Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Through the Ages

January 10 through August 15, 2025

For more than 100 years through 1933, Thoroughbred racing in Lexington took place at the Kentucky Association track near downtown. In the 1930s, a group of prominent Kentucky horsemen formed a committee to build a new racing plant. They settled on a site west of Lexington along the Versailles Pike owned by noted horseman J.O. “Jack” Keene, who had begun building a racetrack with several stone structures. Facing income losses during the Depression, Keene agreed to sell around 148 acres, including the track, to the new Keeneland Association in 1935. Construction quickly began on and around the existing structures, and Keeneland hosted its first Fall Meet in 1936.

Nearly 90 years later, Keeneland is a crown jewel of Thoroughbred racing, conducting prestigious racing seasons in April and October, and is the world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, welcoming horsemen and women from around the world to its five on-site auctions each year. Keeneland now covers 1,234 acres of prime Kentucky Bluegrass and is a National Historic Landmark renowned for its beauty, charm, and timeless traditions.

Founded with a goal to “create a model racetrack to perpetuate and improve the sport and to provide a course intended to serve as a symbol of the finest traditions of Thoroughbred racing,” Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission. It remains faithful to its founding principles by returning profits to the horse industry in the form of higher prize money for its races; funding equine research, health and safety initiatives for horses and riders as well as Thoroughbred aftercare; and contributing to local charitable and civic organizations through a blend of financial and in-kind sponsorships.

While Keeneland is tradition-bound, it continues to be a leader in the improvement of the sport, and the evolution of Keeneland’s grounds, architecture, and facilities is emblematic of its honoring the past while moving the sport and its legacy forward. Keeneland Library’s exhibit, Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Through the Ages, explores both the constants and transformations from its founding to today, as Keeneland continues to build for generations to come.

For access to the virtual exhibit, visit “Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Through the Ages” in the Library’s online exhibit gallery.

A Rite of Spring: The 100^th Running of the Blue Grass Stakes

April 1 through December 20, 2024

Named after Kentucky’s picturesque Bluegrass region to showcase its legacy as the breeding ground for exceptional racehorses, the Blue Grass Stakes was inaugurated at the Kentucky Association racetrack in 1911. The track, which stood in what is now Lexington’s East End and operated from 1828 to 1933, hosted the race from 1911 to 1914 and from 1919 to 1926. The Blue Grass was revived at Keeneland during its inaugural 11-day Spring Meet in April 1937. 

From the unexpected win by the Earl Sande-trained colt Fencing in 1937 through favored Tapit Trice’s victory in 2023 that secured trainer Todd Pletcher’s fourth win in Keeneland’s spring centerpiece, the Blue Grass Stakes maintains a history of close finishes, upsets, fan favorites, and some of racing’s all-time greats. Among the equine stars who took the stage in the venerable race are one runner who would claim the Triple Crown (Whirlaway), 10 winners who would secure their place in the Racing Hall of Fame, 11 winners who would triumph in the Kentucky Derby, and 55 runners who won Triple Crown races. 

The exhibit is freely accessible to the public and racing fans of all ages during the Library’s operating hours of Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and access to the exhibit's virtual companion is available 24/7.

For access to the virtual exhibit, visit “A Rite of Spring: The 100th Running of the Blue Grass Stakes” in the Library’s online exhibit gallery.

Thank you for submitting your contact information to make a contribution to The Keeneland Library. Please click the button below to complete your donation. 

Online donations of any amount are non-restricted. If you would like to make a restricted gift for a specific project, contact the Library Director at 859-288-4223 or [email protected].