LOUISVILLE, KY – Saturday, April 27 marks the Opening Night of Racing at Churchill Downs in Louisville, with Downs After Dark. Night racing at Churchill Downs started about four years ago, and has been a huge success for the folks working under the Twin Spires. The atmosphere of the racetrack is completely different at night – especially having Downs After Dark on a Saturday – it brings a younger crowd to the track that would not regularly attend the races during the day. It’s essentially Louisville’s biggest pre-party as once the races are over everyone heads to the bars in St. Matthews or on Bardstown Rd.
This Saturday is highlighted by the $175,000 Derby Trial Stakes (G3) which actually holds point value on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Points System, even though the actual Kentucky Derby is just one week away. It is highly unlikely that any of the horses in Derby Trial will actually run in the Kentucky Derby, but the Derby Trial has been a tradition and part of the week of Derby events for many years.
If you can’t make it to Opening Night on Saturday, you’ll get three more chances to attend Downs After Dark in June:
| Downs After Dark | |
| Sat. 4/27 | $175,000 Derby Trial S. (G3) |
| Sat. 6/15 | $500,000 Stephen Foster H. (G1) |
| $175,000 Fleur de Lis H. (G2) | |
| $100,000 Regret S. (G3) | |
| $100,000 Matt Winn S. | |
| Sat. 6/22 | $100,000 Debutante S. |
| Sat. 6/29 | $150,000 Firecracker H. (G2) |
| $100,000 Bashford Manor S. (G3) |
Here’s a look at the field for Saturday’s Derby Trial S. (G3):
I will post some selections on Saturday, and don’t forget about the last day of Keeneland tomorrow, highlighted by the $150,000 Elkhorn Stakes, which I will post my selections for tomorrow:
Coxtalks.com 