Page 100 - March_2023

REVOLUTIONIZING THE QUARTER HORSE RACING INDUSTRY IN KENTUCKY
Revolutionary Racing kicks off its highly anticipated inaugural Sandy Ridge at Red Mile race meet April 1-6 in Lexington, while plans move forward to build Sandy’s Racing/Gaming in Eastern Kentucky.
by Michael Compton
98 SPEEDHORSE March 2023
Kentucky, world-renowned for its February that the name and branding for Revolutionary Racing Kentucky is headed
storied history in Thoroughbred racing and home of the Kentucky
Derby-G1, is about to get a new addition to the equine industry. Last year the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC)
awarded the state’s ninth and final license
to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, which is moving forward on a estimated $55 million project to build a world-class equestrian center and gaming facility in Eastern Kentucky, including the state’s first racetrack dedicated to Quarter Horses.
Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, which numbers among its strategic partners Keeneland Association and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, announced in late
the facility, which will be located about two hours east of Lexington in Ashland, is Sandy’s Racing/Gaming. The name is an homage
to the Big and Little Sandy Rivers that flow through Boyd County and the Tri-State area that borders Ohio and West Virginia. The track itself, a 660-yard sprint track with a 2,300-foot straightaway, will be known as Sandy Ridge.
Sandy’s Racing/Gaming will be a unique entertainment complex and will feature historic horse racing machines (HHR gaming machines that look like slots) and simulcast wagering. Plans call for year-round utilization for Quarter Horse shows and competitions in the planned world-class competition arena.
by Chairman Larry Lucas, who brings decades of experience to the post, having led the Colonial Downs revitalization.
“This project is as much about economic development as it is the Quarter Horse community,” Lucas said. “We are grateful and humbled by the confidence shown by the commission and the support from the Governor’s office, the Mountain Legislative Caucus, Boyd County, the City of Ashland, and the people of Eastern Kentucky.”
The inaugural Sandy Ridge race season
is slated to begin this year and will run from April 1-6 at Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, while the track and complex are under construction. Sandy’s Gaming could open