Keeneland Race Course

Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky is one of the most celebrated and architecturally distinctive thoroughbred racing facilities in the world, set on 900 acres of Kentucky bluegrass farmland 5 miles west of downtown Lexington on Versailles Road. Opened in 1936 on land donated by the Keene family, Keeneland was built in the Georgian limestone tradition that characterizes the surrounding horse-farm landscape, with a grandstand and clubhouse clad in Kentucky limestone rather than the steel-and-glass construction typical of most American racetracks. The course operates two racing meets annually: a three-week April meet and a three-week October meet, both of which host Grade 1 stakes races including the Blue Grass Stakes (a Kentucky Derby prep race held in April), the Spinster Stakes, and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Outside racing periods, Keeneland is host to the world's most prestigious thoroughbred yearling auctions — the September Yearling Sale and the September Sale of Horses of Racing Age draw buyers and breeders from Ireland, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and beyond, with individual horses sometimes selling for millions of dollars. General admission on race days starts as low as $5, making Keeneland one of the most affordable major thoroughbred racing experiences in North America. The paddock at Keeneland — an intimate limestone ring where horses are saddled and paraded before each race — is one of the best close-viewing experiences in racing, with horses passing within a few feet of standing spectators. Morning training workouts during race meets are open to the public at no charge from approximately 6:00 to 10:00 AM, when horses breeze and gallop under the morning mist over the track. The track's traditional atmosphere, limestone architecture, tree-lined walking ring, and long-standing absence of advertising hoardings give Keeneland a serene character that distinguishes it from larger commercial racing venues.