Lincoln Race Course building new track, hopes to expand number of races

The number of horse races held at the Lincoln Race Course near Highway 77 and West Denton Road could soon be doubling as the race track sets its sights on expanding.

Monday, in a 7–0 vote Lincoln City Council approved a measure allowing the Lincoln Race Course to rezone a portion of its land.

The move allows the course to build an additional race track on a portion of their property.

“We’re looking to build a 7/8 of a mile track out there, looking to expand racing so that we’re racing on a full track, and bring a full weekend of racing to Lincoln this year and look to expand on that in the future,” Craig Wulf, a board member of the Horseman’s Benevolent Protective Association, said.

Currently the Lincoln Race Course has a quarter-mile track that only a few horses can race on at a time.

The longer track will be built on the race courses existing property.

“With the six furlong races, we’ll have the one turn that will race out of a racing shoot and then the mile races will be a two-turn race.”

The race course plans to have the three–quarter mile track completed in September this year, just in time for the races scheduled for September 7th and 9th.

Currently the course holds races only two days a year, which is enough to fulfill the states requirement for simulcasting.

Once completed Wulf said they hope to bring several weekends of horse racing to the capital city providing more opportunities for horse owners and trainers.

“The importance of more racing opportunities gives our owners, trainers, everyone involved in the racing industry more opportunities to race for purse money to be able to pay for the horse they have and the horses that they raise.”

Once the three–quarter mile track is completed the Lincoln Race Course will have the longest track in the state.