The Churchill Downs fall meet 2026 opens Sunday, October 25, and the track goes straight to the good stuff. Opening day is Stars of Tomorrow I, an 11 race card built entirely for two year olds, and it hands out the first Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks points of the meet through the Grade 3 Street Sense and the Listed Rags to Riches.
From there, the fall meet runs 24 days through Sunday, November 29, with 16 stakes worth $5 million, the Claiming Crown, a Thanksgiving card and the Grade 2 Clark on Black Friday. We break down the opening card, preview both features and map out every stakes date you need for November. For everything else running this weekend, from the Breeders Crown finals to Empire Showcase Day, see our weekend racing preview for October 23 to 25.
One note before we start. Churchill Downs is a Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) track, so online betting on it through MyWinners is open to Connecticut residents only. You can also bet it in person at any Winners venue in Connecticut.
Churchill Downs Fall Meet 2026 at a Glance
The meet races Wednesday through Sunday from October 25 to November 29. Churchill goes dark on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 while Keeneland hosts the Breeders’ Cup in Lexington. First post is 1:00 p.m. ET on every racing day except Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, when the first race goes at 11:30 a.m. ET.
The purse numbers show how strong this meet is. Churchill has carded 255 races worth $26.9 million, which works out to average daily purses of $1.1 million. Maiden special weight races go for $120,000 and allowance races run from $127,000 to $141,000, so fields should hold up all the way to closing day. The track’s fall meet page lists every featured event day.
Last fall’s leaders give you a starting point. Irad Ortiz Jr. topped the jockey standings with 46 wins, Brad Cox led all trainers with 21, and Godolphin led owners with seven trips to the winner’s circle. All three have live chances on Sunday’s card.
Stars of Tomorrow I: The Churchill Downs Opening Day Card
Every race on Sunday’s card is for two year olds. Eight of the 11 races are maiden special weights, so expect plenty of first time starters, lightly raced shippers and real price potential. First post is 1:00 p.m. ET and the finale goes at 5:55 p.m. ET.
The turf gets a proper workout too. Race 2 (fillies at 1 1/16 miles), Race 5 (a mile) and Race 8 (a 5 furlong allowance for fillies) all go on the grass. Five of the maiden races drew full fields of 12 with extra runners on the also eligible list, which means big fields and bigger exotic payouts.
The two stakes run back to back late on the card. The Rags to Riches is Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. ET and the Street Sense follows as Race 10 at 5:25 p.m. ET. A maiden special weight at a mile on the dirt closes the card as Race 11.
Morning lines for the card had not been published at the time of writing. Check the MyWinners racecards or the official program on Sunday morning for the posted lines before you bet.
| Race | Post Time (ET) | Race | Distance / Surface | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:00 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight, fillies | 1 mile, dirt | $120,000 |
| 2 | 1:29 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight, fillies | 1 1/16 miles, turf | $120,000 |
| 3 | 1:58 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight | 6 furlongs, dirt | $92,000 |
| 4 | 2:28 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight, fillies | 6 furlongs, dirt | $92,000 |
| 5 | 2:57 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight | 1 mile, turf | $120,000 |
| 6 | 3:26 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight | 6 furlongs, dirt | $120,000 |
| 7 | 3:55 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight, fillies | 6 furlongs, dirt | $120,000 |
| 8 | 4:25 p.m. | Allowance, fillies | 5 furlongs, turf | $127,000 |
| 9 | 4:55 p.m. | Rags to Riches Stakes (Listed), fillies | 1 1/16 miles, dirt | $200,000 |
| 10 | 5:25 p.m. | Street Sense Stakes (Grade 3) | 1 1/16 miles, dirt | $200,000 |
| 11 | 5:55 p.m. | Maiden Special Weight | 1 mile, dirt | $120,000 |
Street Sense Stakes 2026 Preview
The Street Sense is a Grade 3, $200,000 race for two year olds at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The top five finishers earn Road to the Kentucky Derby points on a 10, 5, 3, 2 and 1 scale toward the 153rd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2027. Eight runners go to post at 5:25 p.m. ET.
This race has a recent Derby link worth knowing. Sovereignty won the 2024 Street Sense for Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado, then went on to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Riley Mott won last year’s running with Incredibolt.
| Post | Horse | Sire | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ritzy Rags | Union Rags | Rafael Bejarano | Destin Heath | TBC |
| 2 | Blessed Flyer | Dialed In | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Mike Tomlinson | TBC |
| 3 | Card Man | Life Is Good | Flavien Prat | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 4 | Mystik Bayou | Wells Bayou | Jose Ortiz | Kenny McPeek | TBC |
| 5 | Very Gifted | Gift Box | Manny Esquivel | Kenny McPeek | TBC |
| 6 | Jas | Justify | Keith Asmussen | Steve Asmussen | TBC |
| 7 | Staunch | Liam's Map | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh | TBC |
| 8 | Never a Doubt | Mendelssohn | Junior Alvarado | Carlos David | TBC |
Blessed Flyer Bids to Stay Perfect in the Street Sense
Blessed Flyer (post 2, Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Tomlinson) is a stakes winner and unbeaten in two starts. The son of Dialed In landed the Bashford Manor over 6 furlongs here on June 28 at 31/1, edging He Is No Lie by a head.
