Kentucky Downs U.S. Open of Turf Championships 2026 Betting Guide
Kentucky Downs kicks off the richest stretch of the American turf calendar this week, and the U.S. Open of Turf Championships is the reason why. The all turf track in Franklin, Kentucky spreads $37 million in total purses across seven race days between August 29 and September 9, and the meet's marquee stretch lands right now. Saturday brings the $3 million Nashville Derby and $2 million Kentucky Turf Cup on a two hour NBC and Peacock broadcast, Labor Day carries the $2 million Mint Millions, and the $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks closes the U.S. Open on Wednesday, September 9. Twenty stakes worth $25.75 million run across the meet, and two of them, the Kentucky Turf Cup and the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, double as Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Win and You're In qualifiers. Here is what we are watching and betting across all four days.
Nashville Derby Invitational, Saturday, September 5
The Nashville Derby is the second richest race for three year olds in North America behind only the Kentucky Derby, and this year's $3 million renewal at 1 5/16 miles on the turf drew a full field of 12. Aidan O'Brien sends over Causeway as the 5/2 favorite with Ryan Moore aboard, and the colt arrives on real European classic form, having won both the Gallinule Stakes and the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer. Hugo Palmer's Glacius sits second in the market at 4/1 with Luis Saez taking the ride, and Andreas Wohler's German raider Gostam is next at 6/1 under Antonio Fresu.
Brad Cox saddles Royal Guard at 8/1 for Florent Geroux, and Brian Lynch's Fancy Sailor is also 8/1 with Brian Hernandez Jr up. Joseph Patrick O'Brien, Aidan's son, sends Nil Bua Gan Dua over at 10/1 for Ben Curtis, giving this field the kind of international depth that has become the trademark of the U.S. Open of Turf Championships. Todd Pletcher's Versailles Road (12/1, John Velazquez) and Mark Casse's Blackmail (15/1, Javier Castellano) round out the leading order, with Royal Causeway, Caroline St. Beat, Fuzzbuster and Go Grey completing the 12 horse field at 20/1 apiece.
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Causeway | Dallas Stewart | Cristian A. Torres | 20/1 |
| 2 | Royal Guard | Brad H. Cox | Florent Geroux | 8/1 |
| 3 | Glacius (GB) | Hugo Palmer | Luis Saez | 4/1 |
| 4 | Caroline St. Beat | Miguel Clement | Tyler Gaffalione | 20/1 |
| 5 | Versailles Road | Todd A. Pletcher | John R. Velazquez | 12/1 |
| 6 | Causeway (IRE) | Aidan P. O'Brien | Ryan L. Moore | 5/2 |
| 7 | Fuzzbuster | Victoria H. Oliver | Mario Gutierrez | 20/1 |
| 8 | Fancy Sailor | Brian A. Lynch | Brian J. Hernandez Jr. | 8/1 |
| 9 | Gostam (GER) | Andreas Wohler | Antonio Fresu | 6/1 |
| 10 | Go Grey | Michael J. Maker | Jose L. Ortiz | 20/1 |
| 11 | Nil Bua Gan Dua | Joseph Patrick O'Brien | Ben Curtis | 10/1 |
| 12 | Blackmail | Mark E. Casse | Javier Castellano | 15/1 |
Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational, Saturday, September 5
The $2 million Kentucky Turf Cup runs the same afternoon at a mile and a half, and it carries Breeders' Cup Turf Win and You're In status, meaning the winner earns a fees paid spot in the $5 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland on October 31. Ian Wilkes' Burnham Square heads the market at 2/1 with Brian Hernandez Jr aboard, but the story of this race is Ethical Diamond.
Willie Mullins' Irish raider stunned the field in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar, winning at 27/1, and he arrives sharp after taking the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on August 6 by a nose. He is 3/1 here with Ryan Moore doing double duty in the saddle, marking Mullins' first runner at a track his own father won at back in 1990. Defending champion Ole Crazy Bone returns at 8/1 for trainer Michael Maker, who has now won this race six times, and the gelding's path from claiming ranks to graded stakes winner remains one of the best stories in the sport. Mark Prescott's Tiffany and Ed Walker's Fort George both sit at 9/2, with Todd Pletcher's Dresden Row at 12/1 under Tyler Gaffalione.
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiffany (IRE) | Sir Mark Prescott | Luke Morris | 9/2 |
| 2 | Desvio | Madison F. Meyers | John R. Velazquez | 30/1 |
| 3 | Dresden Row | Todd A. Pletcher | Tyler Gaffalione | 12/1 |
| 4 | Eff Thirty Five | Michael J. Maker | Antonio Fresu | 30/1 |
| 5 | Layabout | Patrick L. Biancone | Keith J. Asmussen | 20/1 |
| 6 | Ethical Diamond (IRE) | William P. Mullins | Ryan L. Moore | 3/1 |
| 7 | Burnham Square | Ian R. Wilkes | Brian J. Hernandez Jr. | 2/1 |
| 8 | Ole Crazy Bone | Michael J. Maker | Jose L. Ortiz | 8/1 |
| 9 | Echo Lane | Rohan G. Crichton | Luis Saez | 30/1 |
| 10 | Fort George (GB) | Ed Walker | Jamie P. Spencer | 9/2 |
The Rest of Saturday's Card
Saturday also carries the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, a $1.75 million dash over 6 furlongs on the turf and the other Win and You're In race on the day, sending its winner on to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Gregory Foley's Troubleshooting is the 3/1 favorite with Tyler Gaffalione back aboard, Jose Garoffalo's Okiro sits at 6/1 for Joe Bravo, and Mark Casse's My Boy Prince is 9/2 with John Velazquez riding. Rob Atras' John the Beer Man rounds out the leading order at 4/1 under Kendrick Carmouche. All three of Saturday's marquee races run inside the same broadcast window, with NBC and Peacock live from 3pm ET, so this is genuinely one card to build a full afternoon of betting around.
