Keeneland Ready for Historic Fall Meet

Before it hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the first time Oct. 30-31, Keeneland will offer up its fall meeting, which is always one of the country's important meets but this year will pick up some added importance on the track and offer some new experiences for fans.

The Oct. 2-24 fall meet will climax at month's end with a special day of racing, Prelude to the Cup on Oct. 29, followed by the $26 million Breeders' Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31. The 17-day fall meet features 16 stakes races worth a total of $5,075,000 in purse money, led by the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) Oct. 3.

On the track, fields are expected to be especially strong as horsemen look to get a start over the main track or turf course before the Breeders' Cup at month's end. For fans, Keeneland has reshaped its grounds to offer many new seating options that also will have some availability during the meet.

The opening weekend, which Keeneland tabs as FallStars Weekend, will feature nine graded stakes and seven of the meet's eight Breeders' Cup Challenge Win and You're In races. Horses who win Challenge races are ensured a Breedes' Cup race spot and receive free entry to a corresponding Breeders' Cup race.

"You're going to see a lot of races where the horses who win, you can pretty well count on them being here because they don't have to pay an entry fee which is a great blessing," said Keeneland vice president of racing Rogers Beasley, who noted that eight European-trained horses will compete the opening weekend. "It's a great opportunity to see past Eclipse Award winners and probably some of this year's Eclipse Award winners as well."

One of those Eclipse Award winners will be two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, who recently was retired but will be paraded Saturday, Oct. 3. This opening weekend the Lexington track will offer nine graded stakes worth $3.7 million. 

"This is a monumental time for Keeneland nearly 80 years in the making," said Keeneland president Bill Thomason. "We are thrilled to welcome the Thoroughbred racing world and its fans for a historic month of racing and activities that will showcase not only Keeneland but the entire Central Kentucky community."

The Prelude to the Cup Thursday, Oct. 29 features a special nine-race card on the eve of Breeders' Cup that will feature the $100,000 Lafayette Presented by Keeneland Select, for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup, encompassing 13 grade I races worth more than $26 million in prize money and awards, will close out the meeting.

But before those big two days of racing, Keeneland will offer fans unique experiences. Besides many new seating venues at the track available for race day, Keeneland plans to allow fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in Breeders' Cup activities. Fans will be able to attend morning workouts from Sunday, Oct. 25-Wednesday, Oct. 28 to see the Breeders' Cup horses. The draw for the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) and Classic (gr. I) will be open to the public in the new Bourbon Lounge tent.

"Part of what made our pitch to the Breeders' Cup so special was this idea of a homecoming, the fact that we could truly involve the community and do a full events schedule around Breeders' Cup," said Keeneland chief executive officer Vince Gabbert. "In addition to everything that's going on downtown (Lexington) and going on around the community, we also will have a lot going-on on the grounds that week leading up to Breeders' Cup as well."

Wearing a Breeders' Cup purple tie Tuesday, Sept. 29, Thomason said the area has embraced the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland and the entire meet will be special.

"We're building toward so many special things for this industry and this community that are part of our core mission," said Thomason. "The way this fall has been embraced by the industry and the Lexington community is actually humbling, if you will. It has been so special."

During the fall meet, fans will have the opportunity to experience several venues constructed especially for Breeders' Cup. Fans may purchase tickets in the Club Lawn Chalet, Saddling Paddock Chalet and Grandstand Loge Boxes, in addition to the track's traditional dining rooms, reserved Grandstand seats and general admission. 

Individual ticket reservations for the Fall Meet may be made online at Keeneland.com (click on the Tickets and Dining tab under Racing) or via mail. The new areas encompass more than 2,000 additional seats and include: 

Club Lawn Chalet: Available Fridays and Saturdays during the Fall Meet. Tickets are $80 per person and include general admission, lunch buffet and race-day program. Seating sold by tables of six only.  

Saddling Paddock Chalet: Available opening Saturday, Oct. 3. Located adjacent to the Grandstand East entrance, this chalet offers once-in-a-lifetime views of the Saddling Paddock. Tickets are $80 per person and include general admission, lunch buffet, and race-day program. Seating sold by tables of six only.  

Grandstand Loge Boxes: Available every race day during the Fall Meet. Conveniently located on the first floor Grandstand and elevated to sit just below the permanent boxes, these seats offer commanding views of the race track. Boxes seat six and prices include general admission: $200 per box on Saturday, $150 per box on Friday, $100 per box Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

Keeneland has made several alterations to parking and traffic flow for the fall meet in order to accommodate the unique trackside venues constructed for the Breeders' Cup. Clubhouse parking and the area known as the Louisville Lot, both located near the final turn, are closed. Tailgaters are encouraged to join the fun on The Hill, which offers all the racing action via a jumbo screen, plus food trucks, live music, and mutuel machines. 

To facilitate traffic flow, Keeneland will make five gates around the track's perimeter available to fans entering and exiting the grounds. In addition to Gates 1 and 2 off Versailles Road and Gate 3 off Rice Road, there are two new entrances, Gates 4 and 5, located on Van Meter Road, that will be open for vehicular traffic. Additional shuttle stops will be available near Gates 4 and 5 as well as The Hill to take fans to the Grandstand. For more information on these changes, including an area map, please visit Keeneland.com.

The track plans numerous special days this year, new and old.

The popular Craft Beer Tent returns on the North Terrace patio on Fridays and Saturdays during the meet. A special selection of beers will include Blue Stallion, Country Boy's Fall Ale, produced in conjunction with Keeneland, Fat Tire, Kentucky Ale, Land Shark, Shock Top, Sierra Nevada, and Woodchuck Hard Cider. 

On Saturdays, Sunrise Trackside, sponsored by LEX18, Lexington Herald-Leader and Dunkin' Donuts, offers activities for all ages beginning at 7 a.m. Fans can enjoy Breakfast With the Works, a Southern-style breakfast and trackside commentary while horses train on the main track (until 8:30 a.m.); children's activities in the Kids Club Corner (7-9 a.m.); Keeneland mini-Breeders' Cup tours (8-10:30 a.m.); an equine-related demonstration in the Paddock (9 a.m.); a trackside handicapping seminar (11:30 a.m.); and a Q&A session with a Keeneland jockey in the Paddock (12:05 p.m.). 

Breeders' Cup tours will be available throughout October.

WINS-day Challenge, a handicapping contest presented by Malone's and Daily Racing Form takes place Wednesdays. At Wagering Central, contestants can sign up to play for a $10 entry fee, then make a mythical $2 win and place wager on Keeneland races 3 through 8. The contest offers a guaranteed $2,500 pool, and the first 200 participants receive a free Daily Racing Form and a card for a free appetizer at Malone's. 

Make-A-Wish Day (Oct. 8): Local Thoroughbred farms team up with Keeneland to grant wishes for nine deserving children on a race-day of their dreams. The children and their families will be treated to a VIP experience, complete with presenting a trophy after each race. 

College Scholarship Day (Oct. 9): attracts thousands of students from colleges and universities in Kentucky and beyond. Admission is free with a college ID. Full-time students can register in the North Terrace to win one of ten $1,000 scholarships and prizes from local vendors awarded after each of the day's races.

The popular Keeneland/UK Double on Thursday, Oct. 16, enables fans to take in Keeneland racing during the day and the first primetime Thursday night football game for the University of Kentucky. The UK game versus Auburn kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. 

UK and racing fans can continue to double their fun at seeblue Day at the Races on Friday, Oct. 17. UK alumni, faculty and students receive free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating with a valid UK ID.