Marc Falcone

For the last several years, Kentucky Downs has been the track that had almost everything. Big fields, huge purses and a betting handle that increases exponentially every year. But one thing has largely been missing--European shippers. Despite an all-turf meet, the purses and the fact that Kentucky Downs is much like a European turf course, the meet hadn't really registered with European horsemen. That has changed. According to Martin Panza, the co-director of racing at Kentucky Downs, which kicks off its annual seven-day meet Thursday, as many as 16 European-based...

ECL Entertainment and its joint venture partner Clairvest Group have entered into an agreement to purchase Wyoming Downs in Evanston, as well as the track's historic racing locations across Wyoming, the partners announced Monday. The sale is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2024, pending all required regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions. Based in Las Vegas, ECL operates live horse racing and four historic horse racing locations in Kentucky, including the Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs, as well as charitable gaming locations in New Hampshire...

Kentucky Downs will host the first Grade I event in its history next year with the elevation of the GI Franklin-Simpson S. announced Saturday by the American Graded Stakes Committee. "Ownership is laser-focused on the continued elevation of the racing product at their track, and we're appreciative of the recognition by the American Graded Stakes Committee," Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' Vice President for Racing, said in a press release Sunday. "As delighted as we are about finally getting a Grade I stakes, it's more about the ascent of our entire...

The digital sports entertainment and gaming company DraftKings will have access to operate mobile sports betting in Kentucky--pending licensure and regulatory approvals--under an agreement with ECL Corbin, LLC announced Tuesday. In addition to offering mobile sports betting, DraftKings and Corbin will also open retail sportsbooks at Corbin properties. ECL Corbin is a wholly owned subsidiary of ECL Entertainment, LLC, dba The Mint Gaming Hall at Cumberland and Cumberland Run ("Corbin"). "Together with the Corbin properties, we're excited to bring our premier sports betting experience to yet another state and its...

The GIII Mint Millions S. will become the first $2-million race ever run at Kentucky Downs, as well as the richest American turf race outside of the Breeders' Cup, when it is run Sept. 2 at the Franklin track. The one-mile Mint Millions offers a base purse of $1 million, with another $1 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF). Last year, the base was $600,000, with a $400,000 supplement from the KTDF. The Millions was one of 17 stakes--including nine graded events--that was unveiled Wednesday for the track's...

One of the great success stories in American racing over the last decade or so has been the emergence of Kentucky Downs, which opens its 2021 six-day meet on Sunday. Much of that has to do with the stewardship on Ron Winchell, who, along with partner Marc Falcone, purchased the track in 2019. Thanks in large part to Historical Horse Racing machines, Kentucky Downs was already making plenty of money when Winchell and Falcone took over, but they never grew complacent. Rather, they have continually looked to make Kentucky Downs...

With Kentucky Downs and FanDuel entering into a three-year partnership, the upcoming six-day meet at Kentucky Downs has been renamed the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. Located near the Kentucky and Tennessee border, Kentucky Downs offers only turf racing with some of the biggest purses in America. FanDuel, a sports-tech entertainment company, is the parent company of TVG. Included among the changes brought about by the partnership are TVG becoming the official Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform for Kentucky Downs; racing from the track airing exclusively on TVG for network...

Keeneland and the majority owners of Kentucky Downs have made application for a racing license and have proposed the construction of a state-of-the-art racing facility and associated track extension in Kentucky. The proposed facilities, to be located in Corbin and Williamsburg, would feature live Standardbred racing as well as historical racing machines. "Horse racing is an extremely vital part of the Commonwealth's economy," said Ron Winchell, who owns, controls and manages Kentucky Downs with Marc Falcone. "With the addition of a new race track and related amenities in southeastern Kentucky,...