Churchill suspends turf racing for September meeting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There will be no turf racing at the September meet at Churchill Downs because of continuing problems with the new turf course, although turf racing “is projected to return for the fall meet,” according to a Tuesday release from the track.

The condition book for the 14-day September meet that runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 2 was released Monday without any races scheduled for turf. The full stakes schedules were released Tuesday for both the September meet and the 19-day fall meet, which runs Oct. 30 to Nov. 27.

The cancellation of turf racing for the September meet was not unexpected, given how poorly the $10 million Bermuda-hybrid course, first put into use April 30, has been received by horsemen. After suspending turf racing for the duration of a 42-day spring meet that ended July 4 following a fatal breakdown in a June 10 turf race, Churchill did run two Grade 1 turf races, the Arlington Million and Beverly D., on a one-day-only program Aug. 13. Those races were completed without incident, although most jockeys afterward expressed dissatisfaction with how their mounts handled a loose surface that produced sizable divots and kickback.

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The Churchill release said no turf races are scheduled for the September meet so as “to allow the new Bermuda-hybrid turf course to continue to mature to its ultimate potential.”

Even without turf races – which generally are easier for the racing office to fill – Churchill still has added two Wednesdays (Sept. 21 and 28) to what had been its traditional September schedule, making for a total of 135 races and nearly $13.8 million in purses. All purse projections include Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund bonuses.

For the fall meet, the stakes schedule remains essentially the same as usual, with the Grade 1 Clark on Nov. 25 being the showcase of 15 stakes, four of which are scheduled for the turf.

Meanwhile, the Claiming Crown is set to be held Nov. 12 at Churchill, marking the first time the track will host the “blue collar” series. Three of the eight Claiming Crown events are slated for turf. Churchill intends to label the Claiming Crown races as non-stakes in order to circumvent Kentucky rules that do not permit Lasix treatment for stakes, a move that theoretically will help with field size.

Gulfstream Park hosted the last 10 renewals of the Claiming Crown (2012-21). A massive renovation of the turf course at the South Florida track began in mid-June, with completion tentatively expected by early December.