Churchill opens with Stars of Tomorrow card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs in Louisville will begin its fall meet Sunday with the first of two Stars of Tomorrow cards exclusively for 2-year-olds. The $200,000 Street Sense and $200,000 Rags to Riches, both of them going 1 1/16 miles, are the traditional opening-day co-features. The second Stars of Tomorrow card is set for Nov. 26.

After the Sunday opener, Churchill will work its racing schedule around the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup by running Nov. 2, 3, and 7. The meet goes through Nov. 27.

According to the condition book, Churchill is tentatively planning on using its troubled turf course sparingly. In all, 16 turf races are in the book, starting with a first-level allowance on the second day of the meet, Nov. 2. Other turf races include three in the Claiming Crown series, which Churchill is hosting for the first time Nov. 12, along with four traditional fall stakes – the River City, Cardinal, Mrs. Revere, and Commonwealth Turf.

Owing to unsatisfactory conditions on a course first used in April, Churchill suspended grass racing for the last three-plus weeks of its spring meet, using it only twice thereafter when the Arlington Million and Beverly D. were run on a special one-off card Aug. 13.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

Meanwhile, the capital improvements just keep coming at Churchill. A ceremonial placing of the final beam in a $90 million first-turn project was held Friday, while the ongoing massive renovation of the new paddock and surrounding area will continue for the next 18 months. The $200 million paddock project is scheduled to be ready for the 2024 spring meet.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.