Thoroughbred Championship Series Expands to Include Oaks Division for Three-Year-Old Fillies
Key Highlights
- ➤TCS expands in 2027 to 10 races offering more than $22 million
- ➤Oaks Division introduces four-race series for elite three-year-old fillies
- ➤Oaks Division offers $1 million prize pool among top three final standings
- ➤Oaks winner invited to September 25 TCS Championship against top three-year-olds
- ➤All 10 TCS races will be nationally televised on NBC or FOX networks
Expert Statements
Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated
“Bringing three-year-old fillies into the Thoroughbred Championship Series is an important next step in building a season-long platform to showcase the sport’s best horses”
Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated
“By rewarding excellence and creating more opportunities for our top horses to compete on a national stage, we give fans even more reasons to follow the sport from one marquee race to the next.”
David O'Rourke, President & CEO of The New York Racing Association, Inc.
“The Oaks Division gives three-year-old fillies a championship of their own, connecting four of the best races in the sport into one points race from Louisville to Saratoga”
David O'Rourke, President & CEO of The New York Racing Association, Inc.
“And for the filly who comes out on top, it opens the door to take on the colts in September. It’s a matchup fans have always wanted to see, and now there’s a clear path to it.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky, Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) and The New York Racing Association, Inc. (“NYRA”) announced today the expansion of the Thoroughbred Championship Series (“TCS”) in 2027 to include two distinct divisions – the Derby Division and the Oaks Division. The new Oaks Division will establish a four-race series for elite three-year-old fillies, joining the previously announced six-race Derby Division for the sport’s leading three-year-olds. Together, the two divisions will encompass 10 races offering more than $22 million in purses and prizes. All 10 races will be nationally televised on NBC or FOX networks.
The Oaks Division will connect four of the sport’s most prestigious Grade 1 races for three-year-old fillies in a points-based competition, with a $1 million prize pool shared among the three highest-ranked horses in the final standings. The Oaks Division winner will also be invited to compete against the world’s best three-year-olds in the TCS Championship Race on September 25 at Churchill Downs Racetrack. In addition to any purse earnings, the filly will receive a guaranteed bonus for competing in the TCS Championship Race, which could be worth as much as $1 million if she wins.
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