Turfway Park

Long-distance specialist Next (Not This Time) has been confirmed for next week's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic by his trainer Doug Cowans in a story first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. The 6-year-old gelding was listed on the pre-entry list for the Classic with second preference given to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. "I had to choose one or the other, the Turf or the Classic," Cowans told the TDN. "The jock and I have sat down and talked after the breezes he's had since winning the...

Turfway Park, whose Holiday meet begins Dec. 4, has raised the purses for maiden special weights to $80,000 and allowance races will be up to $86,000, Churchill Downs Inc. reported via a release on Wednesday. Registered Kentucky-breds in maiden special weight races are now increased by $10,000 from last year's amount of $70,000. Allowance races will range from $82,000-$86,000, up from the 2023 rate of $72,000-$80,000. "We're excited to offer top-tier racing opportunities at Turfway Park this winter and continue building on Kentucky's strong year-round circuit," said Tyler Picklesimer, director...

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming has unveiled its 2024-25 stakes schedule, with $4.9 million in purses across 24 races and includes the debut of the Turfway Park Synthetic Championships, according to a release from the track on Wednesday afternoon. "We're really excited to unveil the stakes calendar for the winter season at Turfway Park, which not only features our marquee Jeff Ruby Steaks Day but also introduces the new Turfway Park Synthetic Championships," said Gary Palmisano Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs Incorporated. "By adding the Turfway Park...

All-sources handle rose 17.1% during Turfway Park's Winter/Spring meet which concluded Saturday. In total, more than $170 million was wagered at the meet, nearly $25 million more than 2023. A total of $18.8 million in prize money, including funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, was distributed across 438 races at the 50-day meet. With two additional racing days from the 2023 meet, Turfway Park saw an increase of 152 starters. "Our successful season at Turfway Park would not be possible without the support of all owners, trainers, jockeys and...

Stop me if you've heard this one before: A horse gets claimed for a relatively cheap $30,000, later scores qualifying points at Turfway Park in March to get into one of the sport's most prestigious races at Churchill Downs, then ends up winning a career-defining Grade I stakes at improbable odds on the first weekend of May. That storyline describes the long-shot career of Rich Strike, who upset the GI Kentucky Derby at 80-1 back in 2022. But it also could be the 2024 script for newly crowned stakes victress...

The road to the GI Kentucky Derby kicks into high gear with Saturday's GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Over the next three weekends, there will be eight "Championship Series" races that will award Derby points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. Drawn widest of all in post 12, GIII Lecomte S. Jan. 20 winner and GII Risen Star S. Feb. 17 runner-up Track Phantom (Quality Road) looks like the one to catch in the Louisiana Derby. Hall...

NBC Sports will present live coverage of the $1-million GII Louisiana Derby, a key prep race ahead of the 150th GI Kentucky Derby, this Saturday, Mar. 23, live at 6 p.m. ET on CNBC and Peacock from Fair Grounds Race Course. The hour-long program will also feature the $700,000 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Six weeks ahead of the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, the Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby Steaks will both award Kentucky Derby qualification points,...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be on-site at Turfway Park for the Jeff Ruby Steaks card Saturday. The Kentucky track will honor the TAA with a named race, race six, which has a post time of 3:13 p.m. Following the conclusion of the race, a presentation will be made to the winning connections, which will include a TAA blanket and gift bag with branded merchandise. "Turfway Park is excited to welcome back Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance for our Jeff Ruby Steaks Day," said Turfway director of racing and racing secretary Tyler...

Edited Press Release  Jockey Jose Ortiz is named to ride eight races Saturday at Turfway Park and, after Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, fans in Kentucky will begin to see his name regularly in the program as he's slated to ride full-time this spring at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. For many years the 2017 Eclipse Award-winning jockey has been a regular rider on the New York circuit during the spring and summer, but this will be the first time he'll remain in Kentucky. Agent Steve Rushing, who also take the calls...

MGSW Endlessly (Oscar Performance) will ship to Kentucky to take on 11 rivals in Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks, a 100-point race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Named the 5-2 morning-line favorite, Endlessly last took the El Camino Real Derby to get back in the winner's circle off his only career defeat came in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Turfway Park's signature race drew 14 total entries for 12 spots including two runners who are cross-entered into the GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby also on Saturday. Other entries...

Opening an occasional series focused on Irish expatriates in Kentucky, TDN meets a son of Co. Meath testing the GI Kentucky Derby water with his impressive Leonatus S. winner. As migrations go, one is rather less surprising than the other. On the one hand, over the past two years the synthetic circuit at Turfway has consecutively delivered the winner and runner-up in the definitive test of a dirt Thoroughbred. On the other, the trainer hoping to produce another GI Kentucky Derby horse from the same unlikely platform is only the...

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming will once again be open for year-round training, track officials announced Wednesday. Summer stall applications are due Mar. 15. "There is once again significant interest from trainers to remain based at Turfway Park for year-round training," said Gary Palmisano, Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. "Turfway is conveniently located within a reasonable van drive to both Churchill Downs and Ellis Park. Any trainer that ships a horse from Turfway to compete at either of those two tracks, along with Colonial Downs and...