May 26 | Winning Colors (G3) | $250,000 | 4&up, f&m | 6 F | Dirt | |
| May 31 | Blame (G3) | $275,000 | 4&up | 1 1/8 M | Dirt | |
| May 31 | Shawnee (G3) | $275,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/16 M | Dirt | |
| May 31 | Arlington (G3) | $275,000 | 4&up | 1 1/16 M | Turf | |
| May 31 | Regret (G3) | $275,000 | 3yo f | 1 1/8 M | Turf | |
| May 31 | Aristides (G3) | $275,000 | 4&up | 6 F | Dirt | |
| May 31 | Audubon (listed) | $275,000 | 3yo | 1 1/8 M | Turf | |
| June 1 | Mint Julep (G3) | $250,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/16 M | Turf | |
| June 7 | Mighty Beau (listed) | $225,000 | 3&up | 5 F | Turf | |
| June 8 | Matt Winn (G3) | $400,000 | 3yo | 1 1/16 M | Dirt | |
| June 8 | Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes | $175,000 | 3yo f | 7 F | Dirt | |
| June 14 | Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes | $175,000 | 3yo f | 1 1/16 M | Dirt | |
| June 14 | Chorleywood (listed) | $200,000 | $25,000 | 4&up | 1 3/8 M | Turf |
| June 21 | Chicago (G2) | $300,000 | $50,000 | 4&up, f&m | 7 F | Dirt |
| June 28 | Stephen Foster (G1) | $1,000,000 | 4&up | 1 1/8 M | Dirt | |
| June 28 | Fleur de Lis (G2) | $500,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/8 M | Dirt | |
| June 28 | Wise Dan (G2) | $500,000 | 4&up | 1 1/16 M | Turf | |
| June 28 | American Derby (listed) | $250,000 | 3yo | 1 1/16 M | Turf | |
| June 28 | Tepin (listed) | $250,000 | 3yo f | 1 M | Turf | |
| June 28 | Kelly’s Landing (listed) | $250,000 | 3&up | 6 1/2 F | Dirt | |
| June 29 | Maxfield (listed) | $250,000 | $50,000 | 3yo | 7 F | Dirt |
| June 29 | Hanshin (listed) | $300,000 | 4&up | 1 M | Dirt | |
| June 29 | Bashford Manor (listed) | $225,000 | 2yo | 6 F | Dirt | |
| June 29 | Debutante (listed) | $225,000 | 2yo f | 6 F | Dirt | |
| June 29 | Anchorage Overnight Stakes | $175,000 | 4&up, f&m | 1 1/8 M | Turf |
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