Horse racing in Wyoming is experiencing an astonishing growth, and next summer, it's set to take another monumental leap. Thunder Plains Park, a brand new mile-long and 80-foot wide flat horse track, is all set to open in Cheyenne. This is the first new track constructed in Wyoming since the 1980s and the state's first mile-long track. The nearest mile-long track is in Aurora, Colorado.

Benefiting the Horse Racing Industry and Economy

Ryan Clement, a fifth-generation Wyomingite who played football as a quarterback for the University of Miami, emphasizes the incredible opportunity that Thunder Plains will bring to Wyoming's horse racing industry. It will not only benefit the local economy but also boost tourism. The flat track is generally safer for the horses and allows them to run at a faster pace, which Clement deems a better option than shorter, more rounded tracks. It's similar to a restrictor plate in NASCAR, where these thoroughbreds need to run on a long track.The multimillion-dollar Thunder Plains will be located 10 miles east of Cheyenne off Interstate 80. The Wyoming Gaming Commission gave its approval at its recent meeting.

First Race Day and Future Plans

Clement's Cowboy Racing LLC is the main applicant for the project, with Edwards Development as the primary investor. Bill Edwards, the president of Edwards Development, is Clement's business partner in Cowboy Racing. Thunder Plains will host its first race day on August 1, 2025, with a total of 16 race days next summer. In its first year of racing, the park will feature mostly temporary structures and a dirt track.Clement mentioned that Wyoming-bred quarter horses and thoroughbreds will race at Thunder Plains. In the future, off-track betting (OTB) and gaming terminals will be available at the track. This is expected to be the epicenter of the OTB experience.The facility will be operated by 1/ST Racing, a company that also runs renowned tracks like Santa Anita Park in California and the Preakness Stakes. Clement clarified that he won't be involved in the day-to-day racing operations.Cowboy Racing has received initial approval to host OTB, simulcast, and historical horse racing. However, they still need to seek final approval from the Gaming Commission once they determine the exact site for these activities.The legalization of simulcasting and historical horse racing in Wyoming in 2013 aimed to revitalize the horse racing industry. Horse racing alone may not be a major money-maker, but OTB activities provide a way for tracks to stay afloat.

Competing in the Wyoming Market

During the Gaming Commission meeting last week, a study was presented warning against oversaturating Wyoming's cities with gambling opportunities. Kyle Ridgeway, the president of 307 Horse Racing, which will be one of Thunder Plains' main HHR competitors in Cheyenne, clarified that the study suggests that the expansion of HHR in Wyoming should be limited to counties without it or those purposefully built to target out-of-state clients.Clement said Cowboy Racing will take the study into account and work with the community to determine the best locations for OTB. Historically, OTB approvals have come after a horse track starts racing, but Thunder Plains received an exception due to the timing of the project. The only requirement is that OTB approval and the first race days occur in the same calendar year.Some sources in the Wyoming gaming community raised eyebrows about the timing of these approvals. Ridgeway pointed out that his organization started racing at Energy Downs in Gillette before getting approval for OTB elsewhere in the state.Clement said his team has been focused on getting approval for the track and hasn't had time to figure out where the simulcasting activities will take place. There is also a current law restriction that prohibits simulcasting within 100 miles of a permitted horse racetrack while racing is in progress, unless approved by the track. This rule was intended to protect track operators from new outside competition, but in the case of Thunder Plains, it's the opposite.If Clement refuses to grant approval, it will have a significant financial impact on other operators like 307 Horse Racing in Cheyenne, estimated to be a seven-figure loss. Thunder Plains plans to operate every weekend in August and September 1.Ridgeway said Clement sent him an email about negotiating the waiver on Tuesday morning. Clement emphasized that his team is committed to working with other tracks to create a sustainable platform for the future of the industry and ensure sustainable OTB expansion.