Kentucky Derby Purse Raised to $3 Million

Jan 10, 2019

The 145^th running of the
Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on Saturday, May 4 will
be the richest in history as the purse for America’s greatest race and first
leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown has been elevated to a guaranteed $3 million.

 The
substantial $1 million increase to the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds
highlights a record-setting, 34-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $12.03
million for Churchill Downs’ 2019 Spring Meet. Fifteen of the races received
significant purse hikes, including the Old Forester Turf Classic (GI), Longines
Kentucky Oaks (GI) and Humana Distaff (GI), and two new races were added to the
historic Louisville racetrack’s action-packed season, which will be run over 38
dates from April 27-June 29. 

 

With a
record $3 million in prize money now guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby, the
winner will receive the event’s highly sought-after gold trophy and a $1.86
million payday. Also, $600,000 will be awarded to the runner-up, $300,000 to
third, $150,000 to fourth and $90,000 to fifth. Previously, the Kentucky Derby
purse had been worth $2 million since 2005, and was $1 million from 1996-2004.

 

The 1
1/8-mile Longines Kentucky Oaks – the Derby’s sister race staged one day prior
on Friday, May 3 – received a $250,000 boost to $1.25 million and remains the
nation’s most lucrative race for 3-year-old fillies. It had been worth $1
million since 2011, and was worth $500,000 from 1996-2010.

 

The race
that annually precedes the Kentucky Derby, the 1 1/8-mile Old Forester Turf
Classic, has been doubled from $500,000 to $1 million, making it one of the
most lucrative Grade I grass races for older horses in North America and
attractive to potential international competitors.

 

Another
Derby Day fixture, the seven-furlong Humana Distaff for older fillies and
mares, had its purse enhanced by $200,000 from $300,000 to $500,000.

 

All
told, there will be a record 18 stakes races cumulatively worth $9.58 million
staged over Kentucky Derby Week, including seven stakes totaling $6.2 million
on Derby Day and six totaling $2.9 million on Oaks Day. There also will be a
pair of stakes on the May 2 Thurby program and stakes races on Tuesday and
Wednesday of Derby Week.

 

The
significant increases in stakes prize money are attributed to early returns
from state-of-the-art historical racing machines at Derby City Gaming,
Churchill Downs Incorporated’s $65 million facility that opened in
mid-September at nearby 4520 Poplar Level Road.

 

“Our
recent investment into historical racing machines is paying immediate dividends
to Kentucky horsemen,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin
Flanery. “It’s extremely gratifying to meaningfully raise the purse of the
iconic Kentucky Derby and other important racing fixtures on our stakes
schedule as we continue to advance the overall racing program at Churchill
Downs. Our steady growth in available prize money is truly exciting for the
Kentucky horse racing and breeding industry.”

 

Purses
at Churchill Downs in 2019 will be supercharged with more than an additional
$10 million as a result of handle generated by Derby City Gaming’s initial year
of operation.

 

More
than $30 million in total prize money – $12 million in stakes races and another
$18 million in overnight races – is expected to be offered during this year’s
Spring Meet. The first condition book of scheduled races is being finalized by
Director of Racing Ben Huffman and is expected to be published in early
February.

 

Last
year, Churchill Downs offered a 32-race Spring Meet stakes schedule worth $8.84
million and total purses paid during the 372-race meet was $22.2 million.

 

The
Stephen Foster (GII), the 1 1/8-mile test that has annually attracted some of
the nation’s top older horses, will be worth $600,000 in 2019 and is one of
four stakes that was boosted by $100,000. The others are the Longines Churchill
Distaff Turf Mile (GII), American Turf presented by Ram Trucks (GII) and Pat
Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GIII), which are now worth $400,000
apiece and run on the Derby Day undercard.

 

Seven
races received $50,000 hikes. Oaks Day’s Eight Belles (GII), Twin Spires Turf
Sprint (GII), Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GIII) as well as mid-June’s
Fleur de Lis (GII) and Wise Dan (GII) are now worth $250,000 each. The Matt
Winn (GIII) and Regret (GIII) each have $150,000 purses.

 

The
Foster, Fleur de Lis, Wise Dan, Matt Winn and Regret will be run during a
“Downs After Dark” nighttime program on Saturday, June 15 that features five
graded stakes races under the lights cumulatively worth $1.4 million.

 

Two
$90,000-added overnight stakes races were added to the 2019 schedule: the
Champions Day Marathon for older horses at 1 ½ miles on April 30, and the
Mamzelle for 3-year-old fillies at five furlongs on turf on May 11.

 

The
American Graded Stakes Committee upgraded a trio of Churchill Downs stakes
races for 2019 and downgraded two others. The $500,000 Churchill Downs over
seven furlongs on Derby Day has been raised to Grade I status, and Oaks Day’s
Twin Spires Turf Sprint was elevated to a Grade II race. Also, opening night’s
$100,000 William Walker for 3-year-olds at five furlongs on turf is now a
Listed stakes race. The Stephen Foster was downgraded from Grade I to Grade II,
and the $100,000 Aristides lost its Grade III status to become a Listed stakes
race.

 

In other
changes to the stakes schedule, the Stephen Foster, Fleur de Lis, $100,000 Old
Forester Mint Julep (GIII) and $100,000 Louisville (GIII) will no longer be run
under handicap conditions. Also, the distances of the Twin Spires Turf Sprint
and $100,000 Unbridled Sidney (formerly an overnight stakes race and now the
headliner on Thurby) have been extended from five furlongs on turf to 5 ½
furlongs on grass.

2019 Spring Meet Stakes Schedule