Kempton Park suffers Challenge Stakes blow (From This Is Local London)

Kempton Park suffers Challenge Stakes blow

10:58am Tuesday 13th October 2009

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The chance for a European-trained horse to gain an automatic entry into the Kentucky Derby has ended after Churchill Downs decided to suspend the Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park in 2010.

The race was run at the Sunbury racecourse last March, with the winner having the option of a starting place in the field of 20 horses at Churchill Downs in May.

While the winning horse, Mafaaz, did go to the USA to run in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, the colt’s owner and trainer elected not to travel to Churchill Downs to enter the colt in the Kentucky Derby. The initiative was heralded a success and welcomed by large parts of the British horse racing industry, although it did face criticism from some American trainers.

Churchill Downs Incorporated said this week that it had decided to suspend the Challenge Stakes in 2010.

Shawn Bailey, vice president, said: “Churchill Downs has decided to suspend the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes for 2010, but in no way are we discarding the concept. We were encouraged by the support and enthusiasm of European owners and trainers for the concept, and we were pleased by the very positive response by British media and fans. “The decision by Churchill Downs to suspend the race is primarily a timing issue as we are unsure that the current state of international simulcasting would allow us the best opportunity to achieve our goals of building international wagering on the Kentucky Derby along with increasing interest in the participation by European horses in our race.”

Kempton Park’s managing director Amy Starkey said: “Obviously, this is very disappointing after such a successful Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes in March, which drew a good evening crowd to the racecourse and created a buzz within the racing industry.”

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