By JONAH LOSSIAH
One Feather Reporter
ASHLAND, Ky. – The newly dubbed ‘Sandy Ridge’ will be the home of America’s newest quarter horse racing operation.
Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, the EBCI’s (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) partner in the business, announced that Sandy’s Racing | Gaming is the new name of the brand they launched in 2022. Sandy Ridge is the name of the racetrack itself, and the Sandy’s brand encompassing the entire business. That includes the historical horse racing (HHR) gaming facility that will be on the property.
The announcement comes four months after representatives from the EBCI and Revolutionary Racing broke ground on the facilities in October. The HHR facility is expected to be completed and operational by the end of this year, while the racetrack is not supposed to finished until 2024 or 2025. However, the lack of a track is not stopping the inaugural race season.
Sandy Ridge at Red Mile will be held in Lexington, Ky. while the Ashland track is under construction. These races will kick off on April 1 and run through April 6. Red Mile was established in 1875 is a racecourse that boosts being the home of the Kentucky Futurity. That race is one of three that make up the famous ‘Triple Crown’.
Scott Barber, chief executive officer of EBCI Holdings, said that he excited to see the operation gaining momentum.
“EBCI Holdings is a proud JV partner of RRKY and couldn’t be more enthusiastic about our racing plans in Kentucky. We look forward to hosting our inaugural quarter horse racing schedule at Red Mile, April 1st – 6th, as we begin work on our quarter horse track – Sandy Ridge – in Ashland / Boyd County, KY. We look forward to an exciting and entertaining race schedule in April,” said Barber.
John Marshall, president of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, said that he wants this brand to represent more than a business.
“Sandy’s represents resilience, authenticity, a sense of pride and an escape from the every day,” said Marshall. “We are thrilled to take this next step to bring Sandy’s to life and especially proud of what it means to our community.”
According to the release offered by Revolutionary Racing, the name for Sandy Ridge was ‘inspired by the Big Sandy River and Little Sandy River, part of the incredible natural environment found throughout the Tri-State Area. The Little Sandy River flows between both properties.’
EBCI Holdings, LLC partnered in this operation last year when it placed a $25 million investment toward the effort. EBCI Holding’s portion of control will primarily be over the HHR facilities on the grounds, but profit-sharing will come from the entire business. Cory Blankenship, a Board member of EBCI Holdings, LLC, said that they are projecting an 8-16 percent annual return on equity once all aspects of the project are online. He said that EBCI Holdings is hoping for $2.5 million in the first year of operation, and upwards of $4 million to $5 million in returns following that.
“We are excited about the progress made by our fantastic team and partners on Sandy’s Racing | Gaming. We received an enthusiastic welcome to the State of Kentucky and we cannot wait to deliver a top-notch product to the region,” said Blankenship.
Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed made a point of highlighting the growth of the EBCI’s involvement in more commercial gaming. He said that he is excited that the Tribe is able to invest different revenue streams like these.
“I am very pleased with the progress thus far on our joint venture in Kentucky. This project is one of many in our economic diversification strategy that will ensure the financial security of future generations of Eastern Band citizens.”
