Churchill renews $1M bonus

For the second straight year, winners of the six Churchill Downs Inc. handicapping tournaments will be eligible for a $1 million bonus if they go on to win the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship on Jan. 26-27 at Bally's Las Vegas.

The Churchill qualifying tournaments are collectively called the Million Dollar Bonus Tour and comprises contests at Hoosier Park on Saturday, July 1; Calder Race Course on Sunday, July 16; Churchill Downs on Saturday, Aug. 19; Arlington Park on Sunday, Sept. 10; Ellis Park on Saturday, Oct. 21; and Fair Grounds on a date to be determined.

"We decided to do it again because last year we saw a tremendous response in the entries to our tournaments, most of them doubling in size," said Jeremy Clemons, senior director of marketing for Churchill Downs Inc.