2015 Dates Conflict at Two Kentucky Tracks

A conflict over 2015 dates' requests for Churchill Downs and Kentucky Downs arose Sept. 30 when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's dates committee held the first of several meetings to consider the state's racing calendar.



The possibility of a conflict came early in the meeting when Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery outlined the Louisville track's proposal for a 12-day September meet that would be contingent upon it being the only Thoroughbred track operating in the state during the Sept. 10-26 period.



Kentucky Downs, the Franklin track that holds a limited, boutique all-turf meet in September has requested seven dates, including three that would overlap with Churchill—Sept. 12, 19, and 26. Kentucky Downs had record handle during its five days of live racing this year, with average daily purses of $948,905. Kentucky Downs has used revenues from "historic race wagering," a form of electronic gaming modeled after the Instant Racing concept at Oaklawn Park, to not only enhance its purse structure, but also to boost purses at other Kentucky tracks and the state's tax coffers.



During each of the last two years Churchill has raced the September dates that had traditionally been held by Turfway Park. At this year's September Churchill meet, wagering declined 16.15% and average field size fell to 7.7 horses from 8.07 per race. Track officials cited smaller foal crops and regional competition for the declines.



"We obviously have issues with horse population and making sure that everybody can fill the fields," Flanery told the committee.



Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen said his track wanted to run its "customary dates"—one of the criteria the commission uses in deciding dates-—and cited a litany of enhancements that have been made at the track located near the Kentucky-Tennessee state border.



Johnsen said Kentucky Downs had made improvements to the track and had no catastrophic injuries to any of the horses that raced there during the recent meet. Also, the track lowered its takeout rate to one of the lowest in the country and will pay about $5 million this year each to purses on the Kentucky racing circuit and in taxes.



In addition to the overlapping live racing dates' requests, Churchill and Kentucky Downs are also requesting "host track" status for some of the same dates during September 2015. Being designated the host track generates additional revenues from simulcasting for a track, a figure that Johnsen estimated could enhance a track's bottom line from $100,000 to $200,000 over the course of a week.



As a result of the conflicting requests between Churchill and Kentucky Downs and the possibility that any resolution of the matter could impact the Ellis Park meet that is proposed to conclude Sept. 7, the committee delayed action on those three tracks' proposed dates until its next meeting Oct. 14.



Committee chair Robert Beck, who also chairs the full commission, said he hoped a consensus could be reached between all parties to resolve the conflict before that meeting.

"I think we could certainly try to develop a consensus that would lead to (the) conclusion that the dates that everybody is awarded are dates that are appropriate both for the tracks and for the industry as a whole," Beck said.



Johnsen said his track's request is consistent with the criteria set by the commission in determining dates, including the customary schedule and what is in the best interests of racing in the state, and that Kentucky Downs does not intend to amend its request.



The committee did approve and pass along to the full commission for consideration at its Oct. 21 meeting the 2015 dates for two Thoroughbred tracks—Keeneland and Turfway Park—and The Red Mile harness track.

Keeneland, which will host the Breeders' Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31 next year, will have a 15-day spring meet from April 3-24 and a 20-day fall meet from Oct. 2-31.



Turfway Park will have a 39-day winter-spring meet from Jan.1-March 29 and a 15-day holiday meet from Dec. 3-31. Turfway has also requested the ability to add 10 optional days that can be used if business levels warrant the additional days.



The Red Mile will race 30 days next year, with four optional days.



The committee also did not approve requests from Thunder Ridge and Bluegrass Downs harness tracks, pending further review of their business models.



According to Beck, wagering on live racing during the 15-day meet at Bluegrass Downs totaled slightly more than $19,000 and wagering at Thunder Ridge for 21 days was a total of $653. Purses totaling more than six figures at both tracks are funded from importing Thoroughbred and harness simulcast races from other tracks.



An attorney for Thunder Ridge said there were negotiations under way in which that track would be sold to Keeneland and other parties.



Gabe Prewitt, executive director of the Kentucky Harness Horsemen's Association, told the committee that the organization had assisted Thunder Ridge financially over the years in an effort to preserve harness racing in the state. He also said there were major concerns about conditions at the track in Eastern Kentucky and track management and ownership had been unresponsive.