Ascot, Epsom, Churchill Extend 'Wild Card' Entries

Ascot Racecourse, The (UK) Jockey Club, and Churchill Downs Inc. announced an extension of the "wild card" entry initiative launched last year that ties together Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby Festival, and the Kentucky Derby meeting at Churchill Downs. Launched in 2024, the program is a commitment by all three parties to create links between historic races in the United Kingdom and high-profile, top-quality turf races in the United States. The ultimate aim is to build the international profile of these races by increasing the number of runners traveling from the U.S. to the UK and vice versa. Last year for the first time, a runner from each of the Edgewood Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-old fillies and the American Turf Stakes (G1T) for 3-year-old colts received an entry for the Epsom Oaks (G1) and Epsom Derby (G1), respectively. That will again be the case this year while an invitation also will be offered to a runner from both those races for Royal Ascot as well. A runner from the $600,000 Edgewood Stakes, run on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard May 2, will receive an entry and travel incentive for the Coronation Stakes (G1) on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot, June 20, as well as an invite to the Epsom Oaks June 6. Similarly, a runner from the $1 million American Turf Stakes, run on Kentucky Derby Day May 3, will receive an entry and a travel incentive for the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) on the opening day of Royal Ascot, June 17, as well as an invite to the Epsom Derby June 7. Those two races will join the $600,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) and the $1 million Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), both run on Kentucky Derby Day, which also provides a wild card entry to Royal Ascot. The Turf Sprint Stakes links into the King Charles III Stakes (G1) and the Turf Classic Stakes offers the option of either the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) or the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1). In return for the above incentives for U.S.-based runners, a runner from both the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prince of Wales's Stakes receives an entry and a travel incentive to run in the Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) at Colonial Downs in mid-August. In addition, a runner from the Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket's July Festival July 11 will also receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G2T) on the same day as the Arlington Million. Winners of all the races in the program will receive the initial invite to run in the corresponding races across the Atlantic. In the event that the winners aren't able to take up that invite, racecourses may then also invite placed horses. The elimination procedures in these races will remain as they are now. Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: "We are delighted to extend this initiative to include the two group 1 3-year-old races over a mile at Royal Ascot. In recent years we have seen top-class clashes between the Guineas winners from Britain, Ireland, and France in the St James's Palace and Coronation Stakes so if we could add the best of the American classic generation over a mile on turf to those races as well that would be really exciting. "We look forward to working with Churchill Downs and The UK Jockey Club on this exciting plan once again and hope to build on the recent growth in interest from American connections of having runners at Royal Ascot. Their participation always adds hugely to the meeting and with NBC once again set to broadcast the whole week there should plenty of American angles for them to cover." Matt Woolston, assistant racing and international racing director at The UK Jockey Club, said: "We are delighted to continue to work with Churchill Downs and Ascot on this partnership, with the aim to incentivize more runners to travel between the U.K. and the U.S. This initiative provides the opportunity for the winners of prestigious turf races at the Kentucky Derby meet to be given wild card entries into our top 3-year-old races in the UK, after the traditional entries process has closed. We look forward to showcasing the historical links between the Kentucky Derby and its forerunner, the Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs." Gary Palmisano, vice president of racing for CDI, said: "We are thrilled to continue and expand this partnership with Ascot and The Jockey Club. This partnership further strengthens the international connection between our historic race meets. Churchill Downs has long been committed to showcasing world-class racing and we look forward to hosting some of the world's best turf horses over Kentucky Derby weekend."