Thougt you guys might want to hear that Ellis race track is going to have a 2006 race season. Ellis is the track that sufferd major damage when it got hit by the Nov 6th tornado.

Ellis to be up and running
Despite heavy damage from tornado, track plans to start meet July 19

By CHUCK STINNETT Henderson Gleaner
December 29, 2005

HENDERSON, Ky. - A lot of skeptics have said they'd bet Ellis Park never again would run live racing after the track was hit by a tornado Nov. 6.

It looks like they would have lost that wager.

Despite extensive damage from that tornado, Ellis Park will run its scheduled 36-day live racing meet next summer as planned, parent company Churchill Downs Inc. announced Wednesday.

Plans to repair some of the most seriously damaged areas of the track are not yet complete, the company cautioned.

Nonetheless, Steve Sexton, president of Churchill Downs and Ellis Park, on Wednesday advised track employees of the plans to conduct the meet July 19 through Labor Day.

"We still have much work to do in the aftermath of the tornado, but we are confident that Ellis Park will be in good shape for its 2006 meet," Sexton said in a news release. "Ten races a day, five days a week for 36 days," he emphasized in a phone interview.

"That's good. That's great," said Henderson trainer Larry Jones, who had 41 horses stabled at Ellis the night of the tornado. He was forced to move his operation to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., after the storm.
 
"Ellis Park is an important institution to residents of Henderson and the Tri-State," Sexton said. "Although our assessment and plan for repairs at the track are ongoing, we want to assure employees, horsemen and local business and government leaders that we plan to have the track up and running for its summer meet."

"Obviously I'm excited that Ellis Park will be up and running for the summer meet," said Henderson County Judge-Executive Sandy Watkins, who lobbied Churchill to keep racing here. "The people they employ there and what it means for our economy, it's just a win-win situation."

Sexton said repairs are under way on many of areas of the track that suffered less serious damage, including the grandstand roof, racing office and several barns.

Plans are being developed for repairs to more seriously damaged areas of Ellis Park, including the paddock, jockeys' quarters and the track rail.

The status of some portions of the more seriously damaged sections of the facility - including 11 of the track's 39 barns and the grandstand Turf Terrace - remains uncertain, the company said.

"I think we'll end up rebuilding at least a number" of barns, Sexton said.

Even without rebuilding some barns, Churchill spokesman John Asher said, Ellis could stable enough horses to run a live meet.

"We had 1,100 stalls," Asher said. "Take 300 out and we'd still have more stalls than we filled last year. We had under 800" horses stabled at Ellis during the 41-day 2005 summer meet.

Sexton informed 20 to 25 track employees of the 2006 race plans at an appreciation luncheon Wednesday for Paul Kuerzi, who is retiring as vice president and general manager Friday after seven years managing Ellis Park.

"I think they were very pleased to hear news we will run in 2006," Sexton said in a phone interview. "To be quite honest, I think they were just pleased to hear (any) news" after working in uncertainly the past several weeks.

Churchill Downs Inc. had been guarded in its outlook, citing in part the need to know how insurance would cover the damage.

"It is important for everyone concerned that we be thorough in both our assessment of storm damage at Ellis Park and our planning for its future," Sexton said Wednesday.

"There are several key business factors that must be considered, including the continued maturity of casino and off-track betting competition in the local market and prospects for legislation in the 2006 Kentucky General Assembly that could allow for additional gaming at racetracks," he said.

The horse industry is pushing to allow Kentucky residents to vote on a constitutional amendment to permit casino-style gambling, but only at the state's racetracks. Churchill intends to "push forward that agenda," Sexton said.

Ellis has struggled financially. On-track wagering at Ellis last summer was down 18.1 percent compared with two years earlier, and Churchill this fall shifted another week of racing from Ellis to the Louisville track.

But, Sexton declared Wednesday, "We think Ellis Park (has) a viable role in Kentucky's racing circuit."

Kuerzi said, "I think they came to the realization that we're such an integral part of the community and that they'd be doing the community a great disservice ... if they didn't rebuild." Kuerzi wouldn't speculate on the prospects for live racing in 2007 and beyond.

Simply getting the green light for the 2006 race meet, he said, is a relief.

"A lot of people," Kuerzi said, "can stop holding their breath right now."

that is great to hear, glad to hear that they are rebuilding!!