Iroquois Stakes (Churchill Downs) Iroquois Stakes (Churchill Downs) The Iroquois Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race which is the first graded stakes race for Thoroughbred horses on opening day at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet. This first day every fall is devoted entirely to two-year-old racing. The race is a Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season qualifying race. The winner receives 10 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. Prior to 2013 the race was run over at one mile on the dirt track, and open to juveniles only. The Grade III Iroquois currently offers a purse of $150,000. Since 2013, the
Churchill Downs Incorporated Ocean Downs in September 2018, swapping its 25 percent stake in Saratoga for Saratoga's 50 percent stake in the track. In February 2018, Churchill Downs agreed to purchase two casinos (Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania and Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg in Mississippi) from Eldorado Resorts for a total of $230 million. The purchase of the Lady Luck was later canceled because of antitrust concerns, and Churchill Downs instead agreed to buy the operations of Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin in Pennsylvania. In September 2018, the company opened Derby City Gaming, a $65-million historical racing parlor, in Louisville. In October 2018, Churchill