- Churchill Downs announced their plan for Europe to compete in the Derby
- The racetrack said is creating a series of seven races in Europe
- The European horse with the most points will have the chance to participate
Eager to increase international interest in the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs is giving Europe a chance to compete in America’s greatest race next year.
The racetrack said Thursday it is creating a series of seven races in Europe separate from the 35-race ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ series in the US.
One starting spot will be awarded to the European-based horse that gains the most points and accepts an invitation to run in the May 5 race in Louisville, Kentucky.
Churchill Downs racetrack announced its plan to include a European-based horse in next years Kentucky Derby
The seven European races will award a sliding scale of points to the top four finishers.
They will also be adding a prep race, Springboard Mile, at Remington Park in Oklahoma City in the Midwest as part of its points series that decides the 20-horse field.
Last year, the track introduced a series of races for a Japan-based horse to gain entry to the Derby.
The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The race distance is one and one-quarter miles long, ran on a dirt racetrack and typically draws in about 155,000 people, according to their website.
It is the longest continually held sporting event in America and one of the most prestigious horse races in the world despite its short length.
It is referred to as ‘The most exciting two minutes in sports,’ which reflects the amount of time it takes for the winner to run from the starting gate to the finish line.
The Kentucky Derby total winning purse is $2million with 1,240,000 awarded to the first place winner.
One starting spot will be awarded to the European-based horse that gains the most points in Europe’s new seven-race series
The Kentucky Derby is ran by a 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The race distance is one and one-quarter miles long and typically draws in about 155,000 people