Kentucky Downs‘ Kentucky Turf Cup (G2T) will be worth $1.7 million in 2023, with the winner earning more than $1 million if bred in Kentucky, the track announced July 12. Even horses not registered as Kentucky-breds will compete for $1.3 million, the winner of the 1 1/2-mile stakes making about $800,000.

New York-bred Red Knight  won the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup in 2022 when the race carried a potential purse of $1 million for eligible Kentucky-breds. The veteran campaigner, who would go on to win the Man o’ War Stakes (G1T) this year, earned $317,130 in taking the 2022 Kentucky Downs Turf Cup.

In addition, four other stakes are being raised to $1 million to bring the total of seven-figure races to 11 at the all-turf FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. The most lucrative meet in terms of daily purses in North America—including maiden purses at $150,000 for Kentucky-breds—runs Aug. 31 and Sept. 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, and 13.

The Kentucky Turf Cup’s $1.7 million purse includes $400,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, which provides purse supplements to registered Kentucky-breds. The Turf Cup is also a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In race, meaning its winner gets a fees-paid spot in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

Outside the Breeders’ Cup, the only turf race in America that could be worth more money is also at Kentucky Downs: the $2 million Mint Millions (G3T). As announced earlier, the mile stakes has a base purse of $1 million and another $1 million from the KTDF.

The four new $1 million stakes, each for 3-year-olds over Labor Day weekend, will see their purses boosted from $750,000 to $1 million. Of that, $600,000 will be the base purse for which every horse runs and the remaining $400,000 in KTDF supplements.

Getting those raises are the Music City Stakes (G3T) for fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, the Gun Runner Stakes at a mile Sept. 2, the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3T), and the Dueling Grounds Oaks for fillies, both at 1 5/16 miles on Sept. 3. The hikes give the Sept. 2 card three races worth at least $1 million, highlighted by the Mint Millions. 

Also offering $1 million purses are the Turf Sprint (G2T), a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifier for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), Franklin-Simpson (G2T), Ladies Sprint (G2T), Ladies Turf (G3T), and Ladies Marathon (G3T). Those stakes join the Kentucky Turf Cup on the showcase Sept. 9 card. 

“We want to provide horse owners a shot to where winning and even hitting the board goes a long way on the balance sheet in a challenging industry where the payoff more often is thrills than profit,” said Ron Winchell, co-managing partner of Kentucky Downs and The Mint Gaming Hall properties with Marc Falcone. “Getting these races up to $1 million—and more in a couple of cases—further stamps Kentucky as America’s premier racing circuit. And we know the vast majority of this purse money will be reinvested in the racing and breeding industries in Kentucky.

“This should grab people’s attention, and we hope it pushes our four grade 2 stakes over the finish line to be awarded grade 1 status for 2024. This is important to us, and we thank our partners with the Kentucky HBPA and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund for making it possible, along with the wisdom of the General Assembly, whose members understand that investing in such a labor-intensive industry is a huge investment in the state that pays dividends in jobs and economic development.”

Outside serving as a Breeders’ Cup host, no track comes close to matching Kentucky Downs’ lineup of million-dollar races. 

The track’s massive purses are bolstered by gaming on slot-like historical horse racing machines, which have become increasingly popular in a state with no traditional casino gambling.

“Think of that: the capability to run nine races worth a million dollars, one that’s $1.7 million and another that’s $2 million spread over a week and a half,” said Kentucky Downs’ vice president for racing, Ted Nicholson. “All of our nine graded stakes and two others are the most lucrative turf stakes for their respective divisions in the country and among the richest on the planet.

“We also want to attract horses like Aspen Grove, the Belmont Oaks (G1T) winner, to Kentucky Downs,” Nicolson said of an example of a horse Kentucky Downs would like to lure to race there. “Irish-bred, such as she is, and all horses outside Kentucky-breds still race for $600,000 in the Dueling Grounds Oaks and the grade 3 Ladies Marathon, as well as in all of our $1 million races. That by itself is the most any turf filly can race for in America before the Breeders’ Cup.”

2023 Kentucky Downs stakes schedule
Thursday, Aug. 31—$500,000 Tapit Stakes, 3-year-olds & up who have not won a stakes in 2023, mile and 70 yards.

Saturday, Sept. 2—$1 million Music City (G3T), 3-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs; $1 million Gun Runner, 3-year-olds, one mile; $2 million Mint Millions (G3), 3-year-olds & up, one mile.

Sunday, Sept. 3—$1 million Dueling Grounds Derby (G3T), 3-year-olds, 1 5/16 miles; $1 million Dueling Grounds Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1 5/16 miles.

Thursday, Sept. 7—$500,000 One Dreamer, fillies and mares 3-year-olds & up who have not won a stakes in 2023, mile and 70 yards.

Saturday, Sept. 9—$1 million Turf Sprint (G2T), 3-year-olds & up, six furlongs; $1 million Turf Cup (G2), 3-year-olds & up, 1 1/2 miles; $1 million Franklin-Simpson (G2T), 3-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs; $1 million Ladies Sprint (G2T), fillies and mares 3-year-olds & up, 6 1/2 furlongs; $1 million Ladies Turf (G3T), fillies and mares 3-year-olds & up, one mile; $1 million Ladies Marathon (G3), fillies and mares 3-year-olds & up, 1 5/16 miles.

Sunday, Sept. 10—$500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, 2-year-olds, mile; $500,000 Juvenile Fillies, 2-year-old fillies, mile.

Wednesday, Sept. 13—$500,000 Juvenile Sprint, 2-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs; $500,000 Juvenile Fillies Sprint, 2-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs.

Note: All stakes are on turf and include Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund supplements

This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.