The Week in Photos for 7/8/2014
Lexie Lou, Shared Belief, Itsmyluckyday, Irish You Well, Clearly Now, and more! view slideshow
Ellis Park
News, Articles, Videos and other content about Ellis Park
Record Instant Racing Handle for Ellis Park
Since putting a new marketing plan in place for its Instant Racing games, Ellis Park has seen improvement in the business. The Kentucky track registered record monthly handle for the games at $3,024,776 in May.
Mixed Reaction to Churchill Takeout Increase
Kentucky horsemen expected backlash from Churchill Downs' decision to charge the maximum takeout rates allowed by state law, but they hope positives follow from increased purses that improve the racing product.
Churchill Downs to Increase Takeout Rates
In what it says is an effort to maintain daily purses and its stakes schedule, Churchill Downs plans to increase its takeout rate on win, place, and show bets as well as exotic wagers in 2014.
Keeneland Applies for Historical Racing
The number of historical race gaming machines in operation at Kentucky racetracks would increase substantially if the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approves requests from Keeneland Racecourse and The Red Mile.
Ellis Changing Historical Racing Operations
Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., is seeking to make changes in its historical racing operations, including removal of 50 terminals that will be sent to Kentucky Downs in Franklin.
KY Instant Racing Handle Nears $600 Million
If the monthly average holds, total wagering on historical races in Kentucky will top $600 million by the end of February. The devices have been operating in the state for 29 months.
WGOH: Spinning Wheels in Kentucky
Instant Racing may not be ideal, but it may be all Kentucky gets.
Sponsors Tout Aspects of Kentucky Casino Bill
Casinos at five racetracks in Kentucky would generate about $86 million a year for the horse industry, a sponsor of expanded gambling legislation told the House Licensing and Occupations Committee Jan. 15.
KHRC Panel Defers Action on Some 2014 Dates
A panel of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has deferred action on 2014 racing dates for Churchill Downs and Kentucky Downs to give those two tracks an opportunity to work out overlapping requests for three dates.
Status Quo for 2014 Kentucky Dates Requests
As a result of Turfway's decision not to seek September dates, the 2014 calendar requests filed by Kentucky's Thoroughbred tracks maintain the status quo of 2013, with 193 total days of racing and 13 optional dates requests.
No Pattern Seen in Ellis Park Fatalities
Regulatory veterinarians in Kentucky say there is no explanation for a spike in the number of fatalities during the recently concluded meet at Ellis Park in Henderson.
Groupie Doll Solid in Final Pre-Masters Move
Champion female sprinter Groupie Doll tightened the screws for her title defense in the Sept. 9 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (gr. II) on Sept. 3, going a half in :47 3/5 at Churchill Downs.
Total Handle Plummets at Ellis Park Meet
Compared with 2012, average all-sources handle declined 17% at the recently completed Ellis Park summer meet, a decrease the track attributes to new competition and fewer off-track outlets in the state.
KY Supreme Court Hears Instant Racing Case
Proponents and opponents of historical race wagering expressed optimism that their respective sides will prevail following a lengthy hearing before the Kentucky Supreme Court Aug. 21.
Slideshow: The Week in Photos for 8/13/2013
Saratoga, Del Mar, Monmouth Park, Woodbine, Ellis Park, Gulfstream, Wise Dan and more. view slideshow
Devious Intent Spoils Groupie Doll's Gardenia
Outsider Devious Intent at 15-1 odds spoiled the comeback effort of champion Groupie Doll after 8 1/2 months in the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) Aug. 10 at Ellis Park.
Groupie Doll Headlines Gardenia Stakes
The 32nd running of the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) at Ellis Park Aug. 10 will mark 2012 champion female sprinter Groupie Doll's 5-year-old debut.
Champion Groupie Doll to Contest Gardenia
Groupie Doll, the 2012 champion female sprinter, will make her seasonal debut Aug. 10 in the Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) at Ellis Park, according to trainer Buff Bradley.
Entry Box Strong for Ellis Park Opener July 4
Ninety-five horses were entered for the nine-race opening day card July 4 at Ellis Park, quieting concerns about how trainers would react to the condition of the dirt racing surface at the Henderson, Ky. track.
Improvements Seen in Ellis Park Surface
With the general manager of Ellis Park saying June 27 that the track is "over the hump" in its efforts to clean up an inordinate amount of rock in its dirt surface, horsemen are hopeful the problem has been corrected.
Training Resumes at Ellis Park
Training resumed at Ellis Park the morning of June 26 as management at the Henderson, Ky., track continued to deal with an inordinate amount of rock in the main dirt track surface leading up to opening day.
More Stakes, Higher Purses at Kentucky Downs
The Kentucky racetrack, which will offer live racing five days in September, released a condition book that shows more stakes and hefty overnight purses, including $90,000 for 2-year-old maiden special weight events.
Horsemen Concerned About Ellis Track Surface
Two weeks before the 29-day Ellis Park meet begins July 4, horsemen are expressing concerns about the condition of the main track and some, including prominent conditioner Larry Jones, have decided not to race at the track.
