ASHLAND — A summer 2026 quarter horse race was awarded to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky LLC for the newly constructed Sandy Ridge Racetrack in Boyd County.
These will be the first meets on the new track, at 10775 U.S. 60 in Ashland, adjacent to Sandy’s Racing & Gaming.
Kentucky Gaming & Racing Corporation awarded the race dates to Revolutionary Racing Kentucky; the event will be Kentucky’s first-ever dedicated quarter horse race meet, according to a Revolutionary Racing Kentucky news release.
Quarter horse racing is a form of sprint racing over short, straight distances, typically a quarter of a mile (440 yards) or less.
The inaugural meet will feature eight race days in 2026 — Aug. 19-21, Aug. 26-28 and Sept. 4-5.
Each race day will offer approximately $250,000 in total purses.
“We are excited to add another breed of horse racing to the greatest horse racing Commonwealth in the Union,” Prentice M. Salter, CEO of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, said in the release. “We look forward to hosting thousands of fans in Boyd County next summer and providing a world-class, state-of-the-art, and safe Quarter Horse racing experience throughout our inaugural 2026 meet.”
Sandy’s Racing and Gaming opened in October 2023 and has 522 gaming terminals. The development is required to have a racetrack and conduct live horse meets in the state of Kentucky, said Sara Ann Marlow, assistant general manager of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky.
“We are bringing back quarter horse racing to diversify Kentucky’s horse racing offerings beyond the traditional thoroughbred industry and stimulate significant growth in the local economy,” Marlow said.
The Sandy Ridge Racetrack has been under construction for the past six months on 182 acres behind Sandy’s Gaming. With the track portion and ground work complete, Revolutionary Racing Kentucky will move into the next phase of the project and start on construction of the permanent structures of the racetrack, which include a pavilion, barns for the horses, jockey quarters, a stable gate and storage for equipment, Marlow said.
Revolutionary Racing Kentucky expects the structures to be complete by early 2026.
Revolutionary Racing Kentucky hosted quarter horse races at Red Mile Gaming and Racing in Lexington, Kentucky, in March 2023, 2024 and 2025 while its track was under construction.
“It’s been a long time coming for us, and I know it’s going to be a new beginning for Boyd County and quarter horse racing in the state of Kentucky,” Marlow said. “I’m elated, just because it’s in our backyard and we get to open up a whole new round for the Tri-State area when it comes to quarter horse racing.”
The racetrack will cost $10 million, in addition to the $75 million gaming facility.
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