Kentucky Downs Seeks Seven Race Days for 2015
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Kentucky Downs, which just wrapped up its 2014 meet with record pari-mutuel handle and average field size in excess of 10 horses per race, will request two additional racing days for next September, according to information filed with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
After it averaged $948,905 in purses per day over five days, Kentucky Downs would like to race seven days in September 2015. It also has requested to serve as host track for 12 days in September; a host track in Kentucky retains a larger share of simulcast revenue.
According to a proposed 2015 calendar, Kentucky Downs wants to run all four Saturdays and three of four Wednesdays next September. The first Saturday, Sept. 5, would overlap with Ellis Park, and the final three of the month with Churchill Downs.
Churchill, meanwhile, again has requested 12 racing days for September and wants to be host track from Sept. 8-30. Kentucky Downs and Churchill clashed last year over host dates for 2014, and the same is expected when the KHRC race dates committee meets Sept. 30 to consider next year's schedule.
Keeneland has requested an additional five days for October 2015 because it will host the Breeders' Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31. Thus, according to the initial proposal, the November meet at Churchill would be reduced by five days, from 26 this year to 21 next year.
Turfway Park has requested four more live racing days (up to 39) for 2015 as well as nine optional days. Turfway proposes to race three days a week from January through March; in 2014 the track raced only two days a week in March. It also would race four days a week in December.
Ellis Park is seeking 31 programs, up two from this year. The track would race mostly three days a week from July through early September.
The spring dates requests for Keeneland and Churchill are standard, with Churchill running five days the week of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and four for the rest of the meet.