Fall meet purses lowered

Churchill has released its condition book for the 12-day September meet, with purses approximately 20 percent lower than those offered during the inaugural September meet last year.

Churchill overpaid purses last September, leading to a purse cut at its fall meet. Subsequently, business slumped at the 2014 spring meet that ended June 29, with all-sources wagering down about 12 percent. Perhaps some of that was attributable to a horseplayers’ boycott stemming from Churchill raising its takeout.

The September meet will consist of four three-day weekends from Sept. 5 to 28. Kentucky Downs, the turf-only track in south-central Kentucky, also will run a five-day meet in September, with purses averaging more than $1 million a day. Only two dates (Sept. 6 and 13) overlap.

** The Kentucky Derby Museum has a new mascot horse: the appropriately named Twinspired, the 17th-place finisher in the 2011 Derby. The 6-year-old horse will greet visitors to the museum. Previous mascot horses have included Derby starters Phantom On Tour and Perfect Drift, while 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird has made cameo appearances.

** A memorial service took place Wednesday in the backside chapel at Churchill for retired jockey Billy Phelps, who died last Friday at age 76. Phelps, who last rode in 1996, mostly competed in Ohio and Kentucky during a career in which he won more than 2,000 races.