As the dog days of August bark on and September draws nearer, there is a certain smell in the air. If you travel just north of Nashville and venture across the state line, the olfactory nerves become even more aroused. That smell… is the delight that is the success of Kentucky Downs.
Over the past few years, the undulating race course located in Franklin, Kentucky has become a grass gargantuan. Kentucky Downs is THE place to be for turf racing not only within its own state but also the entire Western Hemisphere. The reason is simple, the purse structure. Over seven glorious racing dates this track built on the old dueling grounds of Sam Houston will feature fifteen Stakes races all worth at least $1 million to Kentucky-bred horses. Over $35 million will be distributed to horsemen during the meet which offers the highest per race purse payouts in the United States.
“Kentucky Downs has become the place for turf runners in the late summer”, says Brendan Walsh, champion trainer from the 2023 Kentucky Downs meet. “The money is just fantastic and the competition is off the charts. This track has really been great for Kentucky grass racing.”
Walsh, a native of Cork, Ireland is just one of many training icons that circles the Kentucky Downs meet on the calendar. The Louis Vutton-like money means many of these races can be “season makers”, as most all of them offer bigger purse money compared to similar races at other tracks.
There is another special aspect to Kentucky Downs that makes for even more uncertainty in the guessing game we call Thoroughbred racing. As the only European-style track in the United States, the odd shape and up and down undulation it offers are not to the liking of every runner. Some horses find the surface quite desirable while others simply do not.
“We try and point certain horses to Kentucky Downs because either we know they run well there or think they will like it”, says Walsh who also won the 2023 Kentucky Oaks with Pretty Mischievous. “All horse do not take to the track and in reality the only way to know if a horse likes it is to just take a chance and put them in the starting gates.”
The large purse structure also means great things for the fans. By showing the horsemen the money, Kentucky Downs brings full race fields and great competition which makes for lots of excitement. That adrenaline rush can be especially large for the speculating public as huge payouts on virtually every type wager is the normal at the facility located just north of Nashville.
The live racing dates are August 29, August 31, September 1, 5, 7, 8, and 11. First post is slated for 12:20 pm central time every day except Turf Cup Day on September 7 (11:30 am).
“Kentucky Downs is one of my favorite places to run horses”, says Brendan Walsh. “They have done an excellent job of upgrading all of the facilities over the past few years and for us there is no other place to be during their live racing meet.”
