By Dr. James C. Claypool, Kentucky Sports Historian, Park Hills
During the early 1880s, Milldale was a quiet little community located just a few miles south of the thriving city of Covington. In 1884, Milldale was incorporated as South Covington, but locals referred to the new city as Latonia because of its proximity to a popular nearby mineral springs, named after the Greek goddess Latona. At that time, Latonia had a population of around 1,500, and most of the residents were of German/Irish descent, a fun-loving group, to say the least. Gambling, drinking, sporting events and boisterous partying were commonplace. In 1883, a group of Northern and Central Kentucky horsemen had established a new Thoroughbred racetrack in Latonia destined to become one of America’s foremost racecourses, which, as a contemporary newsman noted, “hit the ground a-running.”
Opening day, June 9, 1883, saw a crowd estimated at between 8,000-10,000. The featured race that day was the Hindoo Stakes, named for the 1881 Kentucky Derby winner. Three of the horses competing would finish exactly as they had in the Derby a few weeks earlier in Louisville. Soon, Latonia’s top race’s name was changed from the Hindoo Stakes to the Latonia Derby, and the game between it and the Kentucky Derby was on! For several years that followed, the Latonia Derby offered larger purses than its rival Derby in Louisville, and it was not unusual for Kentucky Derby winners to ship and compete in what some considered to be the more prestigious Latonia Derby.
In the years that followed, Latonia grew and prospered, while Churchill Downs staggered through changes of ownership and dwindling Derby fields that on two occasions (1892 and 1905) saw just three horses competing. During that time, many of the top horses, trainers and owners came to Latonia to race on a track that was record-setting fast. The purses offered at Latonia set national standards on eight occasions. During this period, Latonia led North America’s tracks in total purses. This was all too much for Matt Winn, who, after becoming an executive at Churchill Downs in 1902, would make the Kentucky Derby into America’s premier 3-year-old race while also establishing Churchill as a significant player in the Thoroughbred racing industry.
In 1919, a consortium headed by Winn bought all the Thoroughbred tracks in Kentucky, subsequently closing the Kentucky Association Race Track in Lexington and converting Louisville’s Douglas Park into a training facility, while continuing to keep the profitable track in Latonia open. For several more years, Latonia continued to attract top-flight competition, and the track was profitable. Its Derby, however, was significantly downgraded, while Winn focused his energies on the Kentucky Derby’s ascent. With the advent of the Great Depression, everything changed. Churchill and its Derby hung on, but Latonia began a slow, fatal decline. In 1939, the end came when Latonia closed after its fall meet, and it was announced its properties had been sold to the SOHIO Oil Corporation (Standard Oil Company of Ohio).
Latonia was no more, but fond memories of the “Grand Old Track” would linger for generations, even into today. A new track bearing Latonia’s name opened in Florence in 1959 and continues to operate, though it was renamed Turfway Park in 1986. Although the new Latonia track has gone through many ownership changes, the most significant change occurred in 2019, when—reminiscent of Winn’s times—it was purchased by the Louisville-based corporation that operates the Kentucky Derby.
The story of Latonia Race Track’s long history and its acquisition by Churchill Downs is chronicled in a new book by Dr. James C. Claypool and Bob Webster titled A Tradition Reborn.
To purchase a copy signed by both authors, mail a payment of $27 per book to: Jim Claypool, 1004 Park Drive, Park Hills, KY 41011. Shipment will be immediate upon receipt of your order.