Churchill Downs Amends Claiming Rules

Churchill Downs announced Sept. 14 new “House Rules” for claiming horses.

The new agreement contains three main points: 

The licensed trainer for a claimant “must have made a start” at the current Churchill Downs meet or in Kentucky since July 7, 2023, which was the start of the Ellis Park meet. 

Additionally, a claimed horse “may not race outside of Kentucky for 60 days” following whichever comes first—the last date of the meet during which the horse was claimed or January 1, 2024.

The claimant, or the licensed trainer representing the claimant, needs to have a signed claiming agreement on file at the Churchill Downs racing office prior to the claim. 

The track states that the claimant is “responsible for relaying the CDRT House Rules to any owner, trainer, or other person associated with horses controlled” by the claimant and “ensuring compliance with the same.”

This is not the first attempt at changing rules within the state. 

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission rules committee in February 2022 approved a recommendation that imposes “jail time” for horses claimed at Kentucky meets. That involved requiring connections who claim a horse in Kentucky that want to race outside of the state to wait 30 days from the date of the end of the Kentucky meet where the horse was claimed.