More than two months after announcing a new six-race series of races for 3-year-olds called the “Thoroughbred Championship Series (TCS),” Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have expanded the concept to include a four-race series for 3-year-old fillies, according to a joint release from Churchill and NYRA Wednesday afternoon.The TCS will be separated into two distinct divisions, called the Derby Division and the Oaks Division. With the Derby Division detailed here, the Oaks Division for 2027 will include the Apr. 30 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill, the June 4 GI DraftKings Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park, the July 24 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course, and the Aug. 21 GI Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.Together, the two divisions featuring 10 elite races for sophomores will offer more than $22 million in purses. All 10 races will be nationally televised on NBC or FOX networks.Other specifics, directly from the release: “The Oaks Division will connect four of the sport's most prestigious Grade I races for 3-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 3-year-olds in the TCS Championship Race on Sept. 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.”CDI Chief Executive Officer Bill Carstanjen added, “Bringing 3-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. 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.”NYRA President & CEO David O'Rourke said, “The Oaks Division gives 3-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. 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.”The post CDI and NYRA Expand Thoroughbred Championship Series to Include 3-Year-Old Fillies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.