News

World War II, Korea veteran completes another year as custodian of Kentucky Downs’ jockeys quarters;
‘I don’t take any medicine, only 4 vitamins,’ he says

Ladies Marathon headlines Thursday’s closing-day card;
Legendary jockey Turcotte signs autographs at 11 a.m.

• Field sizes averaging 10.95 starters per race; 11.4 Sunday
• Autograph signing session with Turcotte benefits PDJF
• Maker wraps up training title; Geroux virtually has for jockey
• Sweeping Paddy in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf mix
• GoPro/HEROCast ‘very important first step for the future’

‘He’s so good right now, he’s King Kong,’ says Marquez.
‘If you’re going to beat him, you better go by running.’

Wins 3rd, 4th stakes of meet — all former claimers -
Oscar Nominated rolls in Dueling Grounds Derby,
Try Your Luck Dueling also romps in Grounds Oaks

‘All I can say is he’s second-best marathon horse in U.S.’

‘We share the same values: love and admiration of the beauty of grass racing, putting premium on fast horses with stamina’

‘It’s good endurance for them to go uphill and downhill’

“This horse was training unbelievable,” Mena says. “ .. He’s a tough horse. He doesn’t let horses go by.”

BetAmerica online contest Thursday benefits Old Friends; 3 seats up for grabs through Saturday’s on-track tourney

Maker also has strong contender in Greengrassofyoming

Winner stays on feet and runs down Caroline Test

‘We all agreed it was worth a shot,’ owner says

Albarado wins second stakes on opening day

Back to mile, she blasts to 3 3/4-length win over Cash Control

20-time winner Regally Ready still going strong at age 9; numbers don't always favor Ramsey; West, jockeys sign 'Ride to Win' book Saturday.

‘Now, the money is crazy. I wish I was 20 years younger'

• Barbados looking to regain form, put best foot forward
• Doyle reunited with Christie’s Ready in Ladies Turf
• Cox sends out live shots in Cash Control, Almasty
• Ancient Warfare can add to Casse’s big year with 2-year-olds

Saturday’s Ky. Downs opener:
At least 12 entries in 9 of 10 races, including three stakes
‘It sets the tone for a great meet,’ track president says

Colebrook has ‘bunch of irons in fire’ for Kentucky Downs opening card

Field sizes (10.6 per race in 2015), exacta takeout (18.25%) make it horseplayers association’s top betting product;
‘They’ve bucked every industry trend. No track has done that in so short a time period,’ says HANA president Jeff Platt

With one month to go until Kentucky Downs’ unique five-date race meet boasting America’s most lucrative purses, fans can order tickets online to ensure their place in the Finish Line and Turf Club tents.

Enhancing what already is American racing’s most lucrative purse program, Kentucky Downs is offering an additional $600,000-plus into its 2016 overnight races and stakes for its unique five-date, all-grass meet in September.

Jockey Florent Geroux believes that Da Big Hoss, winner of last September’s $600,000 Kentucky Turf Cup (G3) at Kentucky Downs, can compete with any horse in the country at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Kentucky Downs is pleased to announce the addition of five-time Eclipse Award winning writer Jennie Rees to its live racing team as Director of Publicity for the 2016 season.

Kentucky Downs welcomed two new retirees to the Old Friends at Kentucky Downs retirement facility last week.

Kentucky Downs wants to congratulate our lucky but shy winner who won over $80,000 playing one of our $5 Triple Cherry Pop machines.

After turning in impressive performances at Kentucky Downs in September, a number of quality runners now look to make their mark on racing’s biggest stage next weekend during the 2015 Breeders’ Cup to be run at historic Keeneland Racecourse.****

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., 35 miles north of Nashville, Tenn., has earned reaccreditation from the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

Kentucky Downs has named Ted Nicholson Vice President. Nicholson had been consulting with the company on their 2015 racing season prior to being named to this permanent position.

Kentucky Downs ended its 2015 racing season with record numbers in every significant category, including starters per race, handle per race, and total purses paid. Starters per race averaged 10.6, up from 10.18 in 2014.

The final day of live racing at Kentucky Downs supported a worthy cause and added a variety of fair-like events and attractions to an exceptional closing-day card, which was highlighted by four stakes.

Kentucky Downs paid tribute to Thoroughbred aftercare today by hosting “Old Friends Day”, a 13-race card celebrating the retirement facility in Georgetown, KY that is home to over 100 pensioned ex-racers.

On Wednesday, September 16 Kentucky Downs is proud to host the inaugural running of the $150,000 Old Friends Stakes Sponsored by Tribute® Equine Nutrition.

It was Da Big Hoss for the big win at Kentucky Downs today as the Mike Maker trainee captured the $600,000 Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup, the jewel in the crown of the Franklin oval’s live racing meet.

Because of heavy overnight rains that left its turf course officially “yielding,” Kentucky Downs canceled the final eight races on its 10-race program Thursday, including both divisions of the One Dreamer Stakes.

Hot temperatures, world-class turf racing and a fair-like atmosphere characterized Franklin-Simpson Day at Kentucky Downs as the oval’s five-day live meet got underway this afternoon.

Fasig-Tipton, America’s oldest Thoroughbred auction company, has signed on to be title sponsor of two $300,000 distaff turf stakes to be presented Saturday, September 19 as part of “Fasig-Tipton Ladies Day” at Kentucky Downs.

Horsemen will have the opportunity to pledge a percentage of their total earnings to Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) during the September race meet at Kentucky Downs. The pledge drive, called Horsemen Giving Back will begin on Saturday, September 5, opening day at the Franklin, Kentucky track.

Encore Racing Based Games (RBG) has signed on as the new title sponsor of the $300,000 Encore Juvenile Fillies at Kentucky Downs. The race will be contested on opening day – Saturday September 5 – at the Franklin, Kentucky all-turf Thoroughbred track. First post time on Saturday is 1:35 p.m. (CDT) and the Encore Juvenile Fillies is scheduled to go off at 4:35 p.m. (CDT) as the seventh race on the ten race live card.

The 24th season of live racing at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, KY, will kick off Saturday with a 10-race card contested over North America’s only European-style turf course.

Kentucky Downs recorded $8,425,830 in pari-mutuel handle on historical horse racing from June 29 to July 5, to set an all-time weekly record, besting the old mark of $8,332,610, set Feb. 24 to March 2, 2014. The record business levels followed Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) approval of 10 new wagers from the Encore system at its meeting on June 29. Kentucky Downs began using the Encore terminals and wagers on April 2.