Thoroughbred racing on the Kentucky track moved from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., with its sister track Lawn Park, 94 miles northeast in Florence, starting December 2 for a 16-day Encounter Vacation.
85 ponies and seven ponies also participated in the opening night program of eight races, topped by an optional $64,000 stipend race for Kentucky crossbreeds.
The Holiday Meet runs for 5 weeks from Thursday to Sunday through Friday, December 31, with the exception of no races on Christmas Eve (December 24) or Christmas Day (December 25). The first of eight races Thursday through Saturday is at 6:15 p.m. ET. Sunday’s eight-race program will begin at 1pm. Only seven races will be held on New Year’s Eve (December 31).
Following the Holiday Encounter, Turfway will begin its 38-day Winter Encounter on January 1, which will continue for 14 weeks through Saturday, April 2 — the new date for Road marquee racing to the Kentucky Derby, Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1/8 mile is now worth $600,000, up $350,000 from the 2021 renewal.
Jeff Ruby Steaks, which offers 170 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (top four: 100-40-20-10), is at the heart of a revitalizing betting program. Turfway Parks, owned by Churchill Downs Inc., will host 24 stake events — four during the Holiday Encounter and 20 during the Winter Encounter — for a total of 3.55 millions of dollars. Each bonus is worth a minimum of $100,000 and there will be at least one wager race loaded on a weekly basis. Fourteen stakes have been brought back after an extended hiatus.
In addition to Jeff Ruby Steaks, the $125,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at 1/16 mile on March 5 will offer 17 spots on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (10-4-2-1). The $250,000 Bourbonette on April 2, now 1/16 mile and the $125,000 Cincinnati Trophy, now a mile, March 5 will provide qualifying points for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (100-40-20-10 and 10-4-2-1, respectively).
A total of six $1.7 million stakes highlight the Jeff Ruby Steaks Day card on its closing date, which falls five weeks before the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Riders will compete for $4,974,000 (all wallets include bonuses from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund) provided in the director’s 127 Race Meet Vacation condition book Tyler Picklesimer. The women’s special weight class races are worth $62,000 and the allowance races are from $63,000-$68,000. The wallet in Kentucky has been backed by horse racing revenue historically.
The average starter for each race during last year’s Holiday Meet was 10.5, creating a highly competitive race on the track’s newly installed Tapeta synthetic surface.
Gerardo Corrales is back to defend his Holiday and Winter Encounter equestrian titles from a year ago. He won 15 races in the Holiday Encounter and another 40 in the Winter Encounter.
There will be several new additions to the jockey colony including cruisers Joe Rocco Jr. and Joe Talamo. Rafael Bejarano and Chris Landeros are the other top riders riding at Turfway this winter.
Talamo, who moved from California to Kentucky in 2020. “I’m happy to be at home this winter. As money continues to grow at Turfway, I think it’s the right decision to stay at home. “
Bill Morey is the Holiday Meet 2020 top coach with six wins, while Wesley Ward dominates the 2021 Winter Meet coach rankings with 21 wins, nine more than Morey. In addition to Morey and Ward, coaches Brad Cox, Tommy Drury Jr., Mike Maker, Michael McCarthy and Mike Tomlinson are expected to have Turfway squads this year.
“We will be primarily stationed at the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn this winter but we will have a few horses that we keep in Kentucky to run in Turfway,” Cox said.
Turfway’s front facility — slated to open in the summer after being torn down and rebuilt — is still under construction, so simulations and home bets are the top choices for playing slots. race of the track. Turfway Park’s betting menu will feature a Pick 5 for 15%, 50 coins starting in Race 1 each night as well as a single Jackpot 6 15% – lose 20 coins in Race 3-8. Additionally, there are two Pick 4 14% sequences, 50 coins per card with the first offered on Race 2-5 and the second on Race 5-8.
Jimmy McNerney will announce racing action during the Holidays and Winter Meetup.
