Churchill Downs's spring meeting will be headlined by 50 stakes races cumulatively worth a record $27.8-million with 22 of those black-type contests being run Kentucky Derby weekend with purses set at a record $19.1-million, the track announced Monday morning.Set to run Apr. 25 to June 28, the crown jewels of those 44 race dates will naturally be the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, the latter of which will run under the lights in prime time for the first time on the NBC broadcast. Kentucky Derby Week (Apr. 25 – May 2) will contest 22 stakes races worth $19.1-million, including nine totaling $12.05-million on Derby Day and seven at $5.55-million on Oaks Day. The Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, which annually precedes the Derby on the first Saturday in May, is now worth $1.5-million. The $500,000 boost to the 1 1/8-mile grass race for older horses is one of 16 stakes races that received a purse hike.Other spring meet highlights include Stephen Foster Preview Day with seven black-type contests May 30; Stephen Foster Day featuring seven stakes June 27; and four closing day stakes June 28. On Foster Day, the Kelly's Landing has been renamed in honor of Bango, who won 12 of his 28 career starts at Churchill between 2019-25, making him the winningest horse in the track's recorded history.Six stakes races run at Churchill Downs were upgraded in status by the American Graded Stakes Committee last December. The Shawnee and Unbridled Sidney are now distinguished as Grade II races, while the Hanshin presented by JRA and Maxfield went from Listed events to Grade III status. The Anchorage and Leslie's Lady were elevated from Black-Type to Listed races.Following its annual closure for wintertime renovations, the Churchill stable area will reopen Tuesday, Mar. 17. The first day of training on the main dirt track will be Wednesday, Mar. 18.To see a full list of the race-by-race changes, please go here.The post Purse Increases, Status Upgrades Highlight Churchill’s Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.