A pair of runners competing during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, will be offered wild card entries for Epsom's 3-year-old Classics contested four weeks later.
The winner of Churchill's $500,000 GII Edgewood S., contested on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the G1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom May 31.
In the colt's division, a runner from the $500,000 GII American Turf S., scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day May 4, will receive an entry and travel incentive to the June 1 Betfred Derby.
The Jockey Club and Ascot Racecourse have also coordinated with Churchill to offer wild card entries to a pair of Royal Ascot fixtures. A runner from the $500,000 GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S., also run on Kentucky Derby Day, will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in the G1 King Charles III S. (formerly the King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot June 18. Additionally, a runner from the $1-million GI Old Forester Turf Classic S., contested on Kentucky Derby Day, will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in either the G1 Queen Anne S. June 18 or the G1 Prince of Wales's S., held June 19, both staged during the Royal meeting.
In return for the above incentives for U.S.-based runners, a runner from both the Queen Anne and the Prince of Wales's will receive an entry and a travel incentive to run in Colonial Downs' $1-million GI Arlington Million S. over 10 furlongs in mid-August.
Also, a runner from the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket's July Festival July 12 will also receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the $500,000 GI Beverly D S. on the same day as the Colonial Downs Arlington Million.
Winners of the aforementioned races will receive the invite to run in the corresponding races across the Atlantic. However, in the event that the winners aren't able to accept, racecourses may then also invite placed horses. The elimination procedures in these races will remain as they are now.
“A trip to Churchill Downs is one that should be on the bucket list for every racing fan, the world over,” said Matt Woolston, Assistant Racing and International Racing Director at The Jockey Club. “The Kentucky Derby itself can trace its origin back to Epsom Downs in 1780 when Diomed won the very first Derby and we are proud to reinforce this historic link.
“These historic races already have an international reputation and we want to welcome more and more international runners in the years to come.”
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