Home » Lexington’s Red Mile harness racetrack opens $42M addition

Lexington’s Red Mile harness racetrack opens $42M addition

Lexington, Ky. – Red Mile, the second oldest harness racetrack in the country, has just completed a $42-million renovation.

The project, a partnership between Red Mile and Keeneland, included the addition of over 900 instant racing machines and a joint simulcasting venue for wagering on harness and Thoroughbred racing. The 60,000-s.f. addition also included a new restaurant, bar and cafe.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray touted the economic impact the addition will have on the community.

“It’s a big day for Lexington,” Gray said. “We’re able to crown the winner’s circle, and celebrate 200 new jobs as well as inspiring a new face on racing in Lexington.”

Instant racing, also called historical race wagering, allows users to wager on randomly selected races in the past. Identifying information, like location and date of the race, horse names, and jockeys are not shown, only skill graphs provided by Daily Racing Forms. The use of this type of wagering in Kentucky is still being challenged in Franklin Circuit Court.