Here’s Everything You Need to Know Before the $1,000,000 Grade 3 Equestrian Race at Kentucky Downs

The days of the prestigious Kentucky Downs races are near. The authorities and the participants are busy in their final stage of preparation. Interestingly, the six-day event will witness races for various purses for different categories and distances. On day two of the meet, the event has eleven races scheduled of which three races are graded stakes.

The three graded stakes are Grade 3 $1,000,000 Mint Millions, $600,000 Music City, and Gun Runner of the same purse. Mint Millions and Gun Runner is a mile race while Music City is six and half-furlong race. The Mint Millions offers a supplement of $1,000,000 for horses bred in Kentucky. The Mint Millions has attracted big names this year and shall display a competitive race to the spectators.

Participants of Mint Millions equestrian race

The Mint Millions is a grade 3 thoroughbred horse race of the age of three or above and is conducted on a turf track. The twelve-horse race has many reputed names participating in it, from horses to trainers and jockeys.

According to Horse Racing Nation, George Papaprodromou trained Cobo Spirit is placed at the first post. The four-year-old gelding arrived at the event after finishing fifth in his last race, the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar. The second post is occupied by the son of Into Mischief, the six-year-old Atone. Trained by Micheal J. Maker, Atone secured second place last year in the race with another horse trained by the same trainer Somelikeithotbrown winning the race. Micheal’s other trained horse Max K.O. is placed at the last post.

On the third post is Gregory Foley, who trained Stitched, who won his last race, which was Grade 2 Wise Den at Ellis Park last month and is considered among the favorites. Rodolphe Brisset trained Hozier, the winner of Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile at Ellis Park earlier this month is placed at the fourth post. Todd Pletcher, the Hall of Fame trainer, is also taking part in the race with Annapolis who secured second place in this month’s Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap.

Annapolis, one of the favorites, shall begin the race from post 10. Smoking T winner of Lure at Saratoga will start from the fifth post and the eight-year-old gelding trained by  Brian Lynch is back after finishing fifth last year. He arrived after securing the fourth position in Preview Mint Millions earlier this month and shall start from post 7. Other participants are Ancient Rome, Churchtown, Get Her Number, and Dhabab. The Mint Millions is the tenth race of the second day at Kentucky Downs.

About Kentucky Downs equestrian meet

Kentucky Downs is a European-style equestrian racing track situated at the border between Kentucky and Tennessee. The racing started on the track in 1990 but at the time it was named Dueling Grounds Race Course.

In 1998, the name was changed to Kentucky Downs by owners. Every year Kentucky Downs conducts equestrian race meets which carry different purses. This year the event will hold eleven Stakes races of $1 million or more purse and purse money for some other races also increased this year.

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Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup will now have purse money of $1.7 million and four stakes purse money increased to $1 million. The idea behind the increase in the purse of events is to attract more crowds and place the Kentucky Down among the premier races in the country. This shall give the horse owners an opportunity to earn more, even by placing on the board.

The Kentucky Downs, with its increase in purse and participation of elite names in the game, is certainly on the track of attaining its objective and placing itself among the best in the country.

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