Keeneland Has One of The Highest Quality Race Courses
Keeneland has one of the highest quality race courses in the country, and it’s no wonder that many horseplayers love making money from it. A selection at Keeneland is considered a good bet if the odds and current market conditions are right. Horseplayers can find tips on how to find the best picks for every race, and the site also provides statistics for every race and each tipster.
Races at Keeneland
The Keeneland Association, Inc., based in Lexington, Kentucky, is a business conglomerate that operates Keeneland picks Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. Known for its extensive reference library, Keeneland is an excellent place for horse lovers to spend an afternoon. For those who want to go beyond the races, the Keeneland Association, Inc. is also a reference library that offers educational courses and seminars.
The founders of Keeneland had a vision to create a special racetrack in Kentucky that would perpetuate the sport and symbolize the finest Thoroughbred racing traditions. Since the first race meeting here in October 1936, Keeneland has continued to strive for excellence in its racing program, and it now ranks among the best in the nation in terms of purse distribution, field size, and the quality of racing.
The FallStars Weekend kicks off with five Grade 1 stakes at Keeneland, including the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile and the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster. Other Grade 1 stakes include the Darley Alcibiades, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, and the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. NBC will also include updates from Keeneland on its Preakness coverage.
Horses that have won at Keeneland
The Keeneland library houses one of the largest collections of Thoroughbred racing history. More champions have been sold here than at any other sale, including the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Belmont Stakes, and Kentucky Derby. The collection includes thousands of books, photographs, and negatives. It also has a vast archive of the Daily Racing Form. There are two main seasons at Keeneland: Spring and Fall.
This year, there are three Kentucky Oaks winners who were born at Keeneland and bred there. One is Shannon, a Nyquist filly that won the April 22 Kentucky Derby. Her dam, Sweet Belle, is a Grade 2-winning mare out of Deputy Commander. Another winner was Speaks for Itself, a Malibu Moon filly who won her Aqueduct debut on April 14. She is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Una Mac Cool.
Another horse that won at Keeneland is Alydar, who was the nemesis of 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed. Alydar was presented to its owners before the race by Jorge Velasquez. The gesture remains one of the most memorable moments at Keeneland. The stallion won seven of his eight races at Keeneland, and is still regarded as one of the best of all-time.
Horses that have failed to win at Keeneland
Among the most popular races at Keeneland, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has been the subject of much speculation. A crowded field of over 100 runners makes it hard to pick a favorite. Keeneland’s track conditions are conducive to speedy horses. However, the track’s heavy turn is not conducive to the speediest horses. That is why it is necessary to choose your runners carefully. If you are interested in betting on horses, the odds are a good starting point.
The track is over a thousand acres. Its layout protects the surrounding landscape, history, and jaw-dropping views. The site was once home to tobacco crops, but tobacco production was banned by Prohibition, and raising horses was the way to go. In the late 1700s, John Oliver Keene declared raising horses the way he wanted to do business. While Prohibition loomed, Keeneland remained in business.
Rattle N Roll is another juvenile that is returning to Keeneland this fall to reclaim his position among the leading Kentucky Derby contenders. He gained 10 points last October at Keeneland when he finished clear in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity under Brian Hernandez Jr., and earned a 100 Equibase Speed Figure. While Rattle N Roll isn’t the same horse from last fall, the trainer’s decision to run him isn’t necessarily a negative.
