Wyoming Downs Race Track Sold

2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park

The 2008 Breeders' Cup, thoroughbred racing's most prestigious event, consisting of 14 Breeders' Cup races and $25.5 million in purses, will be held on October 24-25, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Posted on Monday, September 18th, 2006

A company purchased Wyoming’s only horse track, Wyoming Downs, and plans to improve the facility and offer larger purses. The track is popular with Utah gamblers.

The Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission has conditionally approved a license for Wyoming Downs’ new owner, Wyoming Entertainment LLC.

Eric Spector, the company’s president and chief executive officer, said the company bought the track and related facilities from Eric Nelson, who had owned the track since 1998.

“We intend to be good stewards of both racing in the state and in our relationship with the licensing authorities,” Spector told commissioners.

Spector said terms of the sale were not being disclosed.

However, he said his company planned to improve Wyoming Downs as well as off-track simulcast locations in Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Casper and Evanston. Starting next year, he plans to have a 19-day season, racing each weekend between July 4 and Labor Day.

More than 90% of those who watch and bet on races at Wyoming Downs come from Utah, where gambling is illegal. Evanston is located on Interstate 80 close to the Utah state line.

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"Wyoming Downs Race Track Sold" was posted on Monday, September 18th, 2006 at 10:46 am and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Owners & Breeders, Race Tracks News, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.