CDI
 

There is a lot of criticism thrown their way, but this is good start for improving Turfway

While construction of Turfway Park’s new facility won’t begin until the spring of 2020, changes resulting from Churchill Downs Inc.’s purchase of the Northern Kentucky racetrack are already evident as it opens its 44th holiday meet Dec. 4.

Most notably, purses for the 16-day holiday meet essentially double last year’s, averaging $204,812 a day (including Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund monies). Maiden special weight races offer $46,000, with allowance optional claiming purses ranging from $48,000 to $52,000.

https://www.horseracingnation.com/ne...ger_purses_123

Wondering how long it will be until there’s a significant impact on Oaklawn. Or will an influx of California based trainers balance out the Kentucky based ones who may now stay home year-round?

if the purse money gets high enough, it might not only cause a ripple effect at Oaklawn, but Fairgrounds, Gulfstream and Tampa.

I know this will be the last year we head south for the winter with our string. Biggest problem will be stalls for the trainers. Turfway does not have many stalls. I know some will train at Keeneland and ship north from Lexington. The ship is about 45 min to an hour.

We looked at running at Turfway with a few of ours a couple of winters ago and it did not make financial sense for the level our horses run. But I look for the purse money to increase even more for the meet next December.

Churchill is very smart for investing in this place and knowing what to do with it when they got hold of it. Gulfstream still has weather, but will feeel some type of an effect from that place.

Saying this the last year you head south - is it primarily because of what’s happening with Turfway?

The one difference I see between Oaklawn and those other tracks you mentioned is the lack of a turf course at Oaklawn - nothing to differentiate it from a renewed Turfway except (marginally?) better winter weather.

a couple of reasons why this is the last we ship our string south

my trainer has 2 small children and the oldest of which starts school next year so this is the last year his wife and family go with him. He really doesn't want to be away from his children. I agreed with him. I told him i took a job on the road and only came home 3 days every 3 - 4 weeks. my oldest was 22 months when i left and my contract lasted 3 years. sure wish i could buy that time back.

2nd reason turfway purse increase now makes it financially feasible to run. the last time we looked, you had to run every 2 weeks and win 50% just to pay the bills. 2 place finishes gave you a negative for the month.

Turfway does not have a turf course. it is poly. we may move some of our turf horses south if it comes to that but decide that next year. but for this year it will be tampa and maybe gulf for us.

weather is way better in Hot Springs than Florence/Cincinnati in the winter

no doubt about the weather. but we must account for the other factors i mentioned. and if needed, we could ship to there from Louisville. I see it as about the same ship as when we ship to arlington to run or have in the past.

Well, given it apparently takes you 45 minutes to get from Lexington to Turfway, It can't take you much more than 90 minutes to go from Lexington to Oaklawn.

not sure about the hour from louisville to oaklawn, maybe on a plane. what i meant was the ship to oaklawn from louisville would not be that much than shipping from louisville to arlington. sorry for the confusion

Please let me know what route you take to get from Keeneland to Turfway in 45 minutes to an hour. I would love to ride that jet stream when I go to Turfway, or Cincinnati for that matter, as the distance between the two is about 75 miles.

ok perhaps I am thinking of traveling in my own car and not the shipping trailer, but 75 miles is 1 hr doing 75mph geez..... my whole point was the ship was not like shipping other places we run damn

I know....I was just having fun.

So part of the upgrade will not be any new barns or stalls do you think?

I am sure additional barns will be part of the upgrade. it is just going to be hard to get stalls there this winter because they are so few.