Churchill Downs to increase overnight purses

Record Kentucky Derby and Oaks Week wagering and favorable results on daily

racing programs at Churchill Downs since the opening week of the Spring Meet

have enabled the track to announce an immediate 10 percent increase in daily

purses for overnight races.

Purses for qualifying races will increase starting with the eight-race

"Twilight Thursday" racing program on June 11. Eligible races include allowance

races, maiden special weight events, starter allowance contests and claiming and

maiden claiming races. Purses for stakes races will not be affected by the

increase.

The increase in purses will cover the remaining 11 days of the 38-date Spring

Meet, which will conclude with a "Downs After Dark" night racing program on June

27.

Both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) programs attracted record

crowds and all-sources wagering. The Derby's attendance reached a new high of

170,513 and the Kentucky Oaks record improved to 123,763. Attendance during the

five-day period also was a record, up 5 percent to 365,006 from 348,530 in 2014,

and up 1.5 percent over the previous record set in 2011.

All-sources wagering on the five racing days during Kentucky Derby and Oaks

Week -- from Opening Night, April 25, through Derby Day, May 2, rose to a record

$263.3 million, up 4 percent from 2014's $253.8 million, and 2 percent over the

record set in 2013.

Business levels on racing sessions have been solid since the track's

post-Derby Thursday-through-Sunday racing schedule resumed on May 7.

"Churchill Downs and racing fans, both on-track and online, have enjoyed a

very solid Spring Meet, and their enthusiasm has resulted in good news for our

horsemen in the form of a 10 percent purse increase for the last three weeks of

the meet," said racetrack president Kevin Flanery. "We appreciate the strong

participation of our horsemen, who have worked with us to present an attractive

and entertaining daily racing product. And we offer our gratitude to patrons in

our region and those who have wagered online and at racing outlets throughout

North America for their ongoing."

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