Keeneland facts for kids
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| Location | Lexington, Kentucky, United States |
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| Coordinates | 38°2′44″N 84°36′38″W / 38.04556°N 84.61056°W |
| Owned by | Keeneland Association Inc. |
| Date opened | 1936 |
| Course type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Notable races | Ashland Stakes (G1) Turf Mile Stakes (G1) Breeders' Futurity Stakes (G1) Blue Grass Stakes (G1) |
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Keeneland
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A view of Keeneland's grandstand at dawn, taken from the last turn leading into the home stretch
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| Built | 1936 |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003487 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1986 |
| Designated NHL | September 4, 1986 |
Keeneland is a famous horse business located in Lexington, Kentucky. It has two main parts: the Keeneland Race Course, where Thoroughbred racing happens, and Keeneland Sales, where horses are bought and sold. It also has a well-known library about horses.
In 2009, a group called the Horseplayers Association of North America ranked 65 horse racetracks. Keeneland was chosen as the number one track! It is also a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1986, it was named a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
Keeneland's Story: A Look Back
Keeneland started in 1936 as a special place for horse racing and auctions. It was built on 147 acres (about 0.6 square kilometers) of farmland near Lexington. The land used to belong to Jack Keene, who helped make Keeneland happen.
Keeneland uses the money it earns from races and horse sales to help the thoroughbred horse industry. It also gives back to the local community.
The Keeneland Race Course holds live races twice a year, in April and October. The spring races last for 15 days and are very important in North America. They include 15 graded stakes races, like the Blue Grass Stakes. This race helps horses get ready for the famous Kentucky Derby. The fall races last for 17 days and feature 17 graded stakes races. Six of these are Grade One events, which are important warm-up races for the Breeders' Cup.
Keeneland loves to keep old racing traditions alive. For example, it was the last track in North America to use a public address system to announce the race calls. This only started in 1997! Because of its old-fashioned feel, many movie scenes have been filmed here. The 2003 movie Seabiscuit used Keeneland for most of its racing parts. The movies Dreamer (2005) and Secretariat (2010) also filmed important scenes at Keeneland.
Even with its love for tradition, Keeneland has also added new things. In 1984, a special Winner's Circle was built by the track for a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. They also created the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes race. In 1985, a grass track was added. Now, many races, including the Challenge Cup, are run on the grass.
In 2006, the main dirt track was changed to a special surface called Polytrack. But in 2014, it was changed back to a dirt surface. Keeneland was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986. This was because of its important role in growing horse racing and making it popular again in Lexington.
Keeneland hosted the Breeders' Cup for the first time in 2015. A famous horse named American Pharoah won the Breeders' Cup Classic that year. He was the first horse to win the "Grand Slam" of horse racing. This means he won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Many people thought Keeneland was too small to host such a big event. But it was a huge success! One writer even said, "I was wrong...it was spectacular." Keeneland was chosen again to host the Breeders' Cup in 2020.
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Keeneland had to change its spring race schedule. The races were moved to a shorter time in July. Some races, like the Bewitch Stakes and Lexington Stakes, were not held that year. The Breeders' Cup in 2020 was won by a horse named Authentic, who had also won the Kentucky Derby.
Keeneland works with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). This group helps people who own and breed thoroughbred horses. They support the sport through education and by connecting people in the horse world.
Keeneland Sales: Buying and Selling Horses
Keeneland is the biggest place in the world for selling thoroughbred horses at auction. They hold three big sales every year. These include the September Yearling Sale for young horses, the November Breeding Stock Sale for horses used for breeding, and the January Horses of All Ages Sale.
Many famous horses have been sold at Keeneland. This includes 82 horses that won 88 Breeders' Cup races. Also, 19 Kentucky Derby winners, 21 Preakness winners, and 18 Belmont winners were sold here. Eleven horses that won the "Horse of the Year" award, called the Eclipse Award, also came from Keeneland sales.
The Keeneland team travels to over 25 countries to find buyers for their horses. They invest a lot of money each year to bring buyers from all over the world. This helps make sure their auctions have many people bidding. Horses sold at Keeneland have won major races around the globe. For example, nine of the 14 top-ranked horses in the Kentucky Oaks race were sold at Keeneland.
Track Layout
The Keeneland track has two main parts. There is a dirt oval track that is about 1.7 kilometers (1 and 1/16 miles) long. There is also a grass (turf) oval track that is about 1.4 kilometers (0.875 miles) long. The grass track can be set up in two ways. One way, called the Keeneland Course, has a temporary rail set 15 feet (about 4.5 meters) out. The other way, called the Haggin Course, does not have this temporary rail.
TV Personalities
- Mike Battaglia (1974–present)
- Katie Mikolay Gensler (2013–present)
Keeneland Mark of Distinction
Since 1968, Keeneland has honored people who have helped Keeneland and the thoroughbred horse industry. This honor is called the Mark of Distinction. People who receive this honor get a special button. The button has the colors of their racing or farm silks (the special colors worn by jockeys). Every spring and fall, members of the Keeneland Club wear these buttons.
Horse Racing Events
Keeneland has two main racing seasons each year. The Spring Meeting is in April, and the Fall Meeting is in October. Many exciting stakes races are held at Keeneland. Some of these races have changed names or sponsors over the years.
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Grade 1 Races:
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Grade 2 Races:
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Grade 3 Races:
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External links
- Home | Keeneland
- Classic Race winners sold at Keeneland Auction
- Keeneland's First Meet, 1936
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