Arizona commission approves Turf Paradise meet

The Arizona Racing Commission on Tuesday approved a live racing application from Turf Paradise for a 57-date live meet in 2024 starting on Jan. 29.

The commission voted 4-0 to approve the application during an emergency meeting that was scheduled after Turf Paradise submitted the application last week. The meet is scheduled to run on a Monday-through-Thursday live racing schedule until May 4, the date of the Kentucky Derby.

The current owners of Turf Paradise submitted the application in expectation that the track would be sold in the next month or so to a group that emerged in September as a potential buyer for the track. The group, Turf Paradise Land Trust, has promised to invest millions of dollars in upkeep and renovations at the track.

Turf Paradise has been owned by Jerry Simms since 2000. Earlier this year, after a previous deal fell apart, Simms announced that he would close the track and retire. Several days later, however, the new buyer emerged.

“I decided to postpone my retirement because of the many stakeholders here in Arizona that want racing to continue,” Simms said in a statement distributed by the track.

Under the live racing schedule, horsemen will be allowed on the track beginning Dec. 18. Training will be allowed starting Dec. 26.

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