Ellis Park approaches -- Strong Jockey Colony Returning

Ellis Park will kick off their 2017 Summer meet with a bang...so to speak...on Saturday, July 1st and run thru Monday, Sept. 4th. The Henderson, KY track has survived a few rough years during Churchill Downs previous ownership...and has now become a spot that a lot of Churchill trainers send their charges to compete in dirt and turf racing. 

One of the things that Churchill Downs goers will find familiar is the jockey colony that rides at Ellis. Corey Lanerie returns for a second year after spending his summers previously at Saratoga. He's the leading rider currently at Churchill as their meet winds down to the final three days. Robby Albarado will also takes his whip to "The Pea Patch"...a popular nickname for Ellis...where soybeans are grown in the infield. Add in Brian Hernandez, Jr., Miguel Mena, Jon Court, Chris Landeros, Didiel Osorio, James Graham, Calvin Borel and Channing Hill and you have 10 of the top 15 jockeys in the standings at Churchill headed to the track off US 41. 

Top trainers also choose to barn their thoroughbreds at Ellis also. Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Dale Romans, Michael Maker, Kenny McPeek and William Bradley will all have runners during the Friday, Saturday and Sunday racing calendar. They comprise six out of the top ten trainers at Churchill currently. Local favorites Paul McGee and Joe Sharp also participate in the Ellis meet....as well as many others who run at the Twin Spires. 

Ellis has also brought in Joe Kristufek as the track analyst...he holds the same position at Churchill. Ellis has also moved a number of stakes races to Sunday...so that the jockeys and trainers who may opt to go to Saratoga, Chicago and New Orleans for big Saturday stakes can still get back and be competitive at Ellis with promising two-years olds and such. The money available to win for owners has improved each of the several last years and is an incentive to stay around the area instead of taking your chances at Saratoga or Monmouth. 

Ellis is also close to Indiana Downs and Hoosier Park...so there will continue to be an influx of top runners and trainers there that won't hesitate to make the 3 hour van ride with their runners to compete. 

Ron Geary purchased the track from Churchill Downs back in 2006...just months after a tornado destroyed several building on the grounds.  Churchill, who had owned the track for a decade, had done away with some of the traditions that had existed before, shortened the racing schedule and even stopped growing soybeans out in the infield. They were considering closing the facility altogether...but Geary had a vision. The few couple of years were rough...but Geary prevailed...bringing popular Churchill tracck announcer Luke Kruytbosch for a couple of meets before Luke's untimely death in 2008. 

He also added video gaming terminals as an option for gamblers, a move that has proven to be profitable for tracks who have installed them. 

The one thing Geary believes he has accomplished is creating a family-friendly environment with free admission, Sunday Dollar Days at the concession stands and the addition of wiener dog, ostrich and camel races.

Now entering his 12th meet as the track owner, it wasn't until five years ago mostly because of the addition of Instant Racing casino-style games and a partnership with Saratoga Casino and Raceway in New York that Geary began to feel like the track was on the right path again.

Ellis has survived the rough stretches. The summer meet could be the most successful in terms of profitability that the track has ever seen. 

Not bad for a place that has soybeans instead of mint juleps in their infield...


paulie
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