Red Mile Race Track in Kentucky
Famous for it’s red clay track and one-mile length, The Red Mile is located in Lexington, Kentucky. The track is located in the center of the Bluegrass region which is know for horse breeding and racing. It usually hosts harness racing and the most common horse breed on the track is the standardbred. However, it has also been known to host quarter horse flat races from time to time.
Established in 1875, the Red Mile is the second oldest harness racing track in America. After 130 years, the track has proved to be a most exciting venue – a place where many racing legends have converged to prove their worth. The track has also proved to have value for those not involved in the racing industry as it is often used for weddings, parties and other social gatherings. Besides the track, other facilities at the Red Mile include a two-story clubhouse, a round barn and a park. Tattersalls is quite large and is regularly used as a site for horse sales and sometimes even as a venue for the circus, while Paddock Park is often used for concerts. When the racetrack is not hosting races, the Red Mile simulcasts other horse races every single day of the year.
Ironically enough, though the Red Mile today has such a grand reputation in the harness racing industry, its introduction to the world was less than glamorous. The Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association, the sponsors of the track at that stage, and the track’s founders had neglected to advertise the opening properly and very few people actually arrived to watch the races. However, after a brief mention in the newspaper the following day, attendance started to pick up and it wasn’t long before the Red Mile started to gain a reputation for exhilarating, fast-paced races – a reputation which it continues to hold today.
