By Terry L. Hapney, Jr.
The Ironton Tribune

1924.
Calvin Coolidge became the first U.S. president to deliver remarks via a radio broadcast from the White House. J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the FBI. Al Jolson, Aaron Copland and George Gershwin enjoyed success in music.
It was also when John Oliver “Jack” Keene, who would later see a horse-racing track named after him in the Lexington area, opened “Raceland Park” in Chinnville in Greenup County, where the city of Raceland is now. Known as the “Million Dollar Oval,” the newest track in the U.S. then was “situated in a hollow surrounded by picturesque hills,” per a 1924 Chicago’s Daily Racing Form.
“Raceland sets a picture that is refreshing to the view. The new Kentucky racetrack is a modern one in every detail and rivals the massive tracks of the East. The main racing strip is wide and thoroughly safe; the turns banked in the most approved fashion give evidence of safety for the flying thoroughbreds. The stands and other buildings, the secretary’s office and jockey enclosure are of brick construction,” the article continues.
It is because of the impact of this track on generations of area residents that Greenup County Tourism will hold a centennial celebration.
Jaime Bloss, director, said her organization is “proud” to celebrate the racetrack’s heritage.
“This event gives residents and visitors a chance to learn about the history of the former track,” she said.
Bloss said the anniversary is not just a celebration of the past, but a way for people to “embrace our history, cherish our present and build a vibrant future.”
Thomas Cromwell of Keene’s partnership group said in 1922 the establishment of a racetrack in the Ashland area provided the sport to people who did not have access to it.
“With the cities of Ironton, Ohio; Catlettsburg, Ky.; and Huntington, W.Va.; the Big Sandy Valley of Kentucky and other close points in Ohio adjacent, the racecourse should prove a great drawing card,” Cromwell said.
In a 1923 issue of The Thoroughbred Record, “a complete racing and recreation plant” unlike any other in America was planned at Chinnville. Tri-State Fair and Racing Association owned and managed the track. Keene was taking journalists of that day on tours of the facility. Trains brought racing enthusiasts from Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Portsmouth, Ashland, Catlettsburg, Russell, Charleston and Huntington.
“It is a beautiful one-mile stretch with a one-eighth mile chute. It is 90 feet wide on the back stretch and 100 feet wide on the curves and the home stretch. From the grandstand and lawn, a race may be seen for the entire circuit. In the inside of the track will be sunken gardens, a lake, bridle paths and flower beds. Around the entire grounds there will be a high woven wire fence such as is used to fence in factories. Honeysuckle and wild roses will in two or three years completely cover the fence.”
The Thoroughbred Record article indicates that farmhouses were razed to make way for the racetrack. Plans called for a paddock, 500-plus stables on the hills behind the grandstand, in addition to housing for the trainers and caretakers. The article described the scene at the track as tranquil, with the hills of Ohio nestled past the river, seen by those in the grandstand. A new “Ashland-Greenup hard road” was planned to pass by the entrance gates to the track. Just to the back of the track were the rolling hills of Greenup County.
The track operated from 1924 to 1929. Chinnville changed its name to Raceland to ensure consistency after the post office changed its name due to the volume of mail for the track. It is a misconception the Great Depression ended the track, according to Raceland Police Chief Donald Sammons in a 2009 interview.
“The state of Kentucky had a fee in the 1920s that required the track to pay $2,500 per day to race,” Sammons said. “That’s what closed the track.”
The celebration is scheduled for 5–9 p.m. on July 26 at 23 Legion Drive in Raceland—the former site of the track. It is 1920’s themed and includes music, an impersonation of Jockey Roscoe Tarleton Goose (former Kentucky Derby Winner), track memorabilia and the Cincinnati Circus. Guests are encouraged to dress in 1920’s attire.
The event is free. Guests can purchase food and drinks. For those who prefer the VIP tent, they may purchase tickets from the GCT office. The cost is $125 per ticket.
For more information on the event, email jbloss@greenupcountyky.gov or call 606-473-6440.
For an in-depth story on the Raceland track—by Terry L. Hapney, Jr., Ph.D., professor at Marshall University—visit: https://works.bepress.com/terryhapney/15/.
Kentucky Educational Television featured the track in an episode of “Kentucky Life” in 2022. To view that segment, visit: