Year 85 of horse racing at Lexington’s historic Keeneland track gets underway Friday afternoon. While not a complete return to pre-COVID times, many activities will resume, including tailgating on the hill outside the racing facility on Fridays and Saturdays. The number of attendees will be limited. Keeneland Spokeswoman Amy Gregory said prior year Saturdays might see 30-to-40,000 fans on the grounds. She says, now, 20,000 or so is an optimal capacity. “People can see the horses. They can get up close to the paddock. They can get down on the rail. They can move around. People can really enjoy their experience at Keeneland,” said Gregory.
Gregory said $6 million in purses for the 17 day fall meet is a record amount. She noted stakes racing will be distributed throughout 17 days of dirt and turf contests. “We open with our signature fall stars weekend where we have nine win and you’re in races. So, if you come our Friday, Saturday, Sunday you’ll see a lot of horses that are making their final preps toward the Breeders Cup World Championships at Delmar in November,” explained Gregory
Keeneland will host the 2022 Breeders Cup Championships. All tickets must be pre-purchased online with no walk-up cash ticket buying. Gregory said food trucks will be positioned at the track this meet on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition to a new gourmet ice cream, Gregory noted, for the first time, pizza will be offered as part of the race fan experience.
