Turfway Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Turfway Park is an American horse racing track located in Florence, Kentucky, a part of Cincinnati, Ohio's Kentucky suburbs. It conducts live Thoroughbred horse racing during two meets per year, and offers year-round simulcast wagering from tracks across the continent.
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[edit] History and information
The track was opened in 1959 as "Latonia Race Course," not far from the original Latonia Race Track in Covington, Kentucky which hosted Thoroughbred racing from 1883 to 1939. The older track was home to the important Latonia Derby, which rivalled the Kentucky Derby in prestige for many years, and shared many of the same horses.
The track's name was changed by then-owner Jerry Carroll in 1987. Under his leadership, Turfway changed from a small track for cheap horses to one with a major Kentucky Derby prep race, the Spiral Stakes. Though the name of the race has changed at times via sponsorship by Jim Beam Distillers and Lane's End Farm, the Spiral has continued to be a top Derby prep and has maintained its Grade II status.
The race track is also home to the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions, patterned after (and a prep for) the Breeders' Cup series. This card includes four graded stakes, including the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic. The 2005 edition took place on Saturday, September 17.
In 1999, Carroll sold the track in equal parts to lottery equipment manufacturer GTECH, gaming conglomerate Harrah's Entertainment, and the non-profit Keeneland Association, which operates the Lexington, Kentucky race track and Thoroughbred auction facility. In 2005, GTECH sold its interests to the other partners, leaving Keeneland and Harrah's with 50-50 interests.
Turfway combined with Churchill Downs and other investors to purchase Dueling Grounds Race Course near Franklin, Kentucky; Turfway now manages this track, since renamed Kentucky Downs. That transaction gives Kentucky Downs corporate ties to every other non-harness track in Kentucky, as Churchill Downs owns Ellis Park in Henderson, and Harrah's owns Bluegrass Downs in Paducah, which races quarter horses.
In 2005, Turfway Park became the first American track to install the new Polytrack synthetic racing surface. This new material drains water quickly, which also prevents freezing of the track surface (a common problem during Turfway's winter meets) and also reduces "kick back" of dirt in the faces of trailing horses and jockeys. With the installation, Turfway's track condition is always officially listed as "fast," no matter the weather.
[edit] Physical attributes
The track is a one mile Polytrack oval. The grandstand is an all-enclosed facility. The property contains stabling for many horses.
[edit] Racing
Turfway Park has the following stakes races conducted during either the fall or spring race meeting:
- The Weekend Delight Stakes
- The Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies
- The Kentucky Cup Juvenile (GIII)
- The Kentucky Cup Sprint (GIII)
- The Kentucky Cup Classic (GII)
- The Turfway Breeders Cup (GIII)
- The Marfa Stakes
- The Turfway Park Fall Championship (GIII)
- Holiday Inaugural Stakes
- My Charmer Stakes
- Praire Bayou Stakes
- Gowell Stakes
- Turfway Prevue Stakes
- Wishing Well Stakes
- Cincinnati Trophy Stakes
- Forego Stakes
- WEBN Frog Stakes
- Likely Exchange Stakes
- Dust Commander Stakes
- Valdale Stakes
- John Battaglia Memorial
- Wintergreen Stakes
- Bourbonette Breeders' Cup (GIII)
- Queen Stakes
- Rushaway Stakes
- Hansel Stakes
- Fairway Fun Stakes
- Lane's End Stakes (GII)
[edit] Trivia
- Turfway Park was the setting of the 2005 adventure/comedy movie, Racing Stripes.
