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Keeneland Fall Meet To Open At Full Capacity

Keeneland announced plans Thursday to open at full capacity for its 2021 Fall Meet, to be held Oct. 8-30. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 9 a.m. ET Monday, Aug. 16. Demand is anticipated to be high, and fans are strongly encouraged to visit tickets.keeneland.com in advance for information on available ticket options, pricing and the process to purchase.

Keeneland's e-ticketing platform enables patrons to complete their ticketing purchase online and to add tickets to their mobile wallets for easy scanning at the admission gates.

“Keeneland is thrilled to welcome greater numbers of fans back to the track for what promises to be a terrific Fall Meet,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We look forward to being together again as a community and watching great Thoroughbred racing in this beautiful surrounding. As we look ahead to Keeneland's 85th anniversary this fall, we know reconnecting with those people and places that are special to us will be even more meaningful.”

The 17-day Fall Meet offers a record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. The season kicks off Oct. 8-10 with Keeneland's signature Fall Stars Weekend, and the meet features 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races. Two new 6-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds, the Bowman Mill and the Myrtlewood for fillies, and six multiple stakes race days, highlight the Fall Meet.

“The racing excitement will be elevated by record purse money, additional stakes, blockbuster days featuring multiple stakes events throughout the meet and Breeders' Cup-bound horses competing for automatic berths in the World Championships,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “The quality of racing and the high level of competition among the nation's top stables will appeal to horsemen and fans alike.”

Fans will enjoy enhanced hospitality at Keeneland this fall, including new concession items, elevated dining options featuring a la carte service and three-course dining experiences and locally sourced ingredients. Keeneland's popular tailgating tradition will continue with the return of The Hill, where fans can enjoy live music, local food trucks, wagering and more. New this year, patrons on The Hill will have the option to book a customized tailgate package in partnership with REVELxp, the nation's leader in premium tailgate and event services.

After evaluating the success of pre-sold ticket packages during the 2021 Spring Meet, Keeneland has restructured ticket pricing and packages for General Admission, Reserved Seating and dining for the Fall Meet:

· Advance-purchase General Admission tickets are $7;

· Day-of General Admission tickets still will be sold online and through walk-up purchase at the gate on race days for $10;

· Free General Admission is available for members of Keeneland Select, Keeneland's free online wagering platform;

· Grandstand Reserved Seats and dining tickets will be sold online in advance; and

· Keeneland will pre-sell Fall Meet General Admission Season Passes for $40.

Keeneland remains committed to the safety of its guests and continues to monitor local and national health guidelines. As a result, General Admission caps may be enforced, so fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

“We appreciate the loyalty of our horsemen, horseplayers and fans, and we are committed to delivering the most memorable race-day experience possible,” Arvin said. “While challenging, this past year provided us the opportunity to review every facet of our operations and experiences for our guests. From expanding our advance-purchase ticketing options to providing new concession and dining offerings and better leveraging technology, we are excited to roll out these enhancements while remaining one of the region's best values for world-class entertainment.”

All public race-day parking is free.

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Book 1 Of Keeneland September Sale To