New Gaming Entertainment Venue to Offer 600 Historical Racing Machines, Retail Sportsbook, Simulcast Wagering and Multiple Food and Beverage Offerings.

OWENSBORO, KY., (December 5, 2024) – Owensboro Racing & Gaming announced today that February 12, 2025, is the grand opening date for Churchill Downs Incorporated’s (“CDI”) newest state-of-the-art gaming entertainment venue. The public will be welcome for the highly anticipated grand opening celebration as doors open to the $100 million gaming complex featuring 600 of the latest and greatest historical racing machine (“HRM”) games, a retail sportsbook, simulcast wagering, along with multiple food and beverage offerings including the Starting Gate & Track Kitchen. The facility will offer great dining options at The Starting Gate and The Track Kitchen. Guests can enjoy signature items like the Bourbon Glazed Cheeseburger, Hot Brown, Fried Shrimp Baskets and BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders—perfect for a quick bite while watching the big race or game or a meal to complement the entertainment.

“The entire team is incredibly excited to welcome the public to our grand opening festivities on February 12,” said Steve Roof, General Manager of Owensboro Racing & Gaming. “The day will feature a ceremonial ribbon cutting, give aways, promotions and live entertainment. It will be the perfect kick off to all the thrills that await our guests at what is sure to be a premier regional entertainment destination.”

Those looking forward to the extraordinary experience to be offered at Owensboro Racing & Gaming don’t have to wait to start enjoying perks. Guests can join the club by signing up for a Players Club Card at Ellis Park right away to begin earning rewards ahead of the February grand opening. Sign-ups are also available at the Owensboro Racing & Gaming office as well as at various community events over the next two months.

Owensboro Racing & Gaming is located at 460 Wrights Landing Road. Be sure to follow the latest news on Facebook and Instagram at @EllisParkOwensboro or visit www.ellisparkowensborogaming.com for more details. Interested in joining the team? Explore the “Careers” tab for available job opportunities at Owensboro Racing & Gaming.

About Owensboro Racing & Gaming:
Owensboro Racing & Gaming is a $100 million gaming and entertainment complex that will feature 600 state-of-the-art historical racing machines, a retail sportsbook, simulcast wagering and food and beverage options. Located on an approximately 20-acre site at the corner of US Highway 60 and Wrights Landing Road east of Owensboro, Kentucky, the project is estimated to generate $125 million in annual regional economic impact, including the creation of 200 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs. The property will operate as an annex of Ellis Park and support the racetrack’s traditional summer meet in Henderson, Kentucky.

Record stakes purses await this summer at Ellis Park, where an impressive $3.7 million is available across 18 races beginning Thursday, July 4 for the 25-day season. 

Ellis Park’s stakes lineup is led by the $400,000 Pucker Up (Grade III), one of seven races across Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend, Aug. 3-4. This stellar weekend of racing also includes the $300,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint (Listed), $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile, $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville Derby and $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint. 

Two other featured stakes events scheduled are the $275,000 Ellis Park Derby (Listed) and $175,000 Groupie Doll (Listed), taking place Sunday, Aug. 11. The Ellis Park Derby and Groupie Doll are two of six stakes contests held that day. The others are the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante, $175,000 Audubon Oaks and $150,000 R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial.

The Ellis Park season will begin on a Thursday-Sunday schedule but will shift to Saturday-Monday from July 13-Aug. 26.    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


Contact: Kevin Kerstein
Kentucky Racing Communications
Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Turfway Park
(610) 420-6971 (mobile)
(502) 635-4712 (office)
[email protected]

ELLIS PARK SUMMER SEASON SET TO BEGIN JULY 4 FEATURING HIGH-QUALITY RACING, FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS.

HENDERSON, Ky. (Monday, June 10, 2024) – Ellis Park Racing & Gaming is set to welcome back fans for the start of the 25-day summer season, featuring high-quality racing and family friendly events across the meet spanning July 4-Aug. 26.

This season, live racing will be held three days a week, Saturday through Monday, except for opening week which will run Thursday through Sunday. Fans unable to make it to Ellis Park can watch live on-site coverage each day on FanDuel TV along with the Churchill Downs LIVE app on smart TVs. Special wagering promotions will be available on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Large purse money will once again be up for grabs in Racing Secretary Dan Bork’s condition book, averaging $615,000 per day (excluding substitute and extra races). All purse money includes funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. 

With the large prize structure, many of North America’s top jockeys and trainers will once again compete this summer at Ellis Park. Among the riders in the colony will be last meet’s top 10 leaders: Gerardo Corrales, Cristian Torres, Rafael Bejarano, Francisco Arrieta, Declan Cannon, Corey Lanerie, Brian Hernandez Jr., James Graham, Florent Geroux and Edgar Morales.

The Ellis Park backstretch will be full this summer with many of the nation’s leading outfits including Tom Amoss, Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Cherie DeVaux, Greg Foley, Chris Hartman, Paulo Lobo, Brian Lynch, Mike Maker, Dale Romans and Joe Sharp. They’ll be joined on the backstretch by several other top trainers including Jose Camejo, Phil D’Amato, Ron Moquett, Riley Mott, John Ortiz, Lindsay Schultz, Jonathan Thomas and Carlo Vaccarezza along with local mainstays Eric Foster, Wayne French, John Hancock, Benjie Larue, Aaron Shorter and Billy Stinson Jr.

Along with the stellar racing product, families will be able to enjoy several events throughout the summer including Racing to Ready (June 27), Breakfast with the Works (June 29), Hometown Heroes Day (July 4), Mascot Mania (July 13), Corgi & Weiner Dog Racing (July 20 and Aug. 17), Teacher Appreciation Day (July 29) and Family Fun Day (Aug. 24). Dollar Days are back each Sunday throughout the season featuring discounted hot dogs, soft drinks and beer. The full calendar of events and more details will be available soon.

Members of backstretch community will also enjoy several new additions throughout the summer including a free community garden, library exchange courtesy of the Henderson County Public Library, soccer games each Tuesday with free dinner and monthly outdoor movie nights featuring movies in English and Spanish.

Racing Analyst Joe Kristufek will once again cover the racing season at Ellis Park and will be joined on the simulcast feed by Track Announcer/Racing Analyst Tony Calo. Kristufek will also make the morning line odds.

Ellis Park General Manager Matt Pressley along with Calo will be available for interviews at 10:30 a.m. CT Wednesday, June 19 at Ellis Park. More details will be distributed in the coming days.          

About Ellis Park Racing & Gaming:

Ellis Park, Racking and Gaming (“Ellis Park”) located north of the Ohio River and just south of Evansville, Indiana, has been the home of summer Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky for more than 100 years. Ellis Park also features a gaming entertainment venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Kevin Kerstein
Kentucky Racing Communications
Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Turfway Park
(610) 420-6971 (mobile)
(502) 635-4712 (office)
[email protected]