KY Historical Racing Exceeds $356 Million
Wagering on historical races, an electronic form of gaming in which the outcome is determined by the results of previously run races, continues to soar in Kentucky and has exceeded the $356 million mark through May.
KHRC Approves More Historical Racing Machines
Despite concerns voiced by one member, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved an additional 40 historical race wagering machines and additional types of games and wagers at Kentucky Downs.
Kentucky Losing OTB Network in June
Declining handle is forcing the closure of the state's only freestanding OTB network.
Ellis Park Partner Buys Colorado Casino
Saratoga Harness Racing Inc., which last year acquired an ownership interest in Ellis Park in western Kentucky, said Jan. 29 it has completed its purchase of Fitzgeralds Casino Black Hawk in Colorado.
KEEP Adds Five to Its Board
The Board of Directors of the Kentucky Equine Education Project has added five new members.
KY Supreme Court to Hear Instant Racing Case
The Kentucky Supreme Court voted Jan. 11 to take up the issue of Instant Racing at the state's racetracks.
Report: Kentucky Gov. Mulls Gaming Options
Beshear did not commit to making any proposal this year, noting that the earliest it could be put before voters would be November 2014.
New Handicapping Contest at Ellis Park in '13
Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., will host a new handicapping contest with an estimated purse of $300,000 over the Labor Day weekend in 2013.
Geary To Receive Warner L. Jones Jr. Award
Ron Geary, owner and president of Ellis Park, has been named the 25th winner of the Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award given by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners Association.
Churchill Downs Gets OK for September Dates
After last-minute horse-trading and some tough compromises, Kentucky's five Thoroughbred tracks have reached agreement on a 2013 calendar that drastically alters the traditional schedule.
Churchill Applies for September Race Dates
After much deliberating, KHRC committee members voted to reconvene at a later date to make their final recommendations for 2013 race dates in question to the full commission, which meets Oct. 17.
KY Commission Approves 30% Sale of Ellis Park
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has given unanimous approval for the sale of a 30% interest in Ellis Park racetrack to an entity controlled by Saratoga Raceway and Casino for $4 million.
Solutions Not Readily Available in Kentucky
That Turfway Park is struggling to fill live racing programs for its 16-day meet is no surprise to horsemen, who believe a "perfect storm" developed in September.
Ellis Park Has Successful 2012 Meet
Despite a closing Labor Day weekend that saw the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac inundate western Kentucky with a deluge of rain, Ellis Park concluded its 29-day meet with increases in attendance and handle.
Harness Execs Buying 30% Interest in Ellis
A newly formed entity owned by executives of Saratoga Harness Racing Inc. has received initial approval to purchase 30% of Ellis Park for $4 million.
Instant Racing Starts at Ellis Park Aug. 31
Instant Racing is set to expand in Kentucky Aug. 31 when 177 of the electronic machines will begin operation at Ellis Park in Henderson.
Hernandez Rides 1,000th Career Winner
Jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. earned the 1,000th win of his career when he guided Wildandcrazyguy to victory in the eighth race Aug. 18 at Ellis Park in Kentucky.
Salty Strike Goes Wire-to-Wire in Gardenia
Craig B. Singer's homebred Salty Strike jumped out to the early lead and never looked back as the 4-year-old filly posted her third consecutive stakes win in the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) at Ellis Park Aug. 11.
NY Harness Track Interests Investing in Ellis
Saratoga Raceway and Casino in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has applied to purchase an interest in Ellis Park, a Thoroughbred track in Henderson, Ky.
Joyful Victory, Sassy Image Top Gardenia
Joyful Victory and Sassy Image top a strong field of 11 fillies and mares in the $100,000 Gardenia Stakes (gr. III) Aug. 11 at Ellis Park, the first race back in Kentucky for jockey Robby Albarado since his May 4 arrest.
Top Court Asked to Hear Instant Racing Case
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and other supporters of Instant Racing have requested that a lawsuit challenging the legality of the machines be heard by the state Supreme Court rather than going back to a lower court.
Kentucky Reaping Benefits of Instant Racing
When Kentucky Downs conducts its short, all-turf meet in September, it will offer some of the most lucrative purses in the Bluegrass State this year, thanks to the success of Instant Racing.
Ellis Park Moving Ahead on Instant Racing
The owner of Ellis Park said June 27 he is hoping to have Instant Racing implemented before the track's summer meet ends on Labor Day. The 29-day meet at the Henderson, Ky., track begins July 4.
Remedy Sought in Latest KHRC, Veitch Dispute
A Circuit Court judge has told John Veitch to obtain a letter of interest for his services from a Kentucky racetrack and then re-submit his license application to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Instant Racing Continues to Thrive in KY
With an appeals court planning to hear arguments later this month on the legality of Instant Racing, the electronic form of gaming continues to generate significant revenues for Kentucky Downs and the state's horse industry.
After the Thrill Is Gone - By Evan Hammonds
The bread-and-butter meets in Kentucky are teetering on the brink read blog
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