Kentucky Downs facts for kids

Kentucky Downs is a special place for Thoroughbred horse racing. It is located right on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, in a city called Franklin, Kentucky. You can find it easily near Interstate 65.

What makes Kentucky Downs unique is its race track. Unlike most American tracks, it is not oval-shaped. Also, its surface is all grass, called turf, instead of dirt. This European-style course makes it very different and exciting.

In 2009, a group called the Horseplayers Association of North America ranked 65 horse racing tracks. Kentucky Downs was rated as the second-best track in all of North America.

History of Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Downs first opened in 1990. It was originally called Dueling Grounds Race Course. This name came from the farm where the track was built. The farm was a famous spot for duels in the 1800s.

Dueling was against the law in Tennessee but not in Kentucky. So, people would cross the border to fight duels there. Even famous people like Sam Houston took part in a duel on this land. Dueling stopped in 1827.

When the track first opened, it only held steeplechase races. These races involve horses jumping over fences. In 1992, the fences were removed, and the track switched to flat racing. This is the kind of horse racing you usually see, where horses run on a flat track.

The first steeplechase race at the track was very important. It was called the Dueling Grounds International. The prize money for this race was $750,000. This was the biggest prize in American steeplechase history at the time.

Over the years, the track faced some challenges. It had different owners and some difficult times. Because of these issues, the track even missed its races in 1997. It was also used for concerts and bingo games for a while.

In 1997, some new owners bought the track. These included Turfway Park and Churchill Downs. They changed the name to Kentucky Downs. This helped give the track a fresh start.

Return of Steeplechase Racing

Steeplechase racing came back to Kentucky Downs in 2000. There was even a special Grade II steeplechase race. But the next year, the track went back to only flat racing. Steeplechases returned again in 2008.

Kentucky Downs holds a short series of live races each year. For the rest of the year, people can still visit the track. They can bet on races happening at other tracks across the country. Many visitors come from nearby Nashville, Tennessee.

New Ownership and Instant Racing

In 2007, a new group of investors bought most of the track. This group was led by Corey Johnsen and Ray Reid. They helped manage the track and make it better.

On September 1, 2011, Kentucky Downs started something new called Instant Racing. This is a fun way to bet on horse races using special machines. It's a mix between a slot machine and betting on past races. You play at a terminal, and it uses information and videos from old races.

The live racing season in 2012 happened in September. There were five days of racing. One day was canceled because of heavy rain. The owner, Corey Johnsen, planned to have even more racing days in 2013.

Important Races at Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Downs hosts several important races each year. These are called Stakes events. Some of these races are given a Grade III rating, which means they are very important and competitive.

Grade III Races

• Franklin-Simpson Stakes
• Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes
• Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes
• Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes
• Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes

Other Important Races

• Tourist Mile Stakes

How the Track Looks

The turf course at Kentucky Downs is about 1 mile 550 yards (2.112 km) long. It has three turns. The first turn goes sharply to the left. Then, about 7 furlongs (a furlong is 1/8 of a mile) before the finish line, the track turns to the right. After that, it gently turns left into the final stretch.

Kentucky Downs is one of only two tracks in North America with a right turn. The other track is the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park. This makes Kentucky Downs very special.

TV Announcers

You might hear these people talking about the races at Kentucky Downs:

• Jon Lies (since 2007)
• Rick Lee (since 2000)