Reversing plans to use its troubled turf course during its September Meet, Churchill Downs now will race strictly on dirt during its upcoming season Sept. 12-29, according to Darren Rogers, the track's senior director of communications and media services.
Rogers previously told BloodHorse July 17 that the track still intended to race in September on its turf, though such use seemed optimistic after the course turned brown and unsightly in early July after postmeet work on it that included scalping, aeration, and the sprigging and fertilization of Bermuda grass.
The track's $10 million turf course, installed with sod in the fall of 2021, began experiencing problems after regular usage shortly after its debut for racing in the spring of 2022. The track ran only 20 turf races apiece during its September and fall meets of last year, but after winter and spring maintenance was performed, Churchill was able to race over it through its spring meet this year, though it showed wear and tear. Seventy-four turf races were run on grass during this past meet April 27-June 30.
Explaining the decision to scrap turf racing in September, Rogers said July 25 that the Churchill Downs team met and "They just wanted it to have a little more time, let it be at its maximum for the start of the fall meet" from Oct. 27-Dec. 1.
He noted that Kentucky horses have opportunities to race on grass at Ellis Park and at the all-turf track, Kentucky Downs, immediately before the Churchill Downs September Meet and then following it when Keeneland runs in October.
The condition book for the September Meet, likely to be released next week, will not have any turf races offered. The track had planned only one grass stakes race, the $200,000, one-mile Jefferson Cup for 3-year-olds Sept. 28, which will go on hiatus this year so as to not conflict with the Sept. 21 Bourbon Flight (formerly the Bourbon Trail) for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles, the track's vice president of racing and racing secretary Ben Huffman indicated.
To date, Churchill has opted not to entirely seed a new course from scratch. Having a race-ready turf course is of prime importance to the Louisville, Ky., track when it stages Kentucky Derby (G1) week in late April and early May. This year, Derby week handle was a record $446.6 million, up 8% from last year's previous record of $412 million.
