As the dog days of August continue and September approaches, there is a certain smell in the air. As you travel north of Nashville and cross the state line, the olfactory nerves become even more stimulated. That smell… is the joy that makes Kentucky Downs successful.
In recent years, the hilly racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky, has become a turf behemoth. Kentucky Downs is THE place for turf racing, not only in its own state, but in the entire Western Hemisphere. The reason is simple: the purse structure. Over seven glorious days of racing, this racetrack, built on the old Sam Houston dueling grounds, hosts fifteen stakes races each worth at least $1 million for Kentucky-bred horses. Over $35 million is distributed to horse owners during the meet, which offers the highest purses per race in the United States.
“Kentucky Downs has become a popular place for turf runners in the late summer,” said Brendan Walsh, master trainer of the 2023 Kentucky Downs meet. “The money is just fantastic and the competition is second to none. This track has really been great for grass racing in Kentucky.”
Walsh, who hails from Cork, Ireland, is just one of many training icons on the calendar surrounding the Kentucky Downs meet. The money on offer, comparable to that of Louis Vutton, means many of these races can be “season accelerators” as almost all of them offer higher purses compared to similar races at other tracks.
There is another unique aspect to Kentucky Downs that adds even more uncertainty to the guessing game we call thoroughbred racing. As the only European-style track in the United States, the odd shape and ups and downs it offers are not to everyone’s taste. Some horses find the surface appealing, others just don’t.
“We try to send certain horses to Kentucky Downs because we either know they’ll run well there or because we think they’ll like it,” says Walsh, who also won the 2023 Kentucky Oaks with Pretty Mischievous. “Not all horses like the track and in reality the only way to find out if a horse likes it is to just take a chance and send him out there.”
The big prize money means a lot to the fans too. Kentucky Downs offers horse racers full fields and great competition, which makes for plenty of excitement. That adrenaline rush can be especially great for the speculating public, as huge payouts for virtually any type of bet are common at the facility north of Nashville.
Live racing dates are August 29 and 31 and September 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11. The first entry is scheduled at 12:20 p.m. Central Time daily, except for Turf Cup Day on September 7 (11:30 a.m.).
“Kentucky Downs is one of my favorite places for horse racing,” says Brendan Walsh. “They have done a great job of upgrading all of their facilities over the last few years and there is no other place for us to be during live racing.”
