Churchill Downs announced Friday that Turfway Park Racing & Gaming’s Holiday Meet will return with record overnight purses when racing begins Wednesday, Dec. 3 and continues through Saturday, Dec. 27.
The 2025 meet will feature unprecedented $100,000 maiden special weight purses and allowance races worth up to $106,000, marking a significant increase in the Kentucky track’s purse structure.
Highlighting the meet is the second annual Synthetic Championships on Saturday, Dec. 13, which will showcase four stakes contests worth a combined $1 million.
“We’re excited to offer horsemen these record purse levels during our Holiday Meet,” said a Churchill Downs representative in the announcement.
The stakes schedule includes three new events alongside the Synthetic Championships, bringing the total stakes purses to $1.375 million for the December racing calendar.
Daily purses will exceed $600,000 (excluding extras and substitute races), representing one of the most lucrative winter racing opportunities in North America for horses competing on synthetic surfaces.
Turfway Park’s Tapeta synthetic surface has become increasingly important in the winter racing landscape, offering a consistent racing surface when many dirt tracks face weather-related challenges.
The complete stakes schedule and racing calendar will be released in the coming weeks, according to track officials.
Horsemen interested in stabling at Turfway for the Holiday Meet can contact the racing office for application details and deadlines.
