Keeneland Makes Sales Plan Around Breeders’ Cup

Keeneland has unveiled its game plan to facilitate the sales process ahead of its November Breeding Stock Sale while at the same time hosting the Breeders’ Cup Championships for the first time this fall.

“We have tried to make it impediment-free, both for our buyers and our consignors and their staff, and for vendors,” explained Keeneland’s Associate Director of Sales Tom Thornbury.

Starting with Keeneland’s Prelude to the Cup day on Oct. 29, buyers, consignors and their staff will be given hang tags for their vehicles to allow access through Gate 3 on Rice Road. There will also be specified marked parking areas for buyers and consignors and shuttles to the barns and back.

“We’ve tried to eliminate any impediment coming and going,” Thornbury said. “You have your own gate and your access and parking will be close to the sales barns for buyers and consignors. There will be continual ingress and egress from Gate 3 on Rice Road for everyone involved in the sales, separated by screening and security to keep the racing fans and crowds going up to the racetrack and not filtering through the barns. And it’s a short walk from the grandstand to a barn to look at a horse. It’s a short walk back to the grandstand–in fact we’ll have golf cart shuttles going back and forth.”

Keeneland is also making sure those involved in pre-sale activities will still be able to conveniently watch and wager on the Breeders’ Cup races.

“If you’re involved in showing horses and you can’t get up to the races, we have a Watch and Wager area between barns nine and 10 where we will have a tent and picnic tables and you can grab lunch right next door at the track kitchen and walk over, have lunch and watch and wager the races,” Thornbury said.

The juxtaposition of championships and sales provides a unique opportunity for sellers, according to Thornbury.

“We’re trying to make it as cozy, as comfortable, as accessible and as pleasant a situation as possible,” he said. “And it’s a great opportunity to showcase your horses before all of the major buyers throughout the world because they will all be right here. They won’t have to take a plane from California and there won’t be any delay.”

Once the Breeders’ Cup is over on Saturday, all gates and parking will be available.

“This is really only for a three-day period prior to the sale,” Thornbury said. “Thursday’s Prelude to the Cup and Friday and Saturday the Breeders’ Cup days. Those will be the only days that traffic will be affected.”