Here’s what Kentucky Derby week’s missing at Churchill

Churchill Downs’ promotional materials for Thursday’s fifth ‘Thurby’ day speaks of local music, food, drinks and history ahead of this weekend’s 2018 Kentucky Derby. What it doesn’t mention is either stakes running under the Twin Spires, the Kentucky Juvenile or Opening Verse.

They are decent enough races, but not the type of headliners to draw the casual fan into wagering earlier during Kentucky Derby week.

So here’s an idea: the Kentucky Thurby Invitational, open to horses that have run in any Kentucky Derby.

The 2017 winner, Always Dreaming, is on the grounds and entered in Friday’s Alysheba Stakes along with Hence. Eight others, including the Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow, have run a race in 2018. The Belmont Stakes winner, Tapwrit, is back to work, and Girvin will return to the races Sunday in a Grade 3 race at Lone Star Park.

Entrants from other Derbys past — think War Story, Mubtaahij and Whitmore, to name a few — remain of graded stakes quality.

Of course, a year after contending at 10 furlongs at Churchill Downs, a number of horses find their groove at shorter distances. Perhaps 1 1/16 miles is more appropriate this early in a year, when horses are just gearing up with goals anything from the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, to the Dirt Mile or Classic.

In leaner years, the Kentucky Thurby Invitational could include horses that weren’t entered the Derby, but contended for the other two legs of the Triple Crown series. Note that 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing is back to the races Saturday at Belmont Park in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes.

The idea of a “Breeders’ Cup Derby” for 3-year-olds, in what could have made the championships a multi-month event, was floated recently. The argument for: trying to harness the hype of the Triple Crown series in a new way.

It wasn’t particularly well-received by racing fans who like their Breeders’ Cup the way it is, with competitive fields and no age restrictions, especially late in the year when Eclipse Awards are on the line. Understandable.

But NBC Sports Network already has in place a 4 p.m. Thursday TV window to discuss the Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Thurby would make for a fun precursor.