Kentucky Downs

Kentucky Downs is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on the border between Kentucky and Tennessee, near the city of Franklin and just off of Interstate 65. It is unique among American tracks in that it is a European-style course ? its surface is all turf (grass) instead of dirt, and it is not oval in shape.

Related Topics:
Thoroughbred - Horse racing - Kentucky - Tennessee - Franklin - Interstate 65 - American

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Kentucky Downs hosts a limited live racing meet each year. In 2005, the racing dates are September 18, 20, 21, 25, 27, and 28. September 25 will feature the 2005 Kentucky Cup Turf Festival (run one week after the Kentucky Cup race card at Turfway Park) and featuring the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Turf. During the rest of the year, the track functions basically as an off-track parimutuel betting site, offering simulcast wagering on most of the country's top tracks. It draws patrons from the nearby Nashville, Tennessee market, where the only other legal gambling options are the state lottery or riverboat casinos more than three hours away.

Related Topics:
2005 - September - September 25 - Turfway Park - Parimutuel betting - Nashville, Tennessee - Casino

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The track began life in 1990 as Dueling Grounds Race Course. The name came from the history of the Samford Duncan farm, on whose property the track was located. The farm, which was located in a slight corner of what is otherwise an perfectly-straight Kentucky-Tennessee border, was the site of numerous duels in the 1800s, because dueling was illegal in Tennessee but not in Kentucky. Sam Houston took part in a duel on the site. Dueling ended in 1827. The track conducted both only steeplechase races in its first year, but removed the fences and switched to flat racing in 1992.

Related Topics:
1990 - Duel - 1800s - Sam Houston - 1827 - Steeplechase - 1992

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The track underwent a tumultuous series of financial misfortunes, changes in ownership, and legal battles, some of which caused the track to miss its 1997 meet. It also saw use as a bingo hall and a concert site. In 1997, the track was purchased at auction by Turfway Park, Churchill Downs and other investors. Turfway took over day-to-day management of the facility, having some of its existing staff do double duty at the new track. The name was changed to Kentucky Downs in an effort to remove the stigma attached to the Dueling Grounds brand under its previous mismanagement.

Related Topics:
1997 - Bingo - Churchill Downs

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Steeplechase racing returned in 2000 with a Grade 2 event, as well as traditional flat racing.

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