History
Opened in 1883 a few miles south of Cincinnati, Latonia ran spring and fall meetings and its 1 1/2-mile Latonia Derby attracted top horses. A crowd of about 60,000 saw the 1924 International Special, and in July 1939 the track hosted the first use of an electric starting gate.
Financial strain during the Depression ended racing that month. The grandstand was razed in 1941, a Standard Oil refinery occupied the land for a time, and the Latonia Shopping Center now stands there. The name was later reused for a different track in Florence that became Turfway Park.
Why it matters: It was among the foremost American racetracks of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Timeline
- 1883
The track opened; Leonatus won the first Hindoo Stakes, forerunner of the Latonia Derby.
- October 11, 1924International Special[1]
About 60,000 fans watched Sarazen beat French champion Epinard.
- July 1, 1939Electric starting gate[1]
Thoroughbred racing's first use of Clay Puett's electric starting gate took place here.
- July 29, 1939
The track's final card was run amid Depression-era financial trouble.
- 1941Track razed[2]
The track and grandstand were razed; an oil refinery was later built on the site.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Latonia Shopping Center[1,2,4] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Venue facts
| Other names | Old Latonia |
|---|---|
| Location | Winston Avenue, Latonia neighborhood of Covington, Covington (Latonia), Kentucky[1,3] |
| Venue type | Racetrack |
| Sports | Horse racing |
| Level | Thoroughbred |
| Opened | 1883[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | July 29, 1939[1,2,3] |
| Demolished | 1941[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Closure | Financial difficulties during the Great Depression. |
Documented details
- Handy Mandy broke Man o' War's record for 1 1/2 miles at Latonia in 1927, according to the state historical marker.[3]
Sources
- Latonia Race Track, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened
- Latonia Race Track, ExploreKYHistory (Kentucky Historical Society). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, opened
- Latonia Race Track (Marker 1853), Kentucky Historical Society. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, events, opened
- Latonia, Covington, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: coordinates, current land use
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.