From the Ellis Park Media Team / Kevin Kerstein:

ELLIS PARK STAKES SCHEDULE FEATURES RECORD $4 MILLION ACROSS 18 RACES

HENDERSON, Ky. (Monday, June 2, 2025) – Record stakes purses await this summer at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming, where an impressive $4 million is available across 18 races during the 25-day season that begins Thursday, July 3.

Ellis Park’s stakes lineup is led by the $400,000 Pucker Up (Grade III), one of seven races across Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend, Aug. 2-3. This stakes-filled weekend of racing also includes the $300,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile, $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby and $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint.

Two other premiere stakes events scheduled are the $300,000 Ellis Park Derby (Listed) and $200,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), taking place Sunday, Aug. 10. The Ellis Park Derby and Groupie Doll are part of a six-stakes lineup that day, which also includes the $200,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, $200,000 Ellis Park Debutante, $200,000 Audubon Oaks and $200,000 R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial.

The meet will start with racing on a Thursday-Sunday schedule, then shift to a Saturday-Monday format from July 13 to Aug. 18 before concluding with a Friday-Sunday schedule, Aug. 22-24.

The full stakes calendar (all purses include funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund):

Date Race Grade Distance Conditions KTDF
Friday, July 4 $150,000 Dade Park Dash   5 ½ furlongs (turf) 3yo $50,000
Sunday, July 6 $150,000 Pea Patch   5 ½ furlongs (turf) 3yo fillies $50,000
Sunday, July 20 $150,000 Jeff Hall Memorial   6 ½ furlongs 3yo and up $50,000
Monday, July 21 $150,000 Twin Bridges   6 furlongs 3yo and up fillies & mares $50,000
Saturday, Aug. 2 $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile   1 mile (turf) 3yo and up $125,000
Saturday, Aug. 2 $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint   5 ½ furlongs (turf) 3yo and up fillies & mares $125,000
Saturday, Aug. 2 $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Nashville Derby   1 1/8 miles (turf) 3yo $125,000
Sunday, Aug. 3 $400,000 Pucker Up Grade III 1 1/8 miles (turf) 3yo fillies $150,000
Sunday, Aug. 3 $300,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup Listed 1 ¼ miles (turf) 3yo and up $150,000
Sunday, Aug. 3 $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint Listed 5 ½ furlongs (turf) 3yo and up $125,000
Sunday, Aug. 3 $250,000 Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile Listed 1 mile (turf) 3yo and up fillies & mares $125,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $300,000 Ellis Park Derby Listed 1 mile 3yo $150,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $200,000 Groupie Doll Listed 1 mile 3yo and up fillies & mares $100,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $200,000 Ellis Park Juvenile   7 furlongs 2yo $100,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $200,000 Ellis Park Debutante   7 furlongs 2yo fillies $100,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $200,000 Audubon Oaks   7 furlongs 3yo fillies $100,000
Sunday, Aug. 10 $200,000 R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial   1 mile 3yo and up $100,000

 
Sunday, Aug. 24 $150,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes   1 1/16 miles (turf) 3yo and up fillies & mares $50,000