Churchill condition book reveals claiming-heavy cards for reopening

Churchill Downs will open back up for spectator-free racing on May 16-17 with two cards heavy on claiming races while offering purses that are down slightly from when the track last raced, according to the track’s first condition book.

Churchill’s reopening weekend offers a $79,000 purse for maiden special weight races, down from $95,000 for the same condition during last fall’s meet (the purse amounts include money only available for Kentucky-bred horses). An allowance race for non-winners of one other than offers a purse of $81,000, according to the condition book, down from $97,000 last fall.

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The condition book released on Sunday covers racing through June 5. Churchill plans to hold two live cards of racing on the opening weekend and then go to a four-day week starting on May 21, running Thursday through Sunday. The track is also scheduled to run on Memorial Day, May 25, a Monday.

A day after releasing its condition book, Churchill also released its stakes schedule through the end of the meet, which is set to end on June 27. On closing day, Churchill will run four graded races, including the Grade 2 Stephen Foster, the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, the Grade 3 Regret, and the Grade 3 Bashford Manor.

The Stephen Foster and the Fleur de Lis are both Win and You’re In races for the Breeders’ Cup, earning the winners berths in the Classic and the Distaff, respectively.

The May 23 card will have five stakes, including the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes, which has been newly designated as a points race for the rescheduled Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5, offering 10 points to the winner. Two more stakes are scheduled for May 30, the Grade 3 Winning Colors and the Grade 3 Mint Julep Stakes on the turf.

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The Grade 3 Dogwood will be run on June 6, while the Grade 3 Louisville will be run on June 13. The Grade 2 Wise Dan will be run on June 20.

Churchill’s opening this year was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The track’s biggest week of racing, Kentucky Derby week, which generates a significant amount of money for purses, has been delayed until September. In addition, casinos owned by Churchill and other tracks in Kentucky have been closed since mid-March. The casinos generate substantial purse subsidies.