Kentucky Downs purses to average $900,000 a day

Purses at the five-day Kentucky Downs meet in September will average about $900,000 per card, with the meet centerpiece, the Grade 3, $400,000 Kentucky Turf Cup, being packaged with four $150,000 stakes on a Sept. 14 program being called Kentucky Downs Million Day.

The inflated purses at turf-only Kentucky Downs are being fueled by revenues from Instant Racing machines. Some maiden races will be worth $90,000, including bonuses from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

The Kentucky Downs dates are Sept. 7, 11, 14, 18, and 25.

In all, eight stakes will be run at Kentucky Downs, with the other three, all worth $150,000, scheduled for opening day. The condition book is available at kentuckydowns.com.

Last year, Kentucky Downs also ran five dates, with purses totaling just more than $2 million, or a little more than $400,000 per card. Field size averaged 9.6 horses per race.

Churchill Downs also will run a 12-day meet in September, with two of its Saturday dates, Sept. 7 and 14, conflicting with Kentucky Downs.