Kentucky Derby: Three races added to European/Middle East qualifying series
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Churchill Downs has added two races in Dubai and one race in Saudi Arabia to its series of stakes races at tracks in Europe and the Middle East that will award up to two berths in the Kentucky Derby field, the company announced on Tuesday.
The additions will bring the total number of stakes in the European/Middle East series to 10. The connections of the two top points getters in the series will be eligible to claim automatic spots in the starting gate for the Derby, which has a maximum field of 20 horses.
The additions are the UAE 2000 Guineas, a one-mile race scheduled for Jan. 23 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai; the Saudi Derby, a one-mile race on the undercard of the blockbuster Saudi Cup program on Feb. 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and the Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile stakes formerly run as the Al Bastakiya that is scheduled for Feb. 20 at Meydan.
The inclusion of the Saudi race is the first for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, which launched the $20 million Saudi Cup in 2020. It is the richest race in the world.
Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, called the selection the “beginning of an exciting new partnership between The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and Churchill Downs Inc. which holds the promise of more collaboration in the future” in a release.
Meydan Racecourse will now host three points races in the series. The UAE Derby, scheduled for Mar. 28 at Meydan, was already a component of the European/Middle East series, awarding 100 points to the winner, enough to ensure a berth in the Derby.
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