FLORENCE, Ky. – John McKee walked slowly to the jockeys’ room after dismounting a filly named Dreamin’ of Munny on a recent weeknight at Turfway Park. To shield himself from sub-freezing wind chills, he wore a ski mask and insulating gloves and undergarments, his standard winter accessories. “The weather’s not gonna change around here,” McKee said. “It’s still cold.” That’s about the only thing that won’t change at a 60-year-old track that soon will undergo a massive facelift. Churchill Downs Inc. purchased Turfway in October and will begin bulldozing the aging grandstand and its adjacent facilities shortly after the winter-spring meet ends March 28. McKee, 38, won his first Turfway race in September 2002, three years before Polytrack was installed as a racing surface still in use. He’s been riding here for as long as most anyone, and he knows what it’s like to struggle through skimpy paychecks and snake-belly-low morale. Indeed, with only maybe a couple hundred fans on hand on this particular night, change can’t come too quickly. “There’ve been some pretty tough winters here,” McKee said. But now, with the news that Churchill intends to essentially rebuild from scratch while already having substantially boosted purses in the meantime, “there’s definitely a new energy here,” he said. “The horsemen, the riders, the employees, everybody. There’s hope.” Chip Bach, who has worked in various capacities at Turfway since 1999 and has served as general manager in recent years, said more specific plans will be announced by CDI officials in the coming weeks. “They’re still doing their due diligence,” he said. “I’ve been on calls all day with engineers and other folks.” What is known is that a new facility will house the slots-like historical racing machines that have buoyed the Kentucky racing circuit en masse; spatial contingencies will be made to accommodate other gaming in case the state of Kentucky legalizes casinos in the coming years. As for the one-mile racetrack itself, the worn-down Polytrack most likely will be replaced by a new Tapeta surface, while feasibility studies are ongoing as to whether construction of an inner dirt surface also will be undertaken. “Whatever is decided, it’ll be a positive for everybody,” Bach said. “It’s no secret we’ve had a hard time around here and we’re about to turn the corner in a big way.” Schedule gets a tweak Turfway will alter its racing schedule, as usual, to accommodate the upcoming holidays. Next Wednesday (Dec. 25) will be dark because of Christmas, with a daytime Tuesday (Dec. 31) being tacked on as closing day of the holiday meet. The winter-spring meet starts Jan. 1 with another daytime card, after which Wednesdays will be dropped, making for a three-day schedule (Thursdays through Saturdays) of evening racing. The track’s marquee date, Jeff Ruby Steaks Day (March 14), is the lone daytime card of the winter-spring meet. The lone remaining stakes at the holiday meet is the $75,000 Prairie Bayou on Dec. 31. Logjam in trainers’ race The leaders atop the holiday-meet trainer standings include a number of conditioners who wouldn’t be racing at Turfway at this time of year if not for the improved purses, including Kenny McPeek, whose three wins through last weekend had him in a four-way tie for the top spot. Other trainers with two wins (and in a seven-way tie for fifth) include Larry Jones, Larry Rivelli, and Ron Moquett. In the jockey standings, Albin Jimenez, a six-time Turfway titlist back after a few years’ absence, had a 9-5 lead over apprentice Joseph Ramos through last weekend. ◗ Turfway’s new jackpot wager, the 20-cent Single 6, drew an average handle of $4,164 during four nights of action last week. A solo winning ticket worth $5,790 was sold Saturday night, emptying the pool. The wager is modeled after what Churchill and other tracks have offered in recent years.