Turfway Park Horseracing

Turfway Park is a horseracing facility with a one-mile thoroughbred track. It sits on a 197-acre complex in Florence, Kentucky.

Turfway Park was transformed by its former owner, Jerry L. Carroll, from a run-down track known as "Latonia Race Course" to what it is today an innovative, nationally-acclaimed facility.

Turfway Park has Fall, Holiday, and Winter/Spring meets. The most awaited racing event at Turfway Park during the Fall Meet is the Kentucky Cup. The Kentucky Cup Day of Champions has a long history of attracting and discovering new thoroughbred stars. Another big annual event is the Spiral Stakes, seen as a good training opportunity for many Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown aspirants.

Other big stakes events hosted by Turfway Park include:

• Turfway Breeders Cup
• Lane's End Stakes
• The Marfa Stakes
• Turfway Park Fall Championship
• Wishing Well Stakes
• Queen Stakes
• Rushaway Stakes
• Hansel Stakes
• Holiday Inaugural Stakes

Following its acquisition by Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the historic venue underwent a massive $148 million modernization project, leading to its official renaming as Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. This transformation replaced the aging grandstand with a state-of-the-art entertainment complex featuring a massive historical horse racing (HHR) gaming floor, premier dining venues, and an upscale sports bar. While the venue now delivers a year-round, multi-dimensional gaming experience, it firmly preserves its rich thoroughbred heritage by pairing top-tier casino-style entertainment with its world-class synthetic racing circuit.

Turfway Park Track Records

The comprehensive, current track records for Turfway Park Racing & Gaming in Florence, Kentucky, are listed below. All current records are held on the track's synthetic all-weather cushion (the Tapeta surface that replaced the old Polytrack).

Distance	Horse	Age	Weight	Time	Date
5 Furlongs	Boa Nova (IRE)	5	120 lbs	57.04	Feb 06, 2021
5 1/2 Furlongs	Blue Wings	3	120 lbs	1:03.00	Dec 28, 2016
6 Furlongs	Fatal Bullet	3	122 lbs	1:08.03	Sep 27, 2008
6 1/2 Furlongs	Visitant	5	122 lbs	1:15.07	Dec 18, 2021
1 Mile	Royal Son	5	121 lbs	1:34.92	Nov 30, 2017
1 1/16 Miles	Paros	4	123 lbs	1:42.22	Dec 14, 2024
1 1/8 Miles	Ball Four	5	118 lbs	1:48.29	Sep 30, 2006
1 1/4 Miles	Zverev	4	123 lbs	2:01.11	Dec 06, 2025
1 1/2 Miles	Sol d'Oro	4	125 lbs	2:30.16	Mar 27, 2026
1 5/8 Miles	He's a Big Daddy	7	124 lbs	2:50.48	Mar 31, 2012
1 3/4 Miles	Barat	5	121 lbs	3:02.85	Mar 09, 2013
2 Miles	Gladtobehere	6	121 lbs	3:34.52	Mar 19, 2020

Turfway Park Facts

• Main Track: One mile, oval
• Surface: Dirt
• Distance from last turn to finish line: 970 feet

History of Turfway Park

1959 - The track opened under the name Latonia Race Course on August 27. It was the successor to Old Latonia, which operated from 1883 to 1939 about 10 miles north of this site.

1986 - The racetrack was renamed Turfway Park.

2003 - Turfway Park handle rose 20% over that of the previous year, despite fewer races.

2005 - Turfway Park became the first major racetrack in North America to install a full synthetic racing surface, replacing its traditional dirt track with a safer, all-weather Polytrack cushion.

2009 - The track earned official safety and integrity accreditation from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), highlighting its adherence to strict safety guidelines for horses and riders.

2019 - Churchill Downs Incorporated purchased the historic property for $46 million, locking in long-term capital plans to preserve and completely redevelop the Northern Kentucky venue.

2020 - The aging grandstand was demolished to clear room for a modern gaming layout, and the racing surface was upgraded to a new, state-of-the-art Tapeta synthetic oval.

2022 - A $148 million state-of-the-art entertainment facility officially opened to the public, introducing an expansive Historical Horse Racing gaming floor and premium event spaces under its new name, Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

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