Race fans now can wager on instant racing at 902 terminals recently installed at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. The second oldest harness racetrack in the U.S., the facility is Lexington’s first legal gambling parlor. The facility recently completed a million renovation and expansion in conjunction with the thoroughbred track Keeneland, which moved its simulcast facilities to the Red Mile in July.
Based on handle at other Kentucky racetracks that offer instant racing, Red Mile officials said they expect an average of $1 million a day in wagering on the new machines. Most of that will be returned to players in the form of winnings; the balance, after taxes, will be split between Red Mile and Keeneland to increase purses at their live racing tracks.
The Family Foundation has challenged the legality of the instant racing games, claiming they are illegal slot machines. The case is in Franklin Circuit Court.
