Churchill Downs opens September meet Thursday with 8 races

Horse racing on the Kentucky circuit shifts to Churchill Downs on Thursday with the first of three Twilight Thursday programs at 5 p.m. EDT as the famed Louisville racetrack opens its 11th annual September meet for a 14-date run through Sunday, Oct. 1.

Thursday’s eight-race opener lured 79 entries, 74 in the body plus five also-eligible runners, for an average of 9.3 horses per race. Seventeen 3-year-olds and up were entered for the field of 12 in the featured seventh race, a $134,000 second-level optional-claiming allowance at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The Mike Maker-trained Yamato is the 5-2 morning line favorite as the 6-year-old gelding drops back to softer competition after fourth- and eighth-place finishes against graded stakes company in the Louisville (G3) and United Nations (G1), respectively.

The opening-day program also has a $127,000 first-level optional-claiming allowance for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs led by the Wesley Ward-trained Sam’s Treasure and Adirondack (G3) third Streaming Now (race 6), and a $120,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles (race 5).

Horsemen will compete for a record $15.133 million offered in vice president of racing Ben Huffman’s September meet condition book, which features 135 races including 12 stakes cumulatively worth a record $3.775 million. All purses include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

Average daily purses are $1,080,929. Maiden special-weight races have a $120,000 purse, and allowance races range from $127,000 to $141,000.

Five stakes races, including two for juveniles that could produce starters in this year’s Breeders’ Cup and next spring’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1), will be showcased Saturday afternoon. Total prize money for the 11-race program is $2.251 million, the most lucrative day of the boutique meet.

The $300,000 Iroquois (G3) kicks off the road to the 150th Kentucky Derby series, while the $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) starts the road to the 150th Kentucky Oaks. The promising Gun Runner colt Risk It, who won his Saratoga debut by 4 1/2 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, leads the one-mile Iroquois. Empire Island, Hot Beach, Riperton, V V’s Dream and Youalmosthadme are among the entrants in the Pocahontas.

Distaff and Filly & Mare Sprint prospects surface in a pair of Saturday stakes for fillies and mares, the $400,000 Locust Grove (G3) over 1 1/16 miles and the $300,000 Open Mind (listed) at six furlongs. The Locust Grove attracted Grade 1 winners Pauline’s Pearl and A Mo Reay, who were first and third, respectively in the Fleur de Lis (G2), as well as Grade 1 winner Search Results. Seven-time stakes winner Wicked Halo leads the Open Mind.

The $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society, an open sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, starts the stakes-laden program and will feature crack sprinter Bango, who will attempt to land his record-equaling 11th Churchill Downs win in a showdown with Iowa Sprint runner-up Strobe.

Other marque events during the September meet include a stakes quartet in primetime under the light for the final Downs After Dark of the year on Saturday, Sept. 23: the Dogwood (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs, Bourbon Trail for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles; Harrods Creek for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, and Seneca Overnight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Closing weekend is anchored by the $500,000 Lukas Classic (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, Sept. 30, and honors Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the iconic four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and conditioner of 26 Eclipse Award-winning champions who has been based at Churchill Downs’ Barn 44 since 1989. The Lukas Classic serves as a prep for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) five weeks in advance of the Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita.

Also run on Sept. 30 is the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at one mile with an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup going to the winner and the return of the $200,000 Jefferson Cup for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf.

The Churchill Downs September meet will offer racing on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Outside of the three Twilight Thursdays, with a 5 p.m. post time, and the lone Downs After Dark on Sept. 23, 6 p.m., the first race for all other race days will be 12:45 p.m. Nine races are scheduled on Wednesdays, eight races are scheduled on Thursdays with 10-race programs on Fridays and Sundays. Eleven races will be showcased each Saturday.