Horse racing on the Kentucky circuit shifts to Churchill Downs Sept. 10 with the first of three Twilight Thursday programs at 5 p.m. ET when it opens its 14th annual September Meet over 14 days through Sept. 27.
Thursday's eight-race opener lured 76 entries for an average of 9.5 horses per race. A field of nine 3-year-olds and older was entered for the featured seventh race, a $134,000 allowance optional claiming event at 1 mile. Wathnan Racing's 4-year-old Into Mischief colt Hypnus, who last ran fifth in the $1 million Godolphin Mile (G2) on the Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard, makes his United States homecoming against 2024 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) winner First Resort, who is seeking a return to his best form.
The card also includes a $127,000 first-level allowance for 2-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs (race 3) and two $120,000 maiden special weight races for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs (races 4 and 6).
Horsemen will compete for $15.2 million (all purses include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund) offered in vice president of racing Ben Huffman's September Meet condition book, which features 135 races including an 11-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $3.6 million.
Average daily purses are $1,085,000, and the average race is worth $112,562. Maiden special weight races have a $120,000 purse while allowance races range from $127,000 to $141,000.
Five stakes races, including two important fixtures for juveniles that could produce starters in this year's Breeders' Cup and next spring's Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1), will be showcased Sept. 12. Total prize money for the 11-race program is a hefty $2.237 million—the most lucrative day of the boutique three-week stanza.
The $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) kicks off the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, while the $300,000 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) starts the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Both races are also part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series program, which awards a tiered bonus bankroll that can be used toward pre-entry and entry fees at the Breeders' Cup for horses that finish first, second, or third.
This year's Breeders' Cup World Championships will be Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland, just 72 miles east of Churchill.
Twenty-five juveniles are nominated to the Iroquois, and 19 fillies are eligible for the Pocahontas—both contested around a one-turn mile—but the most anticipated race of the day is expected to be a showdown between two of the nation's top fillies and mares in the $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes (G2). Eclipse Award champion Nitrogen, last year's champion 3-year-old filly, and Splendora, who won the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) last year at Del Mar, are expected to headline what could be a memorable faceoff in the 1 1/16-mile race.
D. J. Stable's 4-year-old filly Nitrogen, trained by Mark Casse, finished second to 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty against males in the prestigious $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) after a 12 3/4-runaway romp against her own sex in the $500,000 Odgen Phipps Stakes (G1)—both at Saratoga Race Course.
Splendora, the 5-year-old mare owned by Boyd Racing and By Talla Racing and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, has won four of her five starts this year, including the B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes (G1), Shawnee Stakes (G2), and Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2).
Closing weekend is anchored by the $500,000 Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles Sept. 26, and honors the legendary late Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The Lukas Classic—the most lucrative race of the September meet— serves as a prep for the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
Also run Sept. 26 is the $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 mile and the $300,000 Bourbon Flight Stakes for 3-year-olds, which has been reduced to 1 1/16 miles.
Churchill Downs' 14-day meet will be staged over three weeks with racing on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Outside of the three Twilight Thursdays (5 p.m. ET) and "Downs After Dark: Oktoberfest" Sept. 19 (6 p.m. ET), the first race for all other race days will be 12:45 p.m. ET. Nine races are scheduled on Wednesdays and eight races are scheduled on Thursdays with 10-race programs on Fridays and Sundays. Eleven races will be showcased each Saturday.
FanDuel TV will broadcast racing action from Churchill Downs throughout the September meet.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
