Races added to Churchill Downs' Derby Day
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky racing officials agreed Tuesday to expand the race cards on Kentucky Derby and Oaks days, even as two smaller tracks signaled they were being forced to cut races due to trying economic times.
The monthly meeting of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission turned into a sort of checkup on the state of the industry in the self-proclaimed horse capital of the world. The diagnosis was mixed, but far more negative than positive.
While Churchill Downs' Derby and Oaks are soaring thanks to national interest and simulcasting revenues, other tracks and even other Churchill races are struggling to stay afloat. That's largely because they're competing with tracks in other states with new casinos and other revenue streams.
The commission approved Churchill's request to increase the Derby day card from 12 to 13 races and the Oaks day card from 11 to 12, with both race days now starting at 10:30 a.m. rather than 11.
Although the vote was unanimous, there was significant debate and a passionate objection from Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
Hiles said the horsemen didn't learn about the proposed changes until recently and feared the track would have difficulty finding enough horses to race. He also suggested there would be a major drop in interest for Churchill races the following week.
Hiles said the schedule is now going to be too packed, and many horsemen will decide not to race. Last year, when increased purse sizes were proposed to boost the fields, there was virtually no improvement, he said.
"It's an extremely long day," Hiles said. "It puts a degree of hardship on horses. Whether the horse population is going to be there or not, I don't know. I think it will work against them. I can foresee entrees being less."
Churchill racetrack general manager Jim Gates said the track's financial study shows that even the earliest 11 a.m. race on past Derby days produced a handle, or payout, that far surpass most on another day.
Ultimately, the commission agreed to try out the expanded schedule - at least for a year, but commission member John Ward warned: "It's getting to a tipping point."
Meanwhile, some of the smaller tracks in Kentucky signaled they would soon be seeking commission approval to cut - rather than expand - race days.
The most troubling statement of the meeting came from Ron Geary, owner of Ellis Park in Henderson. Geary said the 48-day meet this summer would likely have to be cut back to just weekends. If revenues don't improve immediately, this will be the park's final season of racing after 88 consecutive years, he said.
"Kentucky must put our racetracks in a competitive posture," Geary said. "Kentucky's signature industry, I'm sad to say, is fading away, folks, right before our very eyes. We have 100,000 jobs in our industry in Kentucky. They're at risk right now."
Corey Johnson, president of Kentucky Downs in Franklin, said that track also would have to scale back on race days because simulcasting money is down nearly 90 percent, largely due to new competition for gaming dollars. Turfway Park in Florence has reported similar problems.
"If we're not able to fill quality races, that spiral we're seeing right now, that trend just is going to continue to decrease," Johnson said. "If we offer more races than we have purses to support, it's a product that just won't work."
With other states turning to on-track casinos to supplement their revenues, Kentucky racing commission chairman Robert Beck said the state urgently must find the money to keep pace with its competitors.
"I think our inadequate funding and the inability of the racing commission to do the entire job we're charged with doing is really a travesty," Beck said. "It directly affects the integrity of the game, and I don't think the industry can afford to allow that to happen."
The monthly meeting of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission turned into a sort of checkup on the state of the industry in the self-proclaimed horse capital of the world. The diagnosis was mixed, but far more negative than positive.
While Churchill Downs' Derby and Oaks are soaring thanks to national interest and simulcasting revenues, other tracks and even other Churchill races are struggling to stay afloat. That's largely because they're competing with tracks in other states with new casinos and other revenue streams.
The commission approved Churchill's request to increase the Derby day card from 12 to 13 races and the Oaks day card from 11 to 12, with both race days now starting at 10:30 a.m. rather than 11.
Although the vote was unanimous, there was significant debate and a passionate objection from Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
Hiles said the horsemen didn't learn about the proposed changes until recently and feared the track would have difficulty finding enough horses to race. He also suggested there would be a major drop in interest for Churchill races the following week.
Hiles said the schedule is now going to be too packed, and many horsemen will decide not to race. Last year, when increased purse sizes were proposed to boost the fields, there was virtually no improvement, he said.
"It's an extremely long day," Hiles said. "It puts a degree of hardship on horses. Whether the horse population is going to be there or not, I don't know. I think it will work against them. I can foresee entrees being less."
Churchill racetrack general manager Jim Gates said the track's financial study shows that even the earliest 11 a.m. race on past Derby days produced a handle, or payout, that far surpass most on another day.
Ultimately, the commission agreed to try out the expanded schedule - at least for a year, but commission member John Ward warned: "It's getting to a tipping point."
Meanwhile, some of the smaller tracks in Kentucky signaled they would soon be seeking commission approval to cut - rather than expand - race days.
The most troubling statement of the meeting came from Ron Geary, owner of Ellis Park in Henderson. Geary said the 48-day meet this summer would likely have to be cut back to just weekends. If revenues don't improve immediately, this will be the park's final season of racing after 88 consecutive years, he said.
"Kentucky must put our racetracks in a competitive posture," Geary said. "Kentucky's signature industry, I'm sad to say, is fading away, folks, right before our very eyes. We have 100,000 jobs in our industry in Kentucky. They're at risk right now."
Corey Johnson, president of Kentucky Downs in Franklin, said that track also would have to scale back on race days because simulcasting money is down nearly 90 percent, largely due to new competition for gaming dollars. Turfway Park in Florence has reported similar problems.
"If we're not able to fill quality races, that spiral we're seeing right now, that trend just is going to continue to decrease," Johnson said. "If we offer more races than we have purses to support, it's a product that just won't work."
With other states turning to on-track casinos to supplement their revenues, Kentucky racing commission chairman Robert Beck said the state urgently must find the money to keep pace with its competitors.
"I think our inadequate funding and the inability of the racing commission to do the entire job we're charged with doing is really a travesty," Beck said. "It directly affects the integrity of the game, and I don't think the industry can afford to allow that to happen."
