Churchill Downs Incorporated Announces Exciting Changes to Kentucky Derby Week Racing
Rhea-AI Summary
Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN) announced the 152nd Spring Meet at Churchill Downs Racetrack will run nine weeks from April 25 to June 28, 2026 with 44 racing days. Derby Week runs April 25–May 2, 2026, and includes the 152nd Kentucky Oaks (May 1, 8–9 PM ET primetime) and the 152nd Kentucky Derby (May 2).
The Kentucky Oaks purse is $1.5 million and the Kentucky Derby purse is $5 million. Derby Week returns Sunday racing on April 26, the first Sunday during Derby Week since 2010.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Peers show mixed moves: gains in DKNG (+1.76%), SBET (+3.19%), modest changes in SGHC and RSI, and a decline in LNW (-4.2%), suggesting CHDN’s 0.74% rise is stock-specific.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20 | New venue opening | Positive | -2.9% | Announced Marshall Yards Racing & Gaming opening with 225 historical racing machines. |
| Jan 12 | Casino redevelopment plan | Positive | -2.0% | Unveiled Rockingham Grand Casino expansion to 160,000 sq ft with 825 machines and tables. |
| Jan 07 | Earnings call invitation | Neutral | +2.0% | Set dates for Q4 and full-year 2025 results release and investor conference call. |
| Oct 22 | Racetrack capital project | Positive | -0.4% | Announced Victory Run premium seating project at Churchill Downs Racetrack for Derby future. |
| Oct 22 | Q3 2025 earnings | Positive | -0.4% | Reported record Q3 2025 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA with higher adjusted net income. |
Recent positive development and growth announcements have often been followed by short-term share price declines, indicating a tendency for the stock to sell off or consolidate after upbeat news.
Over the last several months, CHDN has focused on growth and property enhancement. It announced the Victory Run premium project with a planned $280–300M investment and reported record Q3 2025 net revenue of $683.0M and Adjusted EBITDA of $262.3M. The company also detailed a major redevelopment of Casino Salem with $180–200M in expected capital spending and the grand opening of Marshall Yards on February 25, 2026. Today’s Kentucky Derby Week scheduling update fits into this pattern of expanding and optimizing its racing and event portfolio.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement outlines a more structured and event-rich 2026 Kentucky Derby Week, including a 9-week Spring Meet, 44 racing days, and primetime coverage for the $1.5M Kentucky Oaks and $5M Kentucky Derby. In recent months, CHDN has also pursued significant capital projects and property expansions, highlighting a growth-focused strategy. Investors may monitor future disclosures on attendance, wagering, and hospitality performance to gauge how these schedule changes affect the company’s broader operations.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
152nd Spring Meet at Churchill Downs Racetrack Will Kick Off April 25, 2026
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) announced today exciting changes to 152nd Spring Meet and Derby Week racing. The 152nd Spring Meet at the historic Churchill Downs Racetrack will span nine weeks from April 25 to June 28, 2026, and feature 44 racing days. Derby Week will run from April 25 to May 2, 2026.
Exciting events for 2026 include:
- On the afternoon of April 25, 2026, the 152nd Spring Meet and Kentucky Derby Week will kick off with Opening Day activities including the celebration of the post-position draws for the 152nd Kentucky Oaks and Derby races.
- On April 26, 2026, racing will be held for the first time on a Sunday of Derby Week since 2010. Sunday Funday will feature brunch options around the track for guests to enjoy.
- On April 27, 2026, guests can watch Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders train during Dawn at the Downs while enjoying a delicious buffet breakfast in the Stakes Room or Millionaires Row.
- On April 28, 2026, 502’sDay will showcase Louisville’s community spirit.
- On April 29, 2026, Winsday will showcase our support for the Community Foundation of Louisville and local nonprofits.
- On April 30, 2026, Thurby will be a high energy celebration of Kentucky’s rich heritage and traditions with premier racing and elevated hospitality.
- On May 1, 2026, the 152nd Kentucky Oaks will be held for the first time ever between 8 and 9 p.m. ET during primetime on NBC and Peacock with a spectacular twilight finish for a legendary day of racing. The Kentucky Oaks features thoroughbred racing’s best 3-year-old fillies with a
$1.5 million purse for the race. The pageantry and traditions of the Kentucky Oaks are centered around fashion and women’s health advocacy. - The 152nd Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 2. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series with a 1 ¼-mile race for the world’s top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds and a
$5 million purse for the race. The Kentucky Derby will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
“We are looking forward to a thrilling, fun-filled week of racing that will culminate with the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “With the Spring Meet and Kentucky Derby Week kicking off on Saturday afternoon and the return of Sunday racing during Derby Week for the first time in 16 years, we will once again deliver an iconic week of racing for our guests and our fans watching on NBC.”
Tickets for the 152nd Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby are available by visiting www.KentuckyDerby.com and www.DerbyExperiences.com or by calling (502) 636-4447.
Tickets for Kentucky Derby Week are available by visiting https://www.kentuckyderby.com/derbyweek.
About Churchill Downs Racetrack
Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September and Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com.
About Churchill Downs Incorporated
Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) has been creating extraordinary entertainment experiences for over 150 years, beginning with the company’s most iconic and enduring asset, the Kentucky Derby. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, CDI has expanded through the acquisition, development, and operation of live and historical racing entertainment venues, the growth of online wagering businesses, and the acquisition, development, and operation of regional casino gaming properties. www.churchilldownsincorporated.com
This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “scheduled,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions), although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the following: the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather, including as a result of climate change; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers’ confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit, including the impact of inflation; changes in, or new interpretations of, applicable tax laws or rulings that could result in additional tax liabilities; the impact of any pandemics, epidemics, or outbreaks of infectious diseases, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; negative shifts in public opinion regarding gambling that could result in increased regulation of, or new restrictions on, the gaming industry; loss of key or highly skilled personnel, as well as general disruptions in the general labor market; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation that competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine and historical racing machine ("HRM") manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; failure to enter into or maintain agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully focus on market access and retail operations for our sports betting business and effectively compete; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach including customers’ personal information could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; costs of compliance with increasingly complex laws and regulations regarding data privacy and protection of personal information; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; inability to identify, complete, or fully realize the benefits of our proposed acquisitions, divestitures, development of new venues or the expansion of existing facilities on time, on budget, or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; cost overruns and other uncertainties associated with the development of new venues and the expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including risks related to environmental liabilities; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other similar laws and regulations, or applicable anti-money laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card or debit card use; work stoppages and labor problems; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; increases to interest rates (due to inflation or otherwise); disruption in the credit markets or changes to our credit ratings may adversely affect our business; increase in our insurance costs, or inability to obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and any inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events; and other factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
| Investor Contact: Sam Ullrich (502) 638-3906 Sam.Ullrich@kyderby.com | Media Contact: Jeanna Burkhead Cunningham (502) 678-5785 Jeanna.Cunningham@kyderby.com |
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a3d439a4-78be-4f3d-b49c-ed5ba5a2d1d5
This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.
FAQ
When is Churchill Downs (CHDN) holding the 152nd Spring Meet and Derby Week in 2026?
What are the purse amounts for the 152nd Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby (CHDN)?
Why is April 26, 2026, notable during Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill Downs (CHDN)?
When will the 152nd Kentucky Oaks air and what is new about its 2026 scheduling (CHDN)?
How can investors or fans buy tickets for Kentucky Derby Week (CHDN) events in 2026?
