Grade 3 Gardenia heads 'Big Four' stakes package
Ellis Park will run 10 stakes during its 36-day meet this summer, officials at the Henderson, Ky., track announced Friday.
The highlight of the meet, which runs July 19 to Sept. 4, is the Grade 3, $150,000 Gardenia Handicap, the lone graded race on the schedule. For the second straight year, the Gardenia will anchor a "Big Four Stakes Saturday" program on Aug. 5.
In all, stakes purses will total $650,000. Besides the Gardenia and the $100,000 Ellis Park Breeders' Cup Turf on Aug. 19, all other stakes will be worth $50,000, including the Debutante and Juvenile, which have been cut from $75,000.
The summer meet will be the first at Ellis since the track incurred heavy damage from a tornado on Nov. 6. Repair work is ongoing.
2006 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Sat.,July 22 | HBPA Handicap | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 Mile (T) | $50,000 |
| Sat.,July 29 | Don Bernhardt | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 5 | Regaey Island | 3YO | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 5 | Gardenia Handicap (G3) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 mile | 150,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 5 | Anna M. Fisher Debutante | 2YO F | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 5 | James C. Ellis Juvenile | 2YO | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 12 | Audobon Oaks | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 50,000 |
| Sat.Aug. 19 | Ellis Park B.C. Turf | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.Aug. 26 | Governor's Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 mile | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 2 | Tri-State Handicap | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 50,000 |