Churchill Downs NASDAQ: CHDN and the New York Racing Association announced plans to launch the Thoroughbred Championship Series, a six-race competition for three-year-old horses scheduled to begin in 2027.
The series, also called TCS, will connect races at three major venues over five months, beginning with the Kentucky Derby in May and continuing through the early fall. It will include the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and will conclude with a championship finale at Churchill Downs Racetrack in September.
Bill Carstanjen, chief executive officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated, said the initiative is intended to create a season-long structure that gives fans a reason to follow leading horses beyond the Kentucky Derby.
“Today’s fans experience sports differently than they did even a decade ago,” Carstanjen said. “They want stories that unfold over time. They want rivalries, standings, and meaningful competition that builds from one event to the next. They want a championship they can follow throughout an entire season.”
Under the format described during the news conference, horses will compete for standings across the six races. The eventual winner of the “Race for the Vase” will not necessarily need to win every race, or any specific individual race, but will be determined by consistent performance against top competition throughout the series.
National Broadcast Plans
David O’Rourke, president and chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association, said the series is designed to bring a playoff-style format to Thoroughbred racing and make the sport easier for broader audiences to follow.
“Our goal is straightforward: To build a true season-long competition that carries the energy of the spring classics through the summer and into the fall,” O’Rourke said.
The companies said the series will be presented to a national audience through FOX and NBC. Carstanjen said Churchill Downs appreciates NBC’s support, while also noting that both NBC and FOX have provided substantial support for racing.
O’Rourke said national coverage would help the industry tell stories around horses, jockeys and rivalries that develop through the season. He said the Triple Crown races demonstrate the public appeal of major racing events, and the new series aims to extend that attention from May into the fall.
Partnership Links Historic Venues
The partnership joins two of the largest racing organizations in the sport and connects Churchill Downs with NYRA’s New York venues, including Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
O’Rourke said NYRA is approaching “a new era” at Belmont Park, which he said is scheduled to open Sept. 18 after a three-year project intended to create a sports and entertainment destination. He contrasted the modernized Belmont venue with the historic Saratoga Race Course and said the series will link those tracks with Churchill Downs’ Twin Spires.
During the question-and-answer portion of the event, the companies characterized the arrangement as an effort to build on the organizations’ respective strengths rather than as a response to concerns over Kentucky’s position within the racing industry. The partnership, they said, is intended to modernize how the public consumes the sport by creating a connected narrative across major events and broadcast platforms.
About Churchill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN)
Churchill Downs Incorporated is a leading American entertainment and gaming company best known for operating the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, home of the annual Kentucky Derby. Beyond its signature thoroughbred racing venue, the company manages a diversified portfolio of live racing facilities, casinos, and off-track betting operations. Its services encompass pari-mutuel wagering, historical horse racing machines, and online betting through its TwinSpires platform, reaching horse racing and sports betting enthusiasts nationwide.
In its live racing segment, Churchill Downs oversees a network of racetracks and racing festivals, offering year-round events in multiple states.
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