Kentucky Downs to host 11 stakes worth at least $2M in 2025
Published 11:13 am Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Goliad (inside) won last year's $2 million Mint Millions six days after winning a $500,000 overnight handicap at Kentucky Downs in Franklin. (COADY MEDIA)
Jockey Frankie Dettori punctuated sweeping the closing-day stakes at Kentucky Downs' 2024 meet, including the Pepsi Dueling Grounds Oaks on Kathynmarissa, with his signature flying dismount. (RENEE TORBIT / Coady Media)
The Irish-bred Bellum Justum won last year's Nashville Derby (G3), earning $1,054,310 even without being eligible for Kentucky-bred purse supplements, at Kentucky Downs in Franklin. (GRACE CLARK-SWEET)
Kentucky Downs’ 2025 meet will feature 18 stakes offering a total of $30.5 million in purses, led by the $3.5 million, Grade 3 Nashville Derby.
Another 10 stakes at the Franklin turf track are worth at least $2 million.
The stakes are worth a combined $16 million in base purses, with another $14.5 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) for registered Kentucky-breds. Even horses not bred in Kentucky will run for some of the biggest stakes purses in country. For instance, the Nashville Derby (G3) has a base purse of $2 million, for which every horse runs, while 10 other stakes worth $2.5 million or $2 million for Kentucky-breds carry a $1 million base purse.
Kentucky Downs’ seven-day meet runs Aug. 28, 30 and 31 and Sept. 4, 6, 7 and 10, with maiden and allowance races also among the highest in the world. The condition book is now online on equibase.com.
The 1 5/16-mile Nashville Derby (G3) again will be America’s richest race for 3-year-olds behind only the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1).
The Nashville Derby (G3) will be one of five stakes on Aug. 30, which will feature live coverage on NBC (the mothership, not a cable subsidiary). The card includes the $2 million Grade 2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, whose winner earns a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). Also that day: the $2 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint (G2), $2 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3) and the $1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational at 2 1/16 miles.
The Sept. 6 card will feature six stakes each worth at least $2 million for Kentucky-breds, with the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational (G2) and the Mint Millions Invitational (G3) both $2.5 million. The winner of the 1 1/2-mile Turf Cup earns a fees-paid berth in the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). The Sept. 6 card also includes the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson for 3-year-old sprinters, the Music City (G2) for 3-year-old filly sprinters, the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon (G3) and the mile Gun Runner for 3-year-olds.
Another five stakes are worth $1 million with KTDF supplements, including four stakes for 2-year-olds.
Kentucky Downs 2025 stakes schedule
All stakes on turf
Thursday, Aug. 28
$500,000 Tapit Stakes (includes $250,000 KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, mile and 70 yards. Restricted to horses that have not won a stakes in 2025.
Saturday, Aug. 30
$3.5 million G3 Nashville Derby Invitational ($1.5 million KTDF), 3-year-olds, 1 5/16 miles.
$2 million G2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint ($1 million KTDF) — “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Division,” 3-year-olds & up, 6 furlongs.
$2 million G2 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint ($1 million KTDF), fillies & mares, 3 years old & up, 6 1/2 furlongs.
$2 million G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf ($1 million KTDF), fillies & mares, 3 years old & up, mile.
$1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational ($500,000 KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, 2 1/16 miles.
Sunday, Aug. 31
$1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-old fillies, mile.
$1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs.
$500,000 National Thoroughbred League Tight Spot Overnight Handicap, 3-year-olds & up, mile.
Thursday, Sept. 4
$500,000 One Dreamer ($250,000 KTDF), fillies & mares 3-year-olds & up, mile & 70 yards. Restricted to horses that have not won a stakes in 2025.
Saturday, Sept. 6
$2.5 million G2 Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational ($1 million KTDF) – “Win and You’re In Breeders’ Cup Turf Division,” 3-year-olds & up, 1 1/2 miles.
$2.5 million G3 The Mint Millions Invitational ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds & up, mile.
$2 million G1 Franklin-Simpson ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds, 6 1/2 furlongs.
$2 million G2 Music City ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs.
$2 million G3 Ladies Marathon ($1 million KTDF), fillies & mares 3 years old & up, 1 5/16 miles.
$2 million Gun Runner ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-olds, mile.
Sunday, Sept. 7
$1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-olds, mile.
$1 million Untapable ($500,000 KTDF), 2-year-old fillies, 6 1/2 furlongs.
Wednesday, Sept. 10
$2 million G3 Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational ($1 million KTDF), 3-year-old fillies, 1 5/16 miles.
