After operating for 80 years, Northville Downs, Michigan’s last horse racing track, will discontinue its operations at its current location as of early next month. Details released by the gambling regulator in the state, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), reveal that the final race for Northville Downs at its current location at 301 S. Center St. in Northville is scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024.

The closure is related to a $250 million redevelopment of the racecourse. Previously, Northville Downs bought some 128 acres of land to use for building its new harness racing facility. The aforementioned piece of land is located on the corner of Five Mile and Ridge roads in Plymouth Township. According to the MGCB, the building of the new facility is subject to approval from the township board.

Considering the upcoming closure, bettors are no longer going to be able to place simulcast wagers in person at the current Northville Downs location starting from Monday, February 5, 2024. Still, the racetrack confirmed that it plans to reintroduce simulcast wagering at its new location. On the other hand, February 10, 2024, marks the last day patrons will be able to cash out winning wagers at Northville Downs. After this date, horse racing patrons can mail their winning tickets to Northville Downs, 47526 Clipper St., PO Box 701220, Plymouth, MI 48170, according to the MGCB.

“Northville Downs, the last horse racing track in Michigan, will soon cease operations at its current location at 301 S. Center St. in Northville after 80 years of providing excitement and entertainment to avid horse racing enthusiasts. The final race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024,“

reads a statement released by the MGCB

Michigan to Witness the Next Chapter of Horse Racing

Henry Williams, MGCB’s executive director, thanked all patrons at Northville Downs who enjoyed race days and visited the venue frequently. “We appreciate the support of those who have kept Northville Downs going for 80 years and look forward to the next chapter of horse racing in Michigan at a new location,” he added.

“The Michigan Gaming Control Board expresses our deepest gratitude to all of the Northville Downs patrons who have made each race day memorable and thrilling.“

Henry Williams, executive director at the MGCB

While Northville Downs will cease to operate at its current location in preparation for its new racetrack, fans of horse racing will be able to continue placing wagers via their mobile devices without interruptions. Patrons across Michigan can access licensed providers in the state, including FanDuel Racing, Xpressbet, NYRA Bets or Churchill Downs/Twin Spires to place wagers on popular events such as the Kentucky Derby, among others.

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Churchill Downs Racetrack’s Jockey Club Suites, built and officially opened just in time for the 2004 Kentucky Derby, will undergo a massive renovation valued at $14 million. The purpose of the renovation procedure is to modernize the luxurious hospitality offerings at the iconic racetrack home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest yearly sporting event in the US held every year since 1875. 

All of Churchill Downs’ 61 suites located on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors at the Jockey Club in the tower adjacent to the historic Twin Spires along the homestretch will be included in the renovation project. Plans also include all restrooms, dining spaces, and common areas of the club used by up to 2,500 guests, which is the Jockey Club Suites’ maximum accommodation capacity. 

The Suites, “a Core Premium Hospitality Product” 

According to Churchill Downs’ president, Mike Anderson, the modernization project has the purpose of guaranteeing that both existing and upcoming suite holders will be granted the premium entertainment experiences that Churchill Downs is best known for, especially during the much-anticipated Kentucky Derby Week along with the rest of the popular racing events including the thoroughbred horse race meets in spring, September and fall held in Louisville.

Prices for a suite at the Jockey Club start at $750 and they go up during the biggest events throughout the year. For example, during the Kentucky Derby, guests frequently pay more than $200,000 for a single suite. Single suite options can accommodate up to 24 guests while double suites can host up to 50 guests. All suites offer food and beverage options that can be customized by guests according to their personal needs.

All rooms feature private self-service wagering terminals, reserved parking, souvenir glasses on Derby Day and Oaks Day, along with a dedicated wait staff, a wet bar, temperature-controlled bar and kitchen areas with dedicated lounge seatings, and private balconies with panoramic views over the racetrack.

The Jockey Club Suites Clubhouse features dining tables suitable for ten guests per table. The same Clubhouse is also home to the Grand Foyer, the Triple Crown Ballroom, and the Derby and Oaks meeting rooms. The freshly opened Triple Crown Balcony is a top-tier rental space for special events held during the year.

The Makeover to Be Completed in Time for the Next Derby

While Churchill Downs has not offered any details regarding the exact modernization that will take place at the suites, the process is expected to be over right in time for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby that will take place on May 3-4, 2024. 

The 149th Derby held on May 5, 2023, once again gathered over 150,000 exuberant fans eager to watch America’s greatest race. Next year’s derby is expected to bring together the same vibrant and spirited public, many of whom will be able to seek accommodation in the freshly renovated suites at the Jockey Club. 

