A new six-race series of races for 3-year-olds, to be conducted at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course from May to September, will debut in 2027 under a partnership between Churchill Downs Incorporated and New York Racing Association, the two organizations announced in a press release Monday. The series will begin with the GI Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and continue with the GI Belmont Stakes on June 5. Those two marquee Classic races will be followed by the Matt Winn Stakes, at Churchill on a date in July to be determined, the GII Jim Dandy Stakes in late July or early August, the GI Travers Stakes in late August, and concluding with a championship race at Churchill Downs in September.“The Thoroughbred Championship Series will extend the excitement of the sport across a five-month season,” said Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of CDI. “The Kentucky Derby introduces millions of fans to a new generation of Thoroughbred stars each year, and this series gives those fans a reason to stay engaged with the sport's biggest stars throughout the season. By connecting these premier events through one championship, we're creating a season-long storyline that benefits the future of Thoroughbred racing.”David O'Rourke, President and Chief Executive Officer of NYRA, added, “This series is designed to showcase the sport's best 3-year-olds across a season-long championship, elevating our biggest events and creating the next generation of fans. The return of the Belmont Stakes to a newly transformed Belmont Park makes this an especially exciting moment for our sport. Together with Churchill Downs and our television partners, we are building on tradition to carry the excitement of these marquee races through the entire season.”A unified points system will be designed to encourage the nation's leading 3-year-olds to compete against one another more frequently and, in addition to individual race purses, a $5-million prize pool will be awarded based on the final standings.Each race will be broadcast to a national television audience. The Churchill Downs races will air on NBC, while the NYRA races will air on FOX.CDI and NYRA will work collaboratively on the series' rules, nominations process, marketing, sponsorship, wagering opportunities and television distribution. Broadcast, sponsorship and commercial partnership details will be announced as agreements are finalized.Additional information regarding the race schedule, points system, eligibility rules, prize distribution, and branding will be released shortly.The post Churchill, NYRA Launch ‘Thoroughbred Championship Series’ for 3-Year-Olds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.