Latonia Race Track
The Latonia Race Track, located near Covington, Kentucky, opened in 1883. Latonia hosted two racing series each year, and by the late 1880s the Latonia Derby rivaled the Kentucky Derby in entries and popularity. At its peak, Latonia was considered one of the country’s premier racing venues, drawing annual crowds of more than 100,000. The track hosted several Kentucky Derby winners of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and in many cases, horses that won the Kentucky Derby also claimed victories at the Latonia Derby, including Kingman (1891), Halma (1895), Ben Brush (1896), Lieut. Gibson (1900), Elwood (1904) and Sir Huon (1906).
Latonia hosted its last race in July of 1939. Standard Oil of Ohio purchased the grounds and facility, and it was later leveled during World War II.
Sources:
Hale, R. (1997). “Jim Beam Stakes – From Riches to Rags to Riches.” Retrieved on October 17, 2016, http://horseracing.about.com/library/bllatonia.htm
Talbott, T. (2016). “Latonia Race Track.” Retrieved on October 17, 2016, from http://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/322
Turfway Park. (2016). “Racing Across the Centuries: The History of Turfway Park.” Retrieved on October 17, 2016, http://www.turfway.com/turfwayhistory