After last-minute horse-trading and some tough compromises, Kentucky's five Thoroughbred tracks have reached agreement on a 2013 calendar that drastically alters the traditional schedule.
The most significant change before the amended dates requests were approved Oct. 17 by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's race dates committee was awarding Churchill Downs most of the September dates that had traditionally belonged to Turfway Park. Also, except for the first two days of February, there will be no live Thoroughbred racing in the state during that month.
In the only other major development at the meeting, which was the continuation of a meeting that had begun Oct. 1, Kentucky Downs withdrew its request for three live racing days in March after concerns were voiced by Turfway Park that it would create an overlap with its live racing. Also turned down by the committee was a request from Ellis Park to race three days at the end of June, conflicting with the closing of Churchill Downs' spring meet.
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