Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have announced the launch of a new Thoroughbred Championship Series aimed at revitalizing interest in thoroughbred racing beyond the Kentucky Derby. The six-race competition, set to begin in 2027, will span five months and involve three major venues: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky; Belmont Park on Long Island, New York; and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The series will feature the Kentucky Derby in May as its opening event and conclude with a championship race at Churchill Downs in September.

This collaboration between Churchill Downs and NYRA notably excludes the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing’s traditional Triple Crown. The Preakness, typically held two weeks after the Derby at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, has struggled in recent years to attract Derby winners. Trainers have often opted to skip the race due to the short turnaround time between the two events. In response to these challenges, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced on Wednesday that the Preakness Stakes will move its date eight days later, shifting from the traditional second Saturday in May to the fourth Sunday in May starting in 2027. This change aims to encourage more Kentucky Derby winners to participate. The 2027 Preakness is scheduled for May 23, with the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes moving to May 22.

This alteration will mark a break from a more than 150-year tradition of the Triple Crown schedule, which has run Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes at roughly two-to-three-week intervals in May and early June. The 2027 Belmont Stakes is set for June 5. The Maryland Jockey Club, which operates Pimlico, affirmed its commitment to maintaining the Preakness’ status as a key Triple Crown event despite the new timeline. The 2026 Preakness took place at Laurel Park during Pimlico’s ongoing renovations; the race will return to a still partly under-construction Pimlico in 2027 with limited spectator capacity.

The Thoroughbred Championship Series offers a $5 million prize pool to be awarded based on final standings, alongside standard individual race purses. Horses must compete in at least four of the six races to qualify for the championship prize, though this requirement may be adjusted as the series progresses. The lineup for the inaugural 2027 series includes the Kentucky Derby (May 1), Belmont Stakes (June 5), Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs (July), Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga (July or August), Travers Stakes at Saratoga (late August), and the final championship event at Churchill Downs in September. Broadcast rights are split between NBC, which will air races at Churchill Downs, and Fox, which will televise events at Belmont and Saratoga.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs, emphasized the intention behind the new series to engage fans with an evolving narrative and rivalries that develop across a racing season. David O’Rourke, NYRA’s president and CEO, described the series as a complement to the Triple Crown, designed to sustain fan interest in top 3-year-old horses beyond the traditional three-race arc. Though five of the last seven Kentucky Derby winners did not run in the Preakness—a major factor contributing to this initiative—the Triple Crown remains a prestigious, albeit rare, accomplishment. No horse has entered the Belmont Stakes with a chance to secure the Triple Crown since Justify in 2018.

Meanwhile, Churchill Downs’ recent attempt to acquire the intellectual property rights to the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for $85 million was matched by the State of Maryland, ensuring Churchill Downs holds no direct financial interest in the Preakness moving forward. As racing organizations chart new paths through evolving competition schedules, the future structure of the sport’s most historic events continues to be a subject of active development.