Kentucky Downs offers breath of fresh air

North American racing fans tired of the same-old-same-old can enjoy something quite different over the next couple of weeks when European-style racing returns Saturday to south-central Kentucky with the Runhappy meet at Kentucky Downs.

The five-day meet with racing over an irregularly shaped and undulating turf course has become a favorite for horsemen and fans alike. Projected per-day purses of $2.3 million once again will attract big and competitive fields, including the 14 stakes mixed in among a total of 50 races.

The opening-day card ends with four straight stakes, highlighted by the $750,000 Tourist Mile (race 8). It’s surrounded by the $250,000 One Dreamer (race 7), the $500,000 Juvenile Fillies (race 9), and the $500,000 Gainesway Farm Juvenile (race 10). Mostly sunny skies and a high of 91 are in the Saturday forecast.

After Saturday, the four remaining dates are Sept. 5, 7, 8, and 12. First post for every 10-race card is 12:15 p.m. Central.

The biggest day of the meet is next Saturday (Sept. 7), when the $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup and the track’s first-ever Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In event, the $700,000 Runhappy Turf Sprint, will be run.

As always, the county-fair atmosphere will provide a welcome contrast to the grind of everyday racing. Further setting Kentucky Downs apart from the norm are the gigantic purses, including maiden races worth as much as $130,000 and allowance races starting at $145,000. Star jockeys such as Jose Ortiz and Joel Rosario will ride most of the meet, joining regulars Florent Geroux, Julien Leparoux, and the track’s all-time leader in wins (47), Brian Hernandez Jr. Runners representing top stables from all over the map, including New York and California, will overfill the races.

Among trainers, Mike Maker, the all-time leader in wins (51) at Kentucky Downs, has the largest contingent for opening day with starters in seven races. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen also has entries in seven races.

This will be the first Kentucky Downs meet since the track and its historical-racing facility – the primary source of funding for purses – were purchased last fall by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone from a partnership headed by Corey Johnsen. It also will be the first meet that Michael Wrona will be calling the races.

Purses for non-claiming/starter races include sizable bonuses from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, for which the vast majority of starters are typically eligible. For instance, the Tourist Mile purse includes $350,000 from the KTDF, with all but one of the 14 entries being Kentucky-bred.

Including the KTDF bonuses, purses for opening day total more than $2.7 million.