Turfway Park will open its 54th fall race meet September 6 with a new post
time for night racing and a change in smoking policy, but with no stakes on the
16-day schedule.
Pending approval by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, post time Thursday
and Friday will be 6:00 p.m. (EDT), a half-hour later than last fall. Post time
Saturday and Sunday remains at 1:10 p.m. The track will present nine races on
Thursdays and Sundays and 11 races on Fridays and Saturdays. The meet closes
September 30.
In order to maintain daily purses, the track has cut all stakes from the fall
schedule, including the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions, five races timed as preps
for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. After a year’s hiatus, the series was
reintroduced in 2011 under partial sponsorship by WinStar Farm of Versailles,
Kentucky. While WinStar remained ready to continue its sponsorship this year,
Turfway has elected to shift the track’s share of the series’ funding to the
overnight purse account. Daily purses are expected to average $110,000,
including $18,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.
In response to customer requests, Turfway has reconfigured the smoking and
non-smoking areas of its grandstand. A section of the first floor is being
renovated to offer smokers a unique sports bar-like area, and with that change
the trackside area of the first floor becomes a smoking zone. The opposite side
of the first floor then becomes entirely smoke-free.
“By reconfiguring our existing space and adding a new area for smokers, we
are able to accommodate smokers and non-smokers alike with as little air
exchange as possible,” Director of Operations Chip Bach said. “Patrons will now
be able to enter the grandstand, buy a program, access concessions, and find
seating without walking through any smoking areas. At the same time we’re able
to offer improved seating for our fans who do smoke.”
Also newly designated smoke-free are the north side of the second floor,
which features grandstand seating and the stage, and the mezzanine/third floor.
The fourth and fifth floors and the Homestretch restaurant retain their existing
non-smoking designation. In addition to the trackside area of the first floor,
smoking will be permitted on the south side of the second floor and on balconies
outside the second and third floors.
Admission and parking are free every day of the fall meet; with valet parking
available. More information about all events and the racing schedule is
available at turfway.com.
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