Eureka Downs Horse Racing Track in Kansas
Some call Eureka, a small town in Kansas, the ‘Racing Capital of Kansas’. They attribute this reputation to the small racetrack located just outside the city limits which is known as ‘Eureka Downs’. While this small racetrack is a far cry from the larger, more fashionable tracks that can be found elsewhere in the country, it is the venue of choice for many who have a passion for the sport. It regularly hosts a number of quarterhorse and sometimes thoroughbred races.
Located on North Jefferson street, Eureka Downs is a fairly simplistic racetrack with only the most basic facilities. The racetrack has a grandstand, a quarterhorse track and a concession stand where you can purchase needed refreshments. Many feel that the best aspect of the track is the small-town atmosphere that surrounds it. Since the town itself is so small, most of the regulars are old friends and there is always an air of familiarity about the place. Local horse breeders enjoy using the facilities to start their horses on before moving on to a bigger and noisier atmosphere. However, some would argue that the track is on its way out, suffering huge losses in the recent fires and not enough support from local gamblers. The fact that the track is unable to install casino slot machines to supplement it’s income is having a detrimental effect on the racetrack and only time will tell where its future lies.
Besides this unfortunate set of circumstances surrounding the track, the town itself is quite pleasant. Citizens are friendly and helpful and Eureka is generally considered to be a safe place to live. The oil reserves that were discovered in here 1917 continue to be an important source of revenue for the town but perhaps one day, the Eureka Downs racetrack will once again be able to draw racing greats from across the country to it’s doors as it re-establishes a good name for itself in the racing industry.