At the end of June, FanDuel’s director of communications, Alexander Pitocchelli, confirmed their plans to sign up a partnership with Churchill Downs in order to secure access to Kentucky’s sports betting market.

Last September, Churchill Downs Incorporated acquired Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson, Kentucky as a result of a cash deal valued at $79 million.

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A few days ago, the 149th Kentucky Derby ended, crowning Mage as the winner. The horse covered the mile and a quarter in 2:01.57, to the surprise of bettors who believed that either Angel of Empire or Forte will be the winner.

Mage’s upset of the Kentucky Derby favorites was a major development that ended with Angel of Empire finishing third and Forte falling farther behind. In addition, Mage’s spectacular win marked the first victory for its rider, Javier Castellano, and made its trainer, Gustavo Delgado, proud.

In the wake of this amazing race, Churchill Downs, the company hosting the Kentucky Derby, updates its EBITDA expectations for the event. As reported by Gambling Insider, Bill Carstanjen, chief executive officer of the company, said that his team expects Kentucky Derby Week’s adjusted EBITDA to dramatically increase.

We expect the Kentucky Derby Week adjusted EBITDA to reflect a new record with $14 to $16m of growth over the prior record set last year.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO, Churchill Downs

The CEO added that Churchill Downs will now focus on a year-long celebration and preparation for the jubilee 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby scheduled for May 2024.

This Year’s Race Was the Most Successful Yet

This year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby saw metrics skyrocket across the board. The Kentucky Derby Day program, for example, reached $288.7 million, which is the highest recorded number yet. Meanwhile, Mage’s race, in particular, beat its 2022 counterpart, with the Kentucky Derby Day Program recording $188.7 million.

In total, the program earned $412 million during the entire Kentucky Derby Week, far surpassing last year’s results of $391.8 million.

TwinSpires, meanwhile, reported a record-breaking handle of $73.6 million, surpassing last year’s result of $67.4 million. The Kentucky Derby race was singlehandedly responsible for $47 million of the total handle. For comparison, the gambling brand reported a sports betting handle of $44 million during the 2022 race.

Saturday’s race surpassed the 2022 results in terms of attendance as well. According to official data, a total of 150,335 people visited the iconic racetrack to attend the race. This is a slight increase from the 147,294 guests the signature twin spires attracted in 2022.

Luckily, the Kentucky Derby Day race went without significant problems, despite the recent concerns about the safety of the sport and the horses involved. However, there were protesters voicing their concerns with the greyhound races Churchill Downs is involved in.

In other news, Churchill Downs recently posted a record-breaking Q1 2023 revenue, defying market expectations.

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A common saying goes that “lightning never strikes the same place twice” but not for a 31-year-old woman from Maryland who managed to win big twice within less than 12 hours.

Pink Is the Lucky Number

A nursing assistant and a mother of four, the woman who wished to remain anonymous and played under the name of Chicklet31, first cashed out $11,000 from Ocean Downs Casino she had visited after her late night shift.

Having left the casino at around 1am, she decided to buy a scratch card ticket from the Maryland Lottery the next day and visited a local convenience store located in her hometown of Princess Anne around noon, where she opted for a pink-colored Extreme Cash game ticket, which later won her the top $100,000 prize.

Speaking to the Maryland Lottery, the woman explained why she had bought that ticket and there was not a single drop of logic in it. “I just bought that scratch-off because it stood out to me and pink is my favorite color,” she stated.

She even joked that her luck was due to the same set of clothes she had been wearing in the casino and while purchasing the instant scratch card.

“‘Chicklet’ becomes the 60th top-prize winner in the $100,000 Extreme Cash scratch-off game and is the game’s third top-prize winner in the last two weeks,” Maryland Lottery officials stated, adding that the convenience store where the winning ticket was sold would receive a $1,000 bonus.

Chicklet is planning to use the unexpected windfall to visit her son who lives in China and to further her education so that she could advance in her professional career.

Other Recent Multiple Wins

The Maryland Lottery was involved with another double-win in the state scored by a 56-year-old Amazon employee from Baltimore who managed to win big twice within just two months.

In February, the lucky scratch card player won the top $50,000 prize available from the $5 scratch card game Crazy 8s, to boost his January winnings of $30,000 from the same $5 scratch card lottery game.

And while multiple wins in a row are rare but not unheard of, what did a Vietnam veteran of Fall River, 50 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts, would probably never happen again.

In December, the man decided to buy not one but six Lucky for Life tickets with the exact same combination of numbers, won a cash prize of $390,000 from each, and received nearly $2 million in one lump sum from five of the tickets while leaving one ticket to pay him $25,000 in twenty annual payments.

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