Season 27 ends with a bang at Churchill Downs, and Season 28 follows up with some significant changes.
Season 28 features a revamped competitive calendar, the sunset of a legacy tournament, and exciting new community-driven formats that expand opportunities across all archetypes. It is here to capitalize on the momentum Photo Finish™ LIVE has entering May.
Check out what’s new in Season 28.
Phoenix Splash Makes Bigger Waves
The Phoenix Splash Series now spans all archetypes and offers $800 in freeroll purses.
Designed for lower-tier racers, the 50–60 and 55–65 benchmark competitions are sweetened with 40 $CROWN per race and will culminate in 8f finals.
Check the Sponsored Series section for complete details.
Lineage Cup Bows Out After This Season
This will be the final season for the Lineage Cup in its current form.
A staple for horses bred at the 8k and 24k levels, the Cup will ride off into the sunset after Season 28.
More information is forthcoming regarding how those horses will be featured going forward.
Redemption Run Expanded
Following strong engagement last season, the Redemption Run for slow starters is expanding.
This season features LD and RT getting their own series each with a 7f final. RD is expanding to have two different finals, one at 7f and one at 11f, giving options to even more horses within the archetype. A reminder that the Redemption run races individually do not have a purse. You’re racing for points towards the $1,000 freeroll at the end of the season.
That means all races are purely to qualify for the prize-packed finals.
PAUSED: Kingmaker for Age 3+
With dwindling participation, the Age 3+ Kingmaker Series will take a break in Season 28.
Juvenile Kingmakers remain on the schedule, and a reimagined format for older racers is expected to debut in Season 29.
Graded Leaderboard Retired
A significant structural update: the G1/G2/G3 graded leaderboard will be removed this season.
All other leaderboards remain active and unchanged.
Breeding & Sponsored Series Updates
Bukidnon Breeder’s Bonanza
Kicking off with strong community support from La Jolla Fields, Bukidnon Farms, and House of Zedge, this Day 1 spectacle features:
- 10f | 6k Derby Buy-in | $250+ prize pool
- An extra $250 to the top archetype by breed volume
- The top 13 breeders per archetype receive WL entries.
- 5 additional spots via 8k Derby sponsorships
- 1 slot for the top Redemption Run stable (4 next season)
- New this season: 3k Derby buy-in S-Stakes race for each archetype with a $50 overlay
Claim to Fame Returns
High-stakes claimers are back, thanks to House of Zedge, running at 5f, 8f, and 10f for Juvenile and 3+ divisions:
- $28k tag = 4/3/2/1 pts
- $14k tag = 2/1 pts
- Final Sunday Showdown: $500 overlay per race
Horse Pilled Series Evolves
Now tied to Saturday Twitter Space Showcases, the Horse Pilled Series ends with 7f and 11f finals, sponsored by Big Brain Fairgrounds.
- A-/SS- Allowance (3+)
- $200 Final Purse
