PHOENIX — Thousands of fans will descend to Turf Paradise for the last weekend of live racing of the season and to catch Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
The general manager of one of the Valley’s oldest live sporting venues shared with ABC15 how they look to keep racing alive after an uncertain future.
Before the Valley had the Suns, Mercury, Diamondbacks, and Cardinals, there was Turf Paradise, located at 19th Avenue and Bell Road. The mile-long dirt track around a shorter turf track that houses Canadian geese has been around since 1956.
Recently, there have been questions surrounding whether Turf Paradise will find a new owner so it can continue to deliver an estimated $90 million economic impact.
Leading up to the season, there were reports that the track would not continue racing followed by buyers committing to buying the track and then backing out.
See ABC15's previous coverage in the video player below:
General Manager Vincent Francia says they’re still looking for a buyer, but they’re not going anywhere for now.
He said the questions ABC15 had ahead of the weekend are many of the same questions fans are approaching him about.
Francia says at the May 10 Arizona Racing Commission meeting, they’ll apply for a three-year permit that will hopefully take them into 2027.
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He added it’s important to the current owner to find a buyer who wants to keep racing alive.
Francia said there’s room on their 200+ acres for development if a potential buyer wants to add to the grounds.
The first weekend in May marks the last weekend of live racing for the season.
With the Kentucky Derby, known as the fastest two minutes in sports, happening at 5 p.m. Arizona time on May 4, it’s part fashion show, part racing.
Francia has been in or around a paddock since 1990, and he got a little romantic about the Valley’s oldest live sport.
“Racing is one of the few sports that combines human athleticism with equine athleticism. What you do, and that includes me and people who come here casually, you fall in love with the horse, and it is all based on that. The sport survives on dreams — anyone connected with this sport, has the hope, the dream, to have a horse to go to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, for the Kentucky Derby,” said Francia.
Doors open at 7:30 a.m. at Turf Paradise so racing fans can start watching and participating in East Coast, off-track betting.
There are buffets including a carving station leading up to the race.
The Arizona Racing Commission meeting is slated for Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m.
