The Thundering Hooves of History
Charles Romans
The Ashland Beacon
On the drive down U.S. 23 from Raceland to Greenup, Ky, all that a casual passerby might notice is a large brick building on the right side of the highway. Though it vaguely resembles some sort of apartment building, it is obvious from the boarded-up windows and the complete lack of parking that the building has not been in use for quite some time. Most would give the building no more than a cursory glance if the building even captured their attention at all, but the building once commanded the attention of droves of people when it was built a century ago.
The building once served as the Jockey House for a racetrack that many have forgotten existed, and more never were even aware it existed at all. Though it might now be covered by the slowly accumulating dust of history, there was a time when the only dust was stirred by the thundering hoofbeats of premier racehorses from across the country and beyond. In the early 1920s it was making history; Now it’s a part of history.
In 1922, a horse trainer and breeder named Kack Keene purchased the near Chinnville (which would eventually become Raceland) and began making plans to build a horse racing track. Soon the Tri-State Fair and Racing Association came into existence and promptly purchased Keene’s land — and additional acreage — and with Keene himself at the helm as general manager, construction soon began on what would become known as the “million-dollar oval.”
The scope of the project was unheard of at the time and for the area. It accommodated race patrons arriving by bus or car, and there were even special tracks laid by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad for passengers and the horses themselves. According to explorekyhistory.ky.gov/, “The racetrack had a lake in the infield, and white painted fences with rose bushes ringed the oval. The grounds included an impressive grandstand, which allowed a full view of the one-mile track, a jockey clubhouse, horse stables, and a dining hall.”
The first season of racing began in 1924 with summer races in July and August. The first Raceland Derby was run on July 19, drew a large crowd of 27,000, and featured Black Gold, who had won the Kentucky Derby. That inaugural race was won by Bob Tail with Black Gold coming in third. From 1924 until 1928, the Raceland Derby ran every year. Sadly, the 1928 Raceland Derby was the last.
In a recent meeting, the Greenup Tourism Board discussed plans to hold a celebration honoring the centennial of the Raceland Track. They have chosen a day in July and are currently working out logistics for the event. Some of the challenges faced are the lack of electrical power and water at the site of the old Jockey House, but they feel confident that those hurdles can be overcome. Special speakers, live music, and refreshments are all on the planning board with an overall theme of the 1920s era. And though the 20s might have been known as the “Roaring Twenties,” the Tourism Board hopes to call back the memories of thundering hooves when all eyes were on Raceland.
