Ellis Park meet preview
Ellis Park meet preview by publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photo)
HENDERSON, Ky. (Sunday, June 22, 2025) – Ellis Park Racing & Gaming will launch its 25-day summer meet Thursday, July 3, headlined by record stakes purses, top racing connections, fan-friendly wagering menus and a full calendar of community events both on and off the track.
The meet begins with a Thursday-Sunday schedule before transitioning to Saturday-Monday racing from July 13 to Aug. 18. The season concludes with a Friday-Sunday lineup from Aug. 22-24.
This year’s racing season will feature some of the top barns and jockeys in North America competing for record purses, including $100,000 for maiden special weight races and allowance races up to $108,000. The competitive roster of trainers expected to have starters at Ellis Park include Steve Asmussen, Rodolphe Brisset, Brad Cox, Cherie DeVaux, Greg Foley, D. Wayne Lukas, Mike Maker, John Ortiz, Dale Romans and Brendan Walsh. Local mainstays such as Eric Foster, Wayne French, John Hancock, Kenny Miller, Bonnie Pittman and Billy Stinson Jr. will also be active, along with newcomers Ray Ashford and Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez.
One of North America’s top riders, Tyler Gaffalione, who continues to rehab from an ankle injury sustained in March, is targeting a return this summer at Ellis Park. He’ll be joined in the jocks room by Jaime Torres and Luan Machado, the top two in the 2024 leading rider standings, respectively. Also expected to have mounts at the meet are Rafael Bejarano, Adam Beschizza, Vincent Cheminaud, Declan Cannon, Martin Garcia, Florent Geroux, James Graham, Brian Hernandez Jr., Daniel Machado, Irving Moncada, Edgar Morales and Gabe Saez.
Ellis Park’s stakes schedule offers a record $4 million across 18 races, led by the $400,000 Pucker Up (Grade III) on Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend, Aug. 2-3. The weekend includes seven stakes races, with notable events such as the $300,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup and $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint.
The $300,000 Ellis Park Derby presented by Hallway Feeds and $200,000 Groupie Doll headline a blockbuster card Sunday, Aug. 10, which features six stakes totaling $1.3 million. Also scheduled are the $200,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, $200,000 Ellis Park Debutante, $200,000 Audubon Oaks and $200,000 R. A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial.
Every race day will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV, featuring live, on-site coverage.
Special wagering promotions will be available at www.twinspires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated. The wagering menu will again include two daily Pick 5s on nine-race cards, a $3 All-Turf Pick 3 and the 20-cent Dade Park 6 Jackpot.
Alongside world-class racing, fans can enjoy several family-friendly events throughout the summer. Highlights include the Hometown Hero Celebration (July 4), Jackpot’s Birthday Bash (July 5), Horses & Hope (July 12), Wiener and Corgi Qualifying Races (July 19), Family Fun Day (July 26), Kentucky HBPA Scholarship Day (July 27), Community Day (Aug. 9), Wiener and Corgi Racing Finals (Aug. 16) and Mascot Mania (Aug. 23). Dollar Days return each Sunday with discounted hot dogs, soft drinks and beer.
On Mondays, the Kentucky HBPA will present a $200 Best Turned Out Horse Award to the groom of the best-presented horse in each race. In addition, lead pony competitions will be held throughout the meet with cash prizes awarded in partnership with the Kentucky HBPA. Mondays will also feature “Mad Money Mondays” with racing and gaming promotions on track.
Beyond the grandstand, the Ellis Park community will enjoy numerous backstretch enrichment programs throughout the summer. These include a Little Free Library with English and Spanish books and games, weekly Wednesday sports nights with awards and professionally marked fields, monthly outdoor movie nights, custom awards for Most Improved Riders, the Smile Rock art project, a community garden and outreach support from Deaconess.
Racing coverage will be led once again by Joe Kristufek, who will also make the morning line odds. Track Announcer Tony Calo returns to the Ellis Park simulcast feed and will provide all the play-by-play action as well as being a co-handicapping analyst.
For a full schedule of events and more information, visit ellisparkowensborogaming.com/racing.
