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NYRA and Churchill Downs Incorporated plan to launch a new Thoroughbred Championship Series in 2027, creating a season-long competition for three-year-old horses across some of the sport’s biggest races.
The annual series is set to span six races at Churchill Downs Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course. According to the companies, it will use a unified points system and award a $5 million prize pool based on final standings, on top of each race’s regular purse.
Belmont Park and Saratoga are part of the six-race lineup
The inaugural 2027 schedule is expected to include the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the Matt Winn Stakes, the Jim Dandy Stakes, the Travers Stakes, and a Championship Race.
The series is slated to begin on the first Saturday in May. In the initial lineup outlined by the companies, Belmont Stakes is scheduled for June 5, with the Jim Dandy Stakes and Travers Stakes keeping Saratoga in the middle and late stages of the championship season.
For New York racing, that means two of the state’s signature venues — Belmont Park and Saratoga — would be central to the structure of the new series rather than serving as standalone stops on the calendar.
Partnership includes TV coverage and wagering collaboration
Churchill Downs and NYRA said they will work together on rules, nominations, marketing, sponsorship, wagering opportunities, and television distribution.
Broadcast coverage is also split between the partners’ existing media relationships: Churchill Downs races in the series will air on NBC, while NYRA races will air on FOX.
In announcing the plan, Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen said the series is intended to carry interest in top three-year-old horses across a five-month season. NYRA president and CEO David O’Rourke said the format is designed to connect premier events through a season-long championship, with the return of the Belmont Stakes to a newly transformed Belmont Park adding to the timing of the launch.
What still has to be filled in before launch
Several key details remain undisclosed. The companies have not yet released the exact points structure, full nomination details, sponsorship terms, or the specific wagering products tied to the series.
They also did not provide exact 2027 dates for every race beyond the Kentucky Derby on May 1 and the Belmont Stakes on June 5. Based on the announcement, the Championship Race is expected in September.
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Source: As reported by gamingintelligence.com.
