Discussions Ongoing for Keeneland Summer Meet
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Photo: Coady Photography
Spectators watch horses race on the turf at Keeneland
Discussions are continuing between Ellis Park and Keeneland regarding the possibility of the Lexington track conducting a short summer meet outside its customary race dates, Keeneland vice president of racing and sales Bob Elliston said.
Keeneland, which canceled its spring meet due to COVID-19, would like to pick up race dates to allow it to conduct some of its stakes and other races it was unable to run last month. Races such as the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1)—qualifying preps on the updated Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively—are expected to be part of a Keeneland summer meet.
Barring an easing of COVID-19 restrictions in Kentucky for large public gatherings, a summer meet at Keeneland would most likely be contested with restricted attendance.
"We've had very positive discussions with our friends at Ellis Park, and we're hopeful that soon we'll be able to make an announcement this summer," Elliston said. "I'm very optimistic we will reach an accord, and there will be an opportunity for Keeneland to race some dates this summer."
Both Kentucky Downs and Ellis Park adjusted their race meets in September to accommodate Churchill Downs' request to run a postponed Derby week of racing from Sept. 1-5, culminating in the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Ellis Park, set to open June 28 after Churchill Downs' spring meet, has the traditional summer dates on the Kentucky circuit and will now end its meet Aug. 30.
In an interview this year, Skip Sayre, the chief of sales and marketing for Ellis Entertainment, the parent company of Ellis Park, said Ellis would be "made whole" financially by Churchill Downs for shortening its meet.
Elliston did not specify when or for how long Keeneland wishes to run, but an abbreviated meet in the early to middle portion of July would present an opportunity for horsemen before the start of the prestigious summer racing season at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Saratoga begins July 16.