‘A new idea for our sport.’ Lexington track announces creation of Red Mile Million.

The Red Mile is taking a page from Thoroughbred racing’s Pegasus World Cup to create a massive day of Standardbred racing for fans in Lexington.

Kentucky’s first-ever $1 million race for harness horses — labeled the Red Mile Million — has been scheduled for Sept. 29, 2019, at the Red Mile.

The Red Mile Million will be part of a $3 million day of racing at the track on that date.

Like the Pegasus World Cup, which debuted in 2017, owners will purchase slots in the Red Mile Million.

“This is a new idea for our sport,” said John Campbell of the Hambletonian Society, which teamed with the Red Mile and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to create the new event. “With 10 slots to be acquired for $100,000 each, the race for 2-year-old trotters will be a signature event for The Grand Circuit at The Red Mile going forward. There is already tremendous interest from our racing community.”

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Executive Director Marc Guilfoil noted in the same news release that the new card at the Red Mile, which will also include eight $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship races, will be the second-richest race day in the commonwealth, trailing only Kentucky Derby Day.

Joe Costa, president of the Red Mile, said the Red Mile Million is not only intended to attract the world’s best 2-year-old trotters to Lexington but, “more than that, it is intended to attract fans and guests to our exciting new entertainment destination.”