Table Turf Spring Runners
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Troubleshooting | Gregory D. Foley | Tyler Gaffalione | 3/1 |
| 2 | We're in Trouble | Michael W. McCarthy | Yedsit Hazlewood | 30/1 |
| 3 | Mondogetsbuckets | Chris M. Block | Florent Geroux | 12/1 |
| 4 | Beach Gold | Patrick L. Biancone | Keith J. Asmussen | 20/1 |
| 5 | Quereme Pass (ARG) | Jose Francisco D'Angelo | Luis Saez | 15/1 |
| 6 | Possiblemente | Joe Sharp | Jose L. Ortiz | 10/1 |
| 7 | Usually Wrong | Robertino Diodoro | Geovanni Franco | 12/1 |
| 8 | Okiro | Jose Garoffalo | Joe Bravo | 6/1 |
| 9 | Golden Afternoon | Nicholas Vaccarezza | Jaime A. Torres | 15/1 |
| 10 | My Boy Prince | Mark E. Casse | John R. Velazquez | 9/2 |
| 11 | John the Beer Man | Rob Atras | Kendrick Carmouche | 4/1 |
| 12 | Durante | David Jacobson | Ben Curtis | 30/1 |
Mint Millions Invitational, Monday, September 7
Labor Day brings the $2 million Mint Millions to Kentucky Downs, a Grade 3 test over a mile on the turf for horses three years old and up. Ten are entered, headed by Cherie DeVaux's Brilliant Berti for Brian Hernandez Jr, Michael Maker's Chasing the Crown for Ben Curtis, and Steven Asmussen's Lagynos for Jose Ortiz. Saffie Joseph Jr sends the Chilean import Gran Oriente over for Tyler Gaffalione, and Richard Hannon Jr's Irish shipper Haatem runs under Jamie Spencer, another European runner testing Kentucky Downs' European style layout. Morning line odds had not been posted as of this preview, so check MyWinners closer to post for updated prices.
Monday also happens to be one of the busiest betting days of the entire year, with Saratoga's and Del Mar's closing days and the $3 million All American Futurity all sharing the calendar, so treat the Mint Millions as one leg of a very full Labor Day card rather than the whole story.
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quatrocento | Fausto Gutierrez | Julien R. Leparoux |
| 2 | Brilliant Berti | Cherie DeVaux | Brian J. Hernandez Jr. |
| 3 | Facteur Cheval (IRE) | Jerome Reynier | Joel Rosario |
| 4 | Haatem (IRE) | Richard Hannon Jr. | Jamie P. Spencer |
| 5 | Mi Bago | Mark E. Casse | Luis Saez |
| 6 | Giocoso | J. Keith Desormeaux | Jaime A. Torres |
| 7 | Chasing the Crown | Michael J. Maker | Ben Curtis |
| 8 | Gran Oriente (CHI) | Saffie A. Joseph Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 9 | Formidable Man | Michael W. McCarthy | Flavien Prat |
| 10 | Lagynos | Steven M. Asmussen | Jose L. Ortiz |
Morning line odds were not posted as of publication.
Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational, Wednesday, September 9
The U.S. Open of Turf Championships wraps on Wednesday, September 9 with the $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks, a Grade 3 test for three year old fillies bred in Kentucky at 1 5/16 miles. Fields for the final day of the U.S. Open had not been drawn as of this preview. Last year's renewal came down to a Brad Cox stable entry, with Fionn holding off fellow Cox trainee Destino d'Oro, and Cox has been a consistent presence in this spot, so watch for his name again once entries drop.
Our Best Bets for Kentucky Downs This Week
Our top play of the week is Ethical Diamond in the Kentucky Turf Cup. A reigning Breeders' Cup Turf champion at 3/1 with Ryan Moore back in the saddle is exactly the kind of price we look for at a track that has rewarded European class over American speed figures for years. In the Nashville Derby, we are behind Causeway on top given his Royal Ascot form this summer, and we like pairing him with Glacius underneath given Hugo Palmer's colt has been knocking on the door at this level all season. In the Turf Sprint, Troubleshooting's figures hold up best on paper at 3/1, but Okiro at 6/1 offers real value if the pace gets contested up front.
How to Bet Kentucky Downs This Week
Kentucky Downs only runs this meet once a year, and with four days of graded and invitational stakes worth roughly $9 million between Saturday and Wednesday, this is one of the richest single weeks on the entire American racing calendar.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the marquee stretch of Kentucky Downs' 2026 meet, running from Saturday, September 5 through Wednesday, September 9. The headline races are the $3 million Nashville Derby and $2 million Kentucky Turf Cup on Saturday, the $2 million Mint Millions on Labor Day Monday, and the $2 million Dueling Grounds Oaks on the closing Wednesday.
The Nashville Derby Invitational runs Saturday, September 5 at Kentucky Downs. It carries a $3 million purse at 1 5/16 miles on the turf for three year olds, making it the second richest race for that age group in North America behind only the Kentucky Derby.
Ian Wilkes' Burnham Square is the 2/1 market leader with Brian Hernandez Jr aboard. Reigning Breeders' Cup Turf champion Ethical Diamond, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ryan Moore, sits close behind at 3/1 after his upset win at Del Mar last year.
The Kentucky Turf Cup and the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint both carry Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Win and You're In status in 2026. The Turf Cup winner earns a fees paid spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, and the Turf Sprint winner advances to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, both at Keeneland on October 31.
You can bet online at app.mywinners.com, through the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or in person at any MyWinners or Winners venue in Connecticut. Online betting is open to all customers 18 and up, not just Connecticut residents.