He has not raced since. Blessed Flyer looked set to go off one of the favorites in the Grade 3 Iroquois in September, but he got loose on the walk to the paddock and was scratched. Sunday asks him to come back from a four month break and stretch out from sprinting to two turns in the same start.
Card Man and Staunch Bring Fresh Maiden Wins
Card Man (post 3, Flavien Prat, Chad Brown) comes off a maiden special weight win at Belmont Park on September 18. The son of Life Is Good races for owner Jeff Drown.
Staunch (post 7, Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh) broke his maiden by four lengths here on September 26 for Bourbon Fueled Racing. Like Blessed Flyer, he already has a win over this track.
The Rest of the Street Sense Field
Kenny McPeek runs two. Mystik Bayou (post 4, Jose Ortiz) is a half brother to 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and broke his maiden at Belmont Park on October 3. Very Gifted (post 5, Manny Esquivel) won a maiden claiming race at Keeneland on October 9.
Jas (post 6, Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen) switches to the dirt after running second in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile in September. He is a son of Triple Crown winner Justify, so the surface move makes sense on pedigree. Ritzy Rags (post 1, Rafael Bejarano, Destin Heath) won a maiden claimer here on September 16, and Never a Doubt (post 8, Junior Alvarado, Carlos David) finished fourth in a Keeneland allowance on October 3.
Rags to Riches Stakes 2026 Preview
The Rags to Riches is a Listed, $200,000 race for two year old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, carded as Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. ET. It offers Road to the Kentucky Oaks points on the same 10, 5, 3, 2 and 1 scale toward the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, April 30, 2027. Seven fillies drew in.
Start with the trainer angle. Brad Cox has won five of the last nine runnings, including the last three with West Sunset in 2023, Good Cheer in 2024 and Life of Joy in 2025. Good Cheer went on to win the 2025 Kentucky Oaks.
First Laugh Heads the Rags to Riches Stakes 2026 Field
Cox sends out First Laugh (post 7, Irad Ortiz Jr.), a Godolphin filly by Upstart who won her debut by seven lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis last month. She has the widest draw, but she also has last fall’s leading rider and the barn that owns this race.
Godolphin also runs Wharfie (post 2, Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), a daughter of Essential Quality who broke her maiden by 2 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park on September 19. McPeek doubles up again with Oh She Said Yes (post 3, Jose Ortiz), by Authentic, and Juana Margarita (post 6), by Greatest Honour. Intraosseous (post 1, Brian Hernandez Jr., Kinnon LaRose), Countthetrue (post 4, Edgar Morales, Wayne Catalano) and Lunar Velocity (post 5, Francisco Arrieta, Ray Bryner) complete the field.
Our Churchill Downs Opening Day Best Bets
In the Street Sense, we side with Card Man to win. He is a fresh maiden winner from a top barn, Prat rides, and his Life Is Good pedigree suits two turns. Blessed Flyer owns the class edge, but a four month layoff and a stretch out in the same start is a lot to ask.
Our Street Sense trifecta puts Card Man and Blessed Flyer on top, with Staunch and Jas underneath. Jas is the price we want on the ticket because the turf to dirt switch suits his Justify pedigree.
In the Rags to Riches, First Laugh is our win bet. Cox has won this race three years running and she won her debut by seven lengths. We key her over Wharfie in the exacta and add a smaller reverse.
Races 9, 10 and 11 make up the $3 late Pick 3. We single First Laugh, use Card Man and Blessed Flyer in the Street Sense, and go wide in the 12 horse maiden finale. Our $20 race day plan shows how to size a ticket like this, and our guide on how to read betting odds covers the tote board basics.
| Post | Horse | Sire | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ritzy Rags | Union Rags | Rafael Bejarano | Destin Heath | TBC |
| 2 | Blessed Flyer | Dialed In | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Mike Tomlinson | TBC |
| 3 | Card Man | Life Is Good | Flavien Prat | Chad Brown | TBC |
| 4 | Mystik Bayou | Wells Bayou | Jose Ortiz | Kenny McPeek | TBC |
| 5 | Very Gifted | Gift Box | Manny Esquivel | Kenny McPeek | TBC |
| 6 | Jas | Justify | Keith Asmussen | Steve Asmussen | TBC |
| 7 | Staunch | Liam's Map | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh | TBC |
| 8 | Never a Doubt | Mendelssohn | Junior Alvarado | Carlos David | TBC |
Betting Menu for the Churchill Downs Fall Meet 2026
Churchill runs a $3 late Pick 3 on the final three races every day at a 15% takeout. The 20 cent Derby City 6 jackpot covers the last six races each day, also at 15%, with a mandatory payout on closing day, November 29. The track also offers 50 cent Pick 5s at a 15% takeout and 50 cent Pick 4s.
