Limited Attendance Authorized for Ellis Park Meet

When Ellis Park opens for its racing season July 2, it will be able to race with limited attendance, a track official said.

The Henderson, Ky., track has received authorization from state officials to begin operating at 50% capacity and will initially host patrons in its Sky Theatre, Terrace Lounge, and Turf Club. Operating under capacity restrictions, total attendance to those three locations is capped at 800 people.

There will be no general admission to begin the meet, and reservations must be made to comply with state-mandated contact tracing for the reopening of certain businesses, said Jeff Inman, the general manager of Ellis Entertainment, the parent company of Ellis Park.

"That means we at least have to have their name and phone number and coordinate with the state and local authorities," he said.

Owners and media will be allowed on the apron area of the track grounds.

These procedures will be in place for the first week of the summer meet, which runs through Aug. 30, though officials are hopeful of expanding attendance and opening for reserved grandstand seating and box areas by mid-July. After running its opening week through July 5, Ellis Park will pause for one week to allow Keeneland to stage a five-day meet without fans July 8-12. Ellis Park will resume racing July 17.

Unless Churchill Downs is given late approval to allow spectators before the close of its meet June 28, Ellis Park will be the first track in Kentucky to have attendance since racing resumed in the state with COVID-19 safety precautions. Only horsemen and essential track staff have been permitted for racing.

"We are incredibly fortunate that we are going to be the first racetrack in Kentucky to have spectators in the last three months, and we take that seriously. We want to do it right," Inman said.

The easing of restrictions that allows for partial attendance at Ellis Park coincides with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear relaxing state health orders that allow many businesses and activities to resume beginning June 29, including the opening of outdoor entertainment venues such as swimming pools and amusement parks.

Kentucky tracks have eagerly awaited when racing could resume with fans, authorization that followed historical horse racing gaming facilities being green-lighted to operate at partial capacity June 8.

The summer meet at Ellis will be highlighted by a pair of stakes-filled cards Aug. 2 and Aug. 9. Aug. 2 will mark Kentucky Downs Preview Day with five stakes, and the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby, a new qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will top the Aug. 9 program.

Purses are down for 2020, typical of most tracks operating during COVID-19. Tracks in Kentucky supplement purses with revenue generated from slot-like HHR terminals, which were closed for 2 1/2 months this spring due to COVID-19.

Purses this year range from $9,000 for bottom-level maiden claiming runners to $37,000 for Kentucky-breds in maiden special weight races. Counting state-bred incentives, allowance races are worth $38,000-$40,000.

Last year, maiden special weight races were contested for $50,000, and allowance races reached as high as $53,000. 

Ellis Park opened its backstretch June 10, and training began June 12, Inman said. Backstretch COVID-19 safety measures are similar to those at Churchill Downs, including temperature checks, Inman said.