Kentucky Regulator Approves 2015 Race Dates

While the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission plans to meet with racetrack officials to formulate a plan on race dates after 2015, at its regular Oct. 21 meeting at the Kentucky Horse Park the KHRC did approve a schedule for next season that kept in place an agreement on September dates made by Churchill Downs, Kentucky Downs, and Ellis Park.

Commission members raised concerns about three overlapping Saturday race dates in September, one between Kentucky Downs and Ellis early in the month and two between Kentucky Downs and Churchill later in the month. The approved plan will see Kentucky Downs offer five race dates in September, three on Saturday and two on weekdays while Churchill offers 11 race dates in the month.

No Extra Days for Kentucky Downs in 2015

KHRC Chairman Bob Beck said the commission plans to begin meetings in January with tracks to hammer out a plan on race dates for 2016 and going forward.

"This was the best we came up with this year," Beck said of the 2015 schedule. "Recognizing that there are some questions there, we'll go to the tracks beginning in January 2015. We'll get together and try to do some creative thinking and have some discussion on where we should be on these dates." 

Keeneland released a statement after the meeting voicing concerns with the 2015 schedule and calling for changes in 2016.

"It is Keeneland's considered opinion that an August-September schedule of racing dates can be established which is far superior to the 2015 schedule in the following respects: synchronizing better with race meetings held outside and within the commonwealth; minimizing negative effects on pari-mutuel racing with all of Kentucky's tracks; eliminating competition for horses and riders that diminishes the quality of racing at other racetracks, maximizes revenues to the state, and enhances rather than detracts from the stability of the racing circuit within the commonwealth."

Keeneland said it looks forward to working to improve the racing schedule for 2016 and beyond.

For 2015 Keeneland picked up three days to its fall meet, to accommodate the 2015 Breeders' Cup, which will be Oct. 30-31, and one additional day that final week of October.

Churchill Downs will run the same 38 dates in the spring that it ran last year, of course highlighted by the 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) set for Saturday, May 2. In part to accommodate Keeneland's Breeders' Cup schedule, Churchill Downs requested five fewer race dates for its fall meet, scheduled at 21 days in 2015.

Kentucky Downs had originally requested seven September race dates, including all four Saturdays during the month, but after talks with the other tracks, revised that to five days, the same as this year. It was granted those five race dates. Kentucky Downs will shift from three weekdays and two Saturdays this year, to two weekdays and three Saturdays in 2015.

Turfway Park requested and received four additional race dates for 2015, up to 39. The track also was approved for nine optional dates in 2016. 

Ellis Park increased its dates request by two days for 2015, up to 31, along with four optional dates.

In all, Kentucky tracks were approved for 195 race dates in 2015, up from the 193 approved for this year; along with 14 optional dates, up from 12 this year.

The KHRC also approved race dates for Standardbred tracks. Keeneland officially announced it has reached an agreement to purchase Thunder Ridge in a deal that no longer involves casino owner Full House Resorts.. Keeneland chief operating officer Vince Gabbert said as of Oct. 21 the plan is to race the 15 dates approved for Thunder Ridge in 2015 and then close the Prestonsburg track.

Keeneland plans to use that race license to open a Quarter Horse track in Corbin, near the Tennessee border, that also would offer Instant Racing. Gabbert said if Keeneland officials decide not to race at Thunder Ridge in 2015, or reduce the schedule, they will inform the KHRC.

Beck noted that Keeneland's plans to transfer the license will face KHRC scrutiny at a later date.

Keeneland Reaches Agreement on Thunder Ridge

In other ownership news, Beck said the commission is reviewing Turfway Park part-owner Caesars Entertainment Corp., because of the publicly disclosed financial problems faced by the company.