The $1 Jackpot 8 brings a carryover of more than $406,000 in from the September meet and needs a field of at least 10 to run. Pool availability for every race shows in the MyWinners app.
Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby futures opens at noon on Wednesday, October 28 and closes Friday, October 30, with up to 40 betting interests plus an all others option. Pool 2 follows over Thanksgiving weekend, November 26 to 29, alongside a Kentucky Derby sire futures pool.
Upcoming Stakes at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet 2026
Sixteen stakes worth $5 million fill the meet, and four of them go on the turf. Here is how the calendar builds after opening day.
| Date | Race | Grade | Purse | Conditions | Distance / Surface |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Oct 25 | Street Sense | G3 | $200,000 | Two year olds | 1 1/16 miles, dirt |
| Sun, Oct 25 | Rags to Riches | Listed | $200,000 | Two year old fillies | 1 1/16 miles, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 7 | River City | G3 | $300,000 | Three year olds and up | 1 1/8 miles, turf |
| Sat, Nov 7 | Bet On Sunshine | Listed | $300,000 | Three year olds and up | 6 furlongs, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Dream Supreme | Listed | $300,000 | Fillies and mares, three and up | 6 furlongs, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Commonwealth Turf | G3 | $300,000 | Three year olds | 1 1/16 miles, turf |
| Thu, Nov 26 | Falls City | G3 | $300,000 | Fillies and mares, three and up | 1 1/8 miles, dirt |
| Thu, Nov 26 | Cardinal | Listed | $300,000 | Fillies and mares, three and up | 1 1/8 miles, turf |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Clark | G2 | $700,000 | Three year olds and up | 1 1/8 miles, dirt |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Mrs. Revere | G2 | $300,000 | Three year old fillies | 1 1/16 miles, turf |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Kentucky Jockey Club | G2 | $400,000 | Two year olds | 1 1/16 miles, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Golden Rod | G2 | $400,000 | Two year old fillies | 1 1/16 miles, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Ed Brown | None | $225,000 | Two year olds | 6 1/2 furlongs, dirt |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Fern Creek | Listed | $225,000 | Two year old fillies | 6 1/2 furlongs, dirt |
| Sun, Nov 29 | Chilukki | G3 | $300,000 | Fillies and mares, three and up | 1 mile, dirt |
| Sun, Nov 29 | Cherokee Mile | None | $250,000 | Three year olds and up | 1 mile, dirt |
River City, Claiming Crown and Commonwealth Turf
Saturday, November 7 brings the Grade 3, $300,000 River City at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the Listed, $300,000 Bet On Sunshine at 6 furlongs on dirt. The 28th Claiming Crown takes over Saturday, November 14, with nine starter allowance races worth $1.2 million, plus the Listed, $300,000 Dream Supreme for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs. The Grade 3, $300,000 Commonwealth Turf for three year olds at 1 1/16 miles follows on Saturday, November 21.
Thanksgiving, Clark Day and Stars of Tomorrow II
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, features the Grade 3, $300,000 Falls City on dirt and the Listed, $300,000 Cardinal on turf, both for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles, with first post at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Black Friday, November 27, is Clark Day. The Grade 2, $700,000 Clark at 1 1/8 miles on dirt is the richest race of the meet, and the day is usually the best attended and most bet card of the fall. The Grade 2, $300,000 Mrs. Revere for three year old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf shares the card.
Saturday, November 28 is Stars of Tomorrow II, another card built for two year olds. It carries the Grade 2, $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club and the Grade 2, $400,000 Golden Rod, both at 1 1/16 miles on dirt with Derby and Oaks points on offer, plus the $225,000 Ed Brown and $225,000 Fern Creek at 6 1/2 furlongs. Last year’s 12 race version handled a meet best $13.6 million.
Closing day, Sunday, November 29, has the Grade 3, $300,000 Chilukki and the $250,000 Cherokee Mile, both at a mile on dirt, plus the mandatory Derby City 6 payout.
Bet the Churchill Downs Fall Meet 2026 With MyWinners
Sunday’s Street Sense and Rags to Riches hand out the first Derby and Oaks points of the meet, and the five weeks that follow build to the Clark and the Kentucky Jockey Club. Connecticut residents can bet every day of the Churchill Downs fall meet 2026 online through MyWinners, and our Breeders’ Cup 2026 race schedule has every post time for the championships at Keeneland on October 30 and 31.
Only MyWinners customers in CT can currently bet Churchill Downs. Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
Image © Churchill Downs
