From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Kevin Kerstein:

2027 KENTUCKY DERBY BETTING CHALLENGE TO FEATURE GUARANTEED $400,000 PRIZE POOL; TWINSPIRES TOUR RETURNS FRIDAY FOR SECOND SEASON

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, May 20, 2026) – The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) will return in 2027 with a record $400,000 guaranteed prize pool as TwinSpires also unveiled the second season of the TwinSpires Tour, which will award $50,000 in prizes throughout the year.

The KDBC, scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 1, 2027, will feature a guaranteed $400,000 prize pool following the addition of $50,000 in seeded cash from TwinSpires. Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday, April 30, 2027, will offer a $1,000 First Chance/Last Chance KDBC Qualifier with $25,000 in added cash from TwinSpires.

“The Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge has quickly asserted itself as a major tournament, and we have a responsibility to continue to develop and grow that tournament,” said Darin Zoccali, director of loyalty & retention for TwinSpires. “Tournament players across the industry have supported the KDBC and we owe it to the tournament players to support them as well.”

The 2027 KDBC will mark the third edition of the tournament and will now reduce the minimum number of required races from seven to six.

“We will be adding $50,000 to the cash prize pool, allowing us to guarantee the prize pool at $400,000 in its third year,” Zoccali said. “Additionally, we will once again add $25,000 in cash to the prize pool of the Kentucky Oaks Betting Challenge as well. Churchill Downs has done a tremendous job growing Derby Week and will strive to do the same with the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge and its supporting tournaments.”

The second edition of the TwinSpires Tour will begin Friday and again feature four tournament sessions throughout the season, each awarding $5,000 in cash prizes. The overall winner will receive $20,000 along with a seat to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge. The Tour also will award two seats to the 2027 Stephen Foster Betting Challenge.

“The first year of the TwinSpires Tour was both a great success and a learning experience,” Zoccali said. “We analyzed a year’s worth of data and spoke to many of our tournament players to help implement rules that will make the second year of the TwinSpires Tour even better.

“Our tournament manager, Jeremy Jones, devised the concept for the TwinSpires Tour and I commend his work and commitment to take the TwinSpires Tour to the next level. The Tour is designed to reward our most committed tournament players and we are equally committed to creating the best possible experience for them.”

More information on the 2027 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge and the TwinSpires Tour, including tournament schedules and qualifying information, is available at TwinSpires.com.

 

ABOUT TWINSPIRES

Owned by Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company of the historic racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, TwinSpires is the leading Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) service in horse racing betting in the United States. The official onlinebetting partner of the Kentucky Derby, TwinSpires offers global racing nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through desktop, mobile, and native app-based platforms. https://www.twinspires.com/tournaments/