Churchill Downs hosts eleven stakes races

During the 14-day September Meet at Churchill Downs, which runs from September 12-29, a total of eleven stakes races with a combined purse of $3,575,000 will be held.

The 12th annual September Meet provides multiple opportunities to prepare for the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar on November 1-2. Noteworthy among these is the $500,000 GII Lukas Classic, which is open to horses aged three and older and covers 1 1/8 miles, alongside the $400,000 GIII Ack Ack, also for horses aged three and older racing one mile. The Ack Ack is a "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and will take place on Saturday, September 28.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks series will commence on Saturday, September 14, featuring the $300,000 GIII Iroquois and the $300,000 GIII Pocahontas, both for 2-year-olds and run at a one-turn, one-mile distance.

Two adjustments have been made to the stakes lineup from last year. The distance of the $300,000 Open Mind for fillies and mares, one of five stakes scheduled for September 14, has been extended from six furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs. Moreover, the $200,000 Jefferson Cup for 3-year-olds on turf, which is typically run at one mile, has been put on hold. This decision was made to ensure that all races during this year's September Meet will occur on dirt, allowing the turf course to be in optimal condition for the Fall Meet running from October 27 to December 1, and into next year's Spring Meet.

The 14-day meet at Churchill Downs will feature races on Wednesdays through Sundays. The meet will include three Twilight Thursdays (September 12, 19, and 26 at 5 p.m. ET) and Downs After Dark on September 28 at 6 p.m. ET; on all other racing days, the first race is set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET.

The schedule includes nine races on Wednesdays, eight on Thursdays, and ten races on Fridays and Sundays, while Saturdays will showcase eleven races.