Turfway Park has elected to exercise its option to run four additional days
in February, General Manager Chip Bach announced Wednesday.
The addition means the Northern Kentucky track will present live racing all
four Fridays and Saturdays in February.
At the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s October meetings to award race
dates, Turfway Park requested February 1, 2, 8, and 9, noting that the reduced
schedule would help the track increase average daily purses. At the request of
horsemen, the request was amended at that time to include February 15, 16, 22,
and 23 as optional race dates.
The decision to run the additional dates is supported both by the Kentucky
Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and by the Kentucky Horse
Racing Commission.
“Our decision to race these dates was influenced by our continued strong
field size, the response to our Friday night events, and the horsemen’s
preference to maintain the continuity of racing rather than take the two-week
break,” Bach said.
In March, Turfway Park is scheduled to race every Friday and Saturday and
Thursday, March 21, with Sundays as optional dates. No decision has been made
regarding the optional March dates.
Turfway’s current winter/spring meet began January 1 and runs through March
30. The track is racing Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays in January. No optional
dates were included in the January allotment.
As part of the dates application process, the concept of awarding optional
days is new to Kentucky racing this year.
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