Churchill Downs presents plan to offer winter racing

September 7, 2019 at 12:27 a.m. | Updated September 7, 2019 at 12:28 a.m.

by Associated Press

Luis Saez riding Maximum Security, second from right, goes around turn four with Flavien Prat riding Country House, left, Tyler Gaffalione riding War of Will and John Velazquez riding Code of Honor, right, during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Luis Saez riding Maximum Security, second from right, goes around turn four with Flavien Prat riding Country House, left, Tyler Gaffalione riding War of Will and John Velazquez riding Code of Honor, right, during the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- The home of the Kentucky Derby wants to start offering live racing in the winter.

Churchill Downs says it will seek approval from Kentucky horse racing regulators to allow the Louisville track to host live racing in the winter of 2020. It's part of a strategy by its parent company to expand its footprint into northern Kentucky.

If Churchill's application is approved, live racing would occur at the Louisville track in January through March and in December of 2020. After that, Churchill hopes those racing dates are given to a facility Churchill plans to build in northern Kentucky.

Churchill is seeking racing dates that historically have been given to Turfway Park in northern Kentucky. Calls to Turfway's racing office went unanswered.

Churchill already offers live racing in the spring and fall.

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