Infrastructure upgrades abound as meet opens

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The never-ending renovations that have turned Churchill Downs into a modern showplace will be unveiled for the racing public Saturday night when this historic track opens a 38-day spring meet amid the excitement building toward the May 5 Kentucky Derby.

A 10-race Downs After Dark card is the starting point of nine weeks of Thoroughbred action that peaks with the 144th running of the Derby, which many observers are saying is coming up with its most attractive lineup in years. The Kentucky Oaks and Derby are but two of 13 stakes to be run here during a two-day span (May 4-5) as they highlight a 32-race stakes schedule worth more than $8.8 million through meet’s end, June 30.

Track officials on Thursday gave media members an overview of the $69 million in upgrades that have been undertaken within the last 18 months, and it would be difficult for anyone not to be impressed. A $32 million improvement of the infrastructure surrounding the Churchill campus promises a more efficient parking and transportation experience for racegoers, while a $37 million expansion of the grandstand seating area also qualifies as another huge feather in the Churchill cap.

Churchill now has plowed well more than $300 million in capital projects into its flagship track in the last 15 years, starting with a massive overhaul that began in 2003.

Racing action starts Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern with a $7,500 claiming sprint for older horses and eventually leads to the $100,000 William Walker as the race 9 feature. Downs After Dark programs have proven very popular since their 2009 inception, particularly among a younger demographic, with Churchill reporting an average of 21,042 in ontrack attendance from 44 such prior cards.

Even beyond the blockbuster Oaks and Derby cards, horseplayers can expect high-quality daily fare. Many of North America’s top trainers and jockeys will participate on a regular basis, with Corey Lanerie – who has won riding titles at 15 of the last 17 Churchill meets – heading a colony that also will include Florent Geroux, Ricardo Santana Jr., Julien Leparoux, Robby Albarado, Brian Hernandez Jr., Shaun Bridgmohan, and newcomer Adam Beschizza. Gary Stevens, the three-time Derby-winning Hall of Famer, also is making Churchill a stop on his circuit this year.

Brad Cox, the leading trainer at the last two Churchill meets (2017 September, 2017 fall) and the recently ended Keeneland spring meet, figures to tangle often with Steve Asmussen, Mike Maker, Dale Romans, Tom Amoss, and others when seeking another title.

Racing will be conducted mostly on a four-day schedule (Thursday to Sunday), with some exceptions, including Tuesday and Wednesday cards during Derby week. There is no racing here the first two Sundays (April 29 and May 6), but all Sundays thereafter. Eight-race Twilight Thursday cards will start at 5 p.m. after the “Thurby” card of Derby week. Otherwise, daily first post is 12:45 p.m., with some exceptions (most notably Oaks and Derby Day, 10:30 a.m.). Subsequent Downs After Dark cards are set for June 2 and June 16, the latter showcasing the Grade 1 Stephen Foster and four other stakes.

The wagering menu has undergone a slight tweak, with the pick five now eligible to carry over (as opposed to being disbursed entirely to 4-for-5 tickets). The daily pick six once again will cost $2 through Derby Day, after which the increment is reduced to 20 cents and becomes a jackpot situation requiring a solo perfect ticket for a sweep.

A chilly forecast for opening night calls for clear skies but a daytime high of just 61. Live televised action will be available throughout the meet on TVG2.