Ellis Park owner Ron Geary and Kentucky horsemen have reached a deal that means that the western Kentucky track will reopen on Friday.
From The Courier-Journal:
Geary’s offer included the horsemen agreeing that Ellis races would be available to the 10 account-wagering companies with which Geary had made deals, including TVG and Churchill Downs Inc.’s TwinSpires.com.
In return, Geary would give horsemen the entire share of account-wagering handle that he normally would split with them.
“Basically I’m turning everything over from (account wagering) into the purse fund,” he said. Geary admitted that that the deal means he will lose money this year.
“I’m taking a short-term loss, but I also think it may not be as big as I think,” he said.The deal could give Ellis races more exposure on the racing cable channels TVG and HRTV, which could prompt people to bet more on Ellis at times when they go to traditional simulcast facilities — where Geary would get a cut of the revenues.
Now that Geary and the horsemen have reached a deal, I challenge everyone who gnashed teeth over the lack of racing in Kentucky this summer to support the Ellis Park meet. The first of 11 stakes races will be the $50,000 Audubon Oaks on Saturday. The only graded race of the meet, $150,000 Gardenia Stakes (GIII), is on Aug. 16.
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