Live Thoroughbred racing returns to Turfway Park next Thursday, September 8,
with a packed slate of events over 16 racing days, a new Pick 5 wager, and the
renaissance of the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions under sponsorship by WinStar
Farm.
The 17th running of the WinStar Kentucky Cup Day of Champions on September 24
revives three of Turfway’s graded stakes races after a one-year hiatus and two
ungraded stakes shelved the last two years. The series has a long history of
prepping winners of the $25.5 million Breeders’ Cup World Championships held
each fall. General admission to the WinStar Kentucky Cup Day of Champions is
free; reserved seating is available from $5 to $100, including the trackside VIP
Paddock Pavilion. Post time is 1:10 p.m. (ET) on Kentucky Cup Day.
Fan Appreciation Day is back, but this year expands to two nights on the
opening weekend, September 9 and 10. Presented jointly by the Turfway Park
horsemen and track management, Fan Appreciation is billed as free family fun and
offers pony rides, a playground, and other activities for children, a
budget-friendly dollar menu, handicapping sessions, tours of the stables, visits
to the announcer’s booth, mascot races, free t-shirts, horse care
demonstrations, and opportunities to meet jockeys and trainers. Activities vary
by day.
“We had an exceptional turnout for our first Fan Appreciation Day last year.
We saw a lot of young families who had never been here before,” Track President
and CEO Robert N. Elliston said. “They really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look
at racing and interaction with horsemen. This year we switched to the start of
the meet, and after some growing pains the first year, we’re ready for an even
larger crowd.”
Expanding on Fan Appreciation events, the playground will be open every day
of the fall meet, and pony rides and handicapping classes are scheduled every
Saturday.
Brand new to the meet is the Maker’s Mark Bourbon Dinner on opening night,
September 8. Kentucky’s youngest master distiller, Greg Davis, will guide guests
through a tasting tour of Kentucky’s original handmade bourbon, complemented by
a Maker’s Mark-inspired feast from Turfway Park executive chef Peter Haubi. The
event begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $55.
The track’s popular Dollar Friday series returns, kicking off every weekend
with dollar draft beer, dollar hot dogs, and live acoustic music, games and
giveaways in the trackside Corona Cantina.
Turfway will again open its Top of the Park dining room for Saturday Night
Lights, a date night concept highlighted by Chef Haubi’s elegant $26.95 buffet.
Fans at the track on Saturdays can enter to win prize packages including an
overnight stay at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, and the Corona Cantina again
boasts live acoustic music.
Fridays and Saturdays also offer a $19.95 buffet in the first-floor
Homestretch restaurant. The Homestretch offers a la carte service as well and is
open Wednesday through Sunday. Reservations are strongly recommended for both
dining areas.
On September 18, Turfway hosts a superqualifier handicapping contest leading
to the 13th Annual DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship next January,
which is expected to offer a $1 million top prize. Superqualifier contestants
will vie for cash prizes up to $10,000 and 10 spots in the national tournament.
Entry details are available at
www.turfway.com.
Horses and Hope, a breast cancer initiative developed jointly by Kentucky
First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program, makes its fourth annual
stop at Turfway on September 23. The Kentucky Thorough-Breasts, a dragon boat
team of breast cancer survivors, will make a special appearance, and the
Kentucky Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Horses and Hope Mustang pace car will be on
display. The event is free but reservations are required; call the Kentucky
Cancer Program Northern Kentucky office at (859) 442-3525.
Turfway introduces a daily 50-cent Pick 5 wager to its menu this season,
replacing the Pick 6. The new wager requires players to choose the winners of
five consecutive races beginning with the 3RD race. If no perfect tickets are
sold, the wager pays 25 percent of the pool to those holding the most winners
and the rest carries over to the next racing day.
Turfway will offer live racing Thursday through Sunday during the fall meet,
which runs through October 2. Post time on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday is
5:30 p.m., with the exception of the WinStar Kentucky Cup Day of Champions. Post
time on Sunday is 1:10 p.m.
Admission and parking are free every day. Unless otherwise noted, tickets and
reservations for events that require them are available by calling (859)
371-0200.