Ky Oaks now $1m guaranteed.

[FenceBored]

Churchill Downs announced it's Spring stakes schedule with the good news first:
The 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) at Churchill Downs will be the richest in history as the purse for America’s most prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies has been raised to $1 million guaranteed, which doubles the purse offered in 2010.
...
“There is no weekend in American racing like Kentucky Oaks and Derby Weekend, and it is exciting to raise the purse for the Oaks to a level that reflects its status and importance as a sports and entertainment event,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack.

--http://www.churchilldowns.com/news/archives/kentucky-oaks-purse-raised-1-million-guaranteed-2011-spring-stakes-list-has-25-events-

[joanied]

Yeah...they used all that money they made on bets placed in the BC Distaff on Life At Ten to raise the purse for the K. Oaks :D

[FenceBored]

Yeah...they used all that money they made on bets placed in the BC Distaff on Life At Ten to raise the purse for the K. Oaks :D

It looks like they took money stripped from the Foster (-$100k) and the four stakes they put on hiatus: Matt Winn, Fleur de Lis, Locust Grove, and Kentucky Juvenile.

Just to confuse matters (and to indicate the old Matt Winn is not just 'on hiatus') they're renaming the Northern Dancer to the Matt Winn.

[Jasonm921]

I wonder if they felt that the Black Eyed Susan Bonus was going to significantly hurt there prospects of getting top notch fillies that day. The attendance won't be affected by this move. The Fleur De Lis, I believe ran on the same day last year as 3 other filly/mare stake races in the region so that may have been prudent to place it on hiatus for a year to reevaluate where to put it on the calendar.