Churchill Downs will run Arlington Million, Beverly D. on Aug. 13 card, but cancels two turf stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs will run the Arlington Million and Beverly D. on a special Aug. 13 program, but has canceled two other graded turf stakes because of continuing troubles with its new turf course. Dirt racing will fill out the balance of the 11-race card, which in recent days had come under serious consideration of being transferred to another venue.

Churchill announced in a Thursday release that the Grade 1 Million and Grade 1 Beverly D. will be run on separate paths on a turf course that has been highly problematic since it was first used April 30. The $500,000 Beverly D. will be run early on the card from Lane 3 (24 feet off the inner rail), and the $1 million Arlington Million will be run later in the day along the inner hedge. Both races go at 1 1/8 miles.

The Grade 2 Secretariat and Grade 3 Pucker Up have been placed on hiatus for a year, said the release.

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The decision came after six works were held July 30 over the seven-furlong Bermuda-hybrid course, which has drawn sharp criticism from horsemen for its loose footing and unusually large divots. The latest workouts also produced substantial divots and kickback over a saturated course. The course was abruptly shut down after a horse suffered a fatal breakdown in a June 10 race.

Churchill had intended to run four turf stakes on its Stephen Foster card July 2, but those stakes were canceled or moved to the main track because the course still was deemed not ready for use. The 42-day spring meet ended July 4.

Mike Anderson, president of Churchill racetrack, said in the Thursday release: “While our new Bermuda-hybrid turf course continues to mature to its ultimate potential, we are being appropriately conservative by limiting the number of races in the best interest of long-term preservation of the surface and growing root system. The course is healthy and vibrant and we are extremely optimistic about its performance now and in the future.

“However, we don’t want any setbacks to its progression, especially right now during its critical growth season. Our plan is to take advantage of the width and versatility of the new course and run the two marquee races in two separate running lanes to provide fresh ground for each important race.”

Churchill officials had considered moving Million Day to Keeneland or Ellis Park before arriving at the decision to host the day. Circumstances already were unusual for a one-day-only event that interrupts the 23-day summer meet at Ellis in western Kentucky, where racing will be conducted Aug. 12 and 14.

Track owner Churchill Downs Inc. shuttered Arlington Park last September – drawing the ire of horsemen and fans in Illinois and beyond – then announced in mid-March it would host the Arlington signature events for the first time.

CDI in February agreed to buy Colonial Downs’s parent company, Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, and the New Kent, Va., track’s lush turf course would be a suitable place to hold the Million Day stakes. But the deal does not become final until later this year, and legal complications with moving the races out of Kentucky on such short notice would preclude running the races there in any event.

Two new main-track stakes worth $200,000 each will be run on the Aug. 13 card at Churchill - the Fort Larned and Lady Tak. Entries will be drawn Tuesday. First post is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with television coverage being provided by FS1 (12:30-3), FS2 (3-6), and back to FS1 (6-7).

Churchill will run its September meet from Sept. 15 to Oct. 2, so it remains uncertain whether there will be turf racing during that 12-day stand. Churchill also will host its fall meet from Oct. 30 to Nov. 27.