Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Opening Day

Turfway Park - Dec. 3 - 27 - Florence, KY

Turfway Park, located in Florence, Kentucky, traces its roots back to the historic Latonia Race Course of the late 19th century and began operations in its current form in 1959.
Over time, it has been a pioneer in racing innovation: introducing winter and night racing, being among the first tracks in Kentucky to offer simulcast wagering, and in 2005 becoming the first North American track to adopt the Polytrack all-weather surface (later replaced by Tapeta). Today, Turfway hosts two main live meets (Holiday in December and Winter/Spring), features signature stakes like the Jeff Ruby Steaks (a Kentucky Derby prep), the Kentucky Cup Classic, Bourbonette Oaks, and John Battaglia Memorial, and uses a one-mile synthetic surface with multiple chutes for flexibility in race distances. Since Churchill Downs, Inc. acquired and revitalized the facility in 2019, major renovations have modernized the grandstand, improved amenities, and strengthened its role as a key winter racing hub in Kentucky