Keeneland Sales & Racing Update, June 2

To our customers:

Last week was historic for Keeneland as we announced our five-day Summer Meet, our new online auction platform, the Keeneland Digital Sales Ring, and our first online sale, the June Select Horses of Racing Age Sale.

We will continue to use this weekly newsletter to keep our customers apprised of developments with these major events. We have provided a brief overview of last week’s announcements as well as a few updates below.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the sales and racing teams should you have any questions.

Best,

Bob Elliston

The Summer Meet at Keeneland

We were delighted that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Race Dates Committee unanimously approved Keeneland’s request to conduct a spectator-free, five-day Summer Meet to be held Wednesday, July 8 through Sunday, July 12.

Keeneland will host 9-10 races each day of the Summer Meet, featuring 10 graded stakes races traditionally run during the Spring Meet, including the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and Central Bank Ashland (G1). The condition book will be released in the coming days. The stakes nomination deadline is Wednesday, June 24.

Online Select Horses of Racing Age Sale Set for June 23

We were pleased to officially introduce the Keeneland Digital Sales Ring last week, a stand-alone online auction platform accessible to buyers and sellers around the world at keenelanddigital.com. Kicking off the new digital platform will be a Select Horses of Racing Sale scheduled for June 23.

Entries are being accepted online now through Friday, June 12. Entry fee is $500 and Keeneland’s commission on all sales will be the standard 5% with no RNA fees.

This tool will not replace our live auction format, but provides the flexibility to host small, select auctions throughout the year. We hope this unique online platform provides you with additional sales options, particularly in this disrupted sales calendar. Keeneland will integrate separate technology to allow online and phone bidding beginning with the September Yearling and November Breeding Stock Sales this fall. Learn more.

Reminder of Key Dates

Invoices for entries to the September Sale have gone out by mail and email. The first installment will be due Wednesday, July 1, for horses that are not withdrawn by Friday, June 12. Should you withdraw between June 1 and June 12, your account will be reconciled and no entry fees will be required.

In addition, property line changes are due by Monday, June 8. Please remind your clients of this upcoming deadline.

Nourish Lexington and Nourish the Backstretch

We have been humbled by the support from our community, industry and fans for Nourish Lexington and Nourish the Backstretch. Keeneland, in partnership with VisitLEX, FoodChain and many other community partners created Nourish Lexington in early April to provide warm meals for members of our community in need during the COVID-19 crisis. Keeneland Hospitality also stepped forward to provide thousands of Nourish meals to children who would have received free or reduced-cost lunch. Last week, Nourish Lexington surpassed the 50,000-meal mark since the program’s inception.

Keeneland, in partnership with Blue Grass Farm Charities, collaborated to create Nourish the Backstretch at the beginning of May. Through this initiative, more than 1,800 meals and hundreds of bags of groceries have been distributed to stable employees at Keeneland and The Thoroughbred Center. To learn more about ways to support Nourish the Backstretch or the good works of Blue Grass Farm Charities, click here.