Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati to sponsor Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park

CINCINNATI - Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati will be the title sponsor of the 42nd running of the Spiral Stakes to be held March 23 at sister-property Turfway Park, the casino announced Friday.

The $400 million casino is scheduled to open in the northeast corner of downtown Cincinnati March 4.

The Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes is one of 36 qualifying races for the 2013 Kentucky Derby. The casino’s sponsorship will increase the race purse to $550,000, its highest payout in more than a decade, according to the release.

“We are excited to have one of the country’s premier entertainment brands sponsor our most important race,” Turfway Park General Manager Chip Bach said in a news release announcing the sponsorship.  “We know that Horseshoe’s involvement will elevate the Spiral Stakes experience for our race fans and horsemen as well.”

The Spiral Stakes was established in 1972 and has produced several Triple Crown race winners, including Kentucky Derby winners Lil E. Tee (1992) and Animal Kingdom (2011), the release noted.

The casino also will host Call to the Post on March 20 during a reception inside the casino’s new VIP lounge.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. is one of the owners of Turfway Park. The company also is a partner in Rock Ohio Caesars, the venture with Rock Gaming that has developed the new casinos in Cincinnati and Cleveland.