The arrival of cold weather to Kentucky brings chills to some, but it brings the excitement of winter race meets to others. Churchill Downs concluded its fall meet November 28, but Turfway Park kicked off its holiday race meet November 29, to run through December 31st. Located in Florence near the Ohio/Kentucky border, Turfway is wrapping up its 50th year of great Thoroughbred racing. It was recently remodeled is 2005 and this year received the honor of being ranked the #10 North American racetrack by the Horse Players Association of America. The track holds more live race dates than any other Kentucky track and offers simulcast wagering year round. Furthermore, general admission and parking are free. Patti Nickell fills us in on some of the track’s history in Horse Lover’s Guide to Kentucky:

“Called Latonia Race Course when it opened in 1959, this northern Kentucky track was located just a few miles south of the original Latonia, which hosted Thoroughbred racing from 1883 until its demise in 1939. In its heyday, the Latonia Derby rivaled the Kentucky Derby in prestige and many of the same horses ran in both races. Today Turfway is partly owned by Keeneland and hosts two major events Ñ the Lane’s End Stakes in March, a prep for the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions in September, a prep for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. In 2005 Turfway became the first track in North America to install Polytrack, an all-weather racing surface deemed safer for horses and riders