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Kentucky Downs Purses Increased 38% in 2024

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Kentucky Downs Purses Increased 38% in 2024


Mike and Laurie McAbee from the Dallas area fulfilled their bucket-list item of attending a race day at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 1. They said the experience exceeded expectations.

“It’s the atmosphere. It’s the combination of down-home friendly, Kentucky friendly, but it’s also some of the best horses in the country,” Mike McAbee said. “When you’re a big racing fan, to see the horses and the people up this close, this is an opportunity you don’t get anywhere else. We’ll be back, definitely.”

Whether people attended in person or watched and wagered at simulcast outlets or online accounts, Kentucky Downs’ popularity kept up its growth.

Kentucky Downs’ seven-day meet that ended Wednesday again set records for wagering and purses paid out to horse owners for the 12th straight year. 

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Purses totaled $34,624,472 for 76 races, including $13.6 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund available only to registered Kentucky-bred thoroughbreds. That reflects an increase of 38 percent over last year’s total purses of $25.06 million paid out for 76 races. Sixteen of the 18 stakes-winners were foaled in Kentucky, taking full advantage of the KTDF funding.

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All-sources wagering totaled $90,181,408, up 8 percent over last year’s $83,640,261. In the six meets with the ownership group headed by Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone at the helm, total betting has increased 148 percent. While that reflects going from five days in 2018 to the current seven days, the per-day average has gone from $7.28 million for five days to the $12.88 million daily average this year.

The signature Saturday Sept. 7 card—this year packaged as the FanDuel TV U.S. Open Turf Championships featuring six graded stakes paying out $2 million apiece to Kentucky-breds and $1 million to others—attracted track-record betting of $21,184,941.

The average field size was 10.89, horses per race, up from the 10.42 last year that led America, and Kentucky Downs’ highest average since 2019.

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“We are extremely happy with the results of the meet,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ Vice President for Racing. “We continue to see positive growth in every metric we look at, and l am already excited for next year’s meet.”

International star Frankie Dettori, riding for the first time at Kentucky Downs, won eight races, one fewer than meet-leaders Irad Ortiz Jr. and Tyler Gaffalione. Four of those were stakes, including the meet’s new signature race the $3.1 million DK Horse Nashville Derby on British invader Bellum Justum and sweeping the pair of closing-day stakes. That ballooned his mounts’ earnings to $3.86 million, topped only by Ortiz’s $4.1 million.

“Listen, it’s amazing,” Dettori said during the meet. “There’s a great incentive to the owners, a great incentive to the European horses to come over. Great incentive for the turf horses in America to race for this kind of money. … I am very pro what they have done here at Kentucky Downs.”

Kentucky Downs’ winning owners have said for years that the big purses give them more bankroll to reinvest at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Horsemen say the track is making turf pedigrees more popular.

“Grass horses are definitely more appealing now,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “With Kentucky Downs’ purses, it can make the horse’s career. … It’s a huge plus.”

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This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.



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Kentucky woman, 35, charged with homicide after using abortion pills then burying fetus in backyard

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Kentucky woman, 35, charged with homicide after using abortion pills then burying fetus in  backyard


A Kentucky woman was charged with fetal homicide after allegedly using abortion pills and burying the fetus in a Christmas-wrapped lightbulb box in her backyard — when she got pregnant following an affair.

Melinda Spencer, 35, was arrested Wednesday after going to a Campton health care clinic, where she told staff members she used medication purchased online to end her pregnancy, which is illegal in the state, according to Kentucky State Police, FOX 56 reported.

Police said Spencer allegedly admitted to taking the pills on Dec. 26 and burying the fetus — described as a “developed male infant” — two days later in a shallow grave at her Flat Mary Road home.

Melinda Spencer, 35, was charged with fetal homicide after taking abortion pills to end her pregnancy in Kentucky, where that is illegal. Kentucky State Police

After obtaining a search warrant, cops found the remains wrapped in a white rag and stuffed in the holiday-decorated box inside a plastic bag, court documents showed.

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Spencer later confessed that she allegedly ordered the pregnancy-ending drugs after conceiving with a man who was not her boyfriend, claiming she didn’t want him to find out, police said, per the outlet.

Authorities said she wanted to “abort the fetus on her own.”

Cops found the remains wrapped in a white rag and stuffed in the holiday-decorated box inside a plastic bag in her backyard. AP

It’s unclear how long she was pregnant before taking the pills.

An autopsy has reportedly been scheduled to establish how developed the fetus was.

In Kentucky, nearly all abortions are illegal, with a doctor only authorized to perform one to prevent death or serious injury to the mother.

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The deadly offense makes her eligible for the death penalty. Getty Images

There are no exceptions for rape or incest.

State law also bars the distribution of abortion medication.

Spencer was charged with first-degree fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and first-degree promoting contraband, the outlet reported.

The homicide offense makes her eligible for the death penalty. She also faces life behind bars if convicted.

Spencer is being held at Three Forks Regional Jail in Beattyville.

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Lancaster resident describes Kentucky earthquake experience

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Lancaster resident describes Kentucky earthquake experience


LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – A 3.1 magnitude earthquake hit Kentucky Sunday afternoon with an epicenter between Richmond and Lancaster, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The USGS “Did You Feel It” survey received reports from people in Richmond, Danville, Stanford, Lancaster and Lexington.

Caroline Boyd, a retired nurse from Lancaster, was reading at home when the earthquake began at 12:47 p.m.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say shaking but it felt like a rumbling in my basement or even outside,” Boyd said.

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Boyd said she felt and heard the ground beneath her rumble followed by a loud boom.

“I thought to myself what on earth is that? Because there is no trains or train station nearby, so I knew it was not a train. So, I just sat there and listened. I would say it lasted about 10 to 15 seconds,” Boyd said.

After the tremor, Boyd called her neighbors and then the sheriff’s office. Dispatchers told her there had been an earthquake.

Dustin Price, deputy director and public information officer for Garrad County Emergency Management Agency, said the agency first heard from Bluegrass 911 about reports of a loud boom and shaking.

“Approximately we were able to confirm through the state that there was a confirmed 3.1 magnitude earthquake that hit through Garrad County,” Price said.

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No injuries or property damage were reported, according to Price.

Boyd said she was thankful the earthquake did not cause more serious problems.

“Even if I would’ve had to relocate if there was a problem. I have two pets, so it could’ve been really bad,” Boyd said.

Garrad County EMA said they are thankful for all the agencies who helped respond to the incident.

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3.2 magnitude earthquake with no immediate reports of damage confirmed in Garrard County

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3.2 magnitude earthquake with no immediate reports of damage confirmed in Garrard County


GARRARD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear reports that a 3.2 magnitude earthquake has been reported in Garrard County.

“This range does not typically produce sizable damage – just shaking – and thankfully, that is all that’s been reported so far,” Beshear said on social media Sunday.

According to the Lincoln County EMA, the earthquake happened around 12:47 p.m. with a shallow depth of 8 kilometers.

NWS Louisville reports the location of the quake to have been near the Garrard/Madison County line.

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Multiple agencies are also reporting no immediate reports of damage.





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