Chip Bach

After 25 years at the helm of Turfway Park, and 13 years as general manager, Chip Bach will retire from his duties with the Florence, Kentucky track effective Apr. 1, the venue announced Monday morning. Bach began his career at Turfway in 1999 as director of operations and human resources. In 2012, he was promoted to general manager of Turfway and later added oversight of Newport Racing & Gaming when it opened in 2020 during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As general manager, Bach helped oversee the track's transition...

In honor of veteran rider Perry Ouzts, Turfway Park will officially rename its jockey quarters Perry Wayne Ouzts Jockeys' Quarters during a dedication ceremony Dec. 6. Ouzts, 71, has won 7,531 races in his career, ranking fifth all-time among North American jockeys and he is the all-time leading rider at Turfway Park. "Perry is a terrific human and an unbelievable professional athlete," Turfway Park general manager Chip Bach said. "He's the ultimate iron man, and it's only fitting that the place where our riders prepare every day now carries his...

All-sources handle rose 17.1% during Turfway Park's Winter/Spring meet which concluded Saturday. In total, more than $170 million was wagered at the meet, nearly $25 million more than 2023. A total of $18.8 million in prize money, including funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, was distributed across 438 races at the 50-day meet. With two additional racing days from the 2023 meet, Turfway Park saw an increase of 152 starters. "Our successful season at Turfway Park would not be possible without the support of all owners, trainers, jockeys and...

Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky, will be installing a new stable gate entryway after the current season ends in March to try and avoid a repeat of the havoc caused on the night of Feb. 1 when a loose Thoroughbred escaped from the backstretch and ran onto nearby Interstate 71/75 before being captured without serious harm. Barbara Borden, the chief state steward presiding at Turfway, detailed the incident during Tuesday's Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) meeting. "The horse got loose in the barn area, unfortunately ran through the stable gate,...

Turfway Park purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to stay level at $70,000, the same as last season. The dovetailed 2023-24 meets that run through March will open Nov. 29. Chip Bach, Turfway's general manager, reported that projection during the Oct. 3 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. The overall purse structure, Bach said, will also be "similar" to the previous meet "even though we're adding days and races." Bach said Turfway plans on running Wednesdays through Saturdays with a 5:55 p.m. Eastern first post,...

All-sources handle on the Turfway Park Winter/Spring Meet, which concluded Saturday, increased 62% from a year ago, while purse money awarded jumped 43%, according to a release from the Kentucky track. More than $145 million was wagered at the meeting, nearly $56 million more than 2022. Connections who raced at Turfway Park were rewarded with more than $19 million in prize money, an increase of more than $5.5 million (including funds from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund). Turfway Park ran nine additional days this year and had an increase of...

Turfway Park purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to rise to $70,000 for the dovetailed dual meets that will span Nov. 30, 2022, through Apr. 1, 2023. Chip Bach, Turfway's general manager, reported the projection during the Sept. 28 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. He also disclosed that Kentucky's recently rebuilt winter racing venue--with its new grandstand and updated stabling--will be shifting Saturday post times from early evenings to afternoons this season. Bach said Turfway will card 24 total stakes worth $4.35 million in...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit have been established for the upcoming meets at Churchill Downs ($120,000 in the first condition book), Ellis Park ($50,000 through July and August) and Kentucky Downs ($150,000 for seven days in September). Those figures were revealed by representatives of those tracks Tuesday during a video meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. Ben Huffman, the vice president of racing and racing secretary at Churchill Downs, also confirmed that the newly installed turf course in Louisville...

Turfway Park executives are projecting purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races to nearly double to about $60,000 for the upcoming dual meets that will be run December through March. Last season, Turfway paid out just $32,000 for MSW races while conducting meets heavily compromised by both the COVID-19 pandemic and a massive grandstand rebuild that kept the northern Kentucky oval closed to on-track spectators. Turfway's 2021-22 MSW purse projection was disclosed Tuesday during a Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting by Tyler Picklesimer, the track's director of...

A stout 36.5% increase of all sources handle, along with a rise in starters per race, topped Turfway Park's 38-day Winter/Spring meet that opened Jan 1. and concluded Saturday. Turfway Park's meet saw overall handle grow to $81.7 million, a $21.9-million increase from 2020. All sources handle per day was up 32.9%. The average field size topped 9.8 horses per race compared to 2020's 9.7 starters per race. "We can't thank our owners, trainers, jockeys and horseplayers enough for supporting our meet," Turfway Park's General Manager Chip Bach said. "Our...