Keeneland Plans for Sale Activity During BC
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When Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31, it will not only face the challenge posed by having the largest crowd to ever attend the races at the Lexington track, but also how to prepare for the marathon mixed sale that begins Nov. 2.
The track and Breeders' Cup announced Aug. 26 that on-site parking would be extremely limited for Breeders' Cup ticketholders, and that they would be using multiple sites around the city for parking, using shuttles for transportation to and from the track. In addition to the two-day Breeders' Cup, Keeneland is conducting a one-day "Prelude to the Cup" race card Oct. 29.
KEENELAND RELEASES TWO-DAY PARKING PLAN
But Keeneland is taking steps to ensure that any consignors, their staff and vendors, and buyers will not be impeded in trying to get onto the sale grounds for the usual pre-sale showings and inspections. With all of the Breeders' Cup horses stabled at Keeneland's Rice Road annex, the main stable area will house the horses in Book 1 of the November breeding stock sale that runs through Nov. 14.
Tom Thornbury, associate director of sales, said Keeneland is making every effort to ensure that the sale process is unimpeded by the Breeders' Cup, and that a system has been devised to have color-coded hang tags allowing access through Gate 3 on Rice Road for all consignors, staff, vendors, and buyers. The hang tag colors will be in conjunction with the respective parking areas in the stable area for those associated with the sales.
"Whatever we can do, we are working hard to make sure everybody has access to the sales grounds during the three days," Thornbury said. "The Breeders' Cup should augment the sale."
Thornbury said the procedures will be very well-known to anyone needing access, and Keeneland will begin distributing the hang tags during the September sale. Thornbury said every effort will be made to route the Breeders' Cup patrons away from the sale area of the grounds.
Sale participants who also have Breeders' Cup tickets can inspect horses and then take a shuttle to the grandstand for the races. Also, two barns near the track kitchen will be set aside to provide a big-screen television and betting windows for watching and wagering on the Breeders' Cup World Championships.