Track Updates, Gaming Expansions Continue in Kentucky

The expansion of Kentucky racetracks and historical horse racing machines is set to remain a theme throughout 2020. Updates on all five of the state's Thoroughbred racetracks were presented at the first Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meeting of the year Feb. 18 in Lexington. 

Churchill Downs Incorporated, which purchased Turfway Park in October, has already announced plans to tear down and rebuild the existing grandstand after the current meet ends March 28. On Tuesday they announced that the current synthetic Polytrack surface at the Florence, Ky., race track will be replaced with Tapeta. The new Tapeta surface will be ready for the next race meet in December.

Churchill Downs Putting in New Synthetic Turfway Track

Mike Ziegler, CDI's executive director of racing, said at the KHRC meeting that Turfway Park still plans to build an inner dirt course, but the work on the dirt track will be pushed back about a year until after the Tapeta track is complete. Updates to backside stables will also take place after the current meet wraps up with engineers inspecting the current barns. When asked about new dormitories for backside workers, Ziegler said those are part of an extended plan but are unlikely to be installed by December.

Ziegler also spoke on the proposal for an amendment that would allow a historical horse racing facility near Turfway Park, much like CDI-owned Derby City Gaming which is near Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and has helped to increase purses. Turfway's purse average doubled to $24,000 for their 2019-20 meet thanks to accrued purse funds from Derby City Gaming that supplemented the purse structure. However, Ziegler said the supplemented funds are not a sustainable model and a new HHR facility in Northern Kentucky would provide higher purses for the winter track without supplementing from Derby City Gaming. The goal is to keep horsemen in Kentucky year-round with increased purses, field sizes, and updated facilities.

The KRHC's new general counsel, Jennifer Wolsing, who replaces John Forgy, said the amendment, regulatory, and comment period could take up to eight months without any bumps in the road.

The motion carried.

At Churchill Downs, a section of South Fourth Street has been closed to expand the backside area. Ziegler said the new equine medical center and three 16-stall quarantine barns have been built to attract more international runners during the Kentucky Derby time frame and to hopefully host the Breeders' Cup World Championships more often. He added the new quarantine barns can act as a United States Department of Agriculture-approved facility that would allow horses to ship straight into Kentucky rather than spend their 42-hour quarantine in Chicago and then ship down. No other stalls are being added on the backside.

Churchill Downs will also debut a single 20-stall starting gate for the May 2 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), eliminating the gap between the main 14-stall gate and the six-stall auxiliary gate. Ziegler said the 20-stall gate, designed and constructed by Australian-based Steriline Racing, is on the way to California from Australia. After arriving stateside it will ship to Kentucky and be constructed there. Churchill Downs will run a few races Derby week with the new gate as a trial ahead of the Kentucky Derby. 

Ziegler said Oak Grove Racing and Gaming, a Standardbred track in Oak Grove, Ky., owned by CDI and Keeneland Association, is expected to open in late summer and will host its harness meet in October. It ran a short meet last year while under construction.

Ken Mimmack, one of four board managers for Ellis Entertainment, which purchased Ellis Park in June, said the Henderson, Ky., track's plans call for a new entry, clubhouse, and HHR facility. By the end of January, the track was up to 300 HHR machines. The new facility, which is still under design, will be elevated 15 feet to sit above flood level. Ellis Park is located near the Ohio River and has previously been closed from flooding.

Ellis Park has already resurfaced the main track and replaced the water system and will get started on widening the turf course and adding track lighting. Mimmack said the widening will expand the turf course to 110 feet. The track lighting will be in place for this summer's meet and the expanded portion of the turf course will be seeded, but the new full course will not be ready until 2021.

Ellis Park is also investing in high-definition signals.

Kentucky Downs, in Franklin, Ky., near the Tennessee border, broke ground on renovations Nov. 14 since it was purchased by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone in March 2019. Ted Nicholson, senior vice president and general manager of Kentucky Downs said the main building will receive an expansion of 25,000-27,000 square feet, up from the 18,000-20,000 square feet that was originally planned, and the facility will hold 1,150-1,200 HHR machines. The initial phase is expected to be finished in August before the meet runs.

Nicholson said the second phase, which will begin after the meet ends in early September, will include a new pavilion at the finish line, a new VIP pavilion and the test barn will be improved and moved to the former location of Old Friends at Kentucky Downs. The retirees located there moved up to Old Friends' Georgetown, Ky., facility last summer.

Nicholson added that Kentucky Downs reached a deal with Equibase to use the Trakus system for its video feed and the track will have high-definition cameras this year for better production.

Keeneland, which is hosting the Breeders' Cup for the second time Nov. 6-7, is in the second year of a five-year barn renovation. The grandstand is receiving plumbing, electrical, and wireless updates, and a new admissions tracking system will be implemented for the spring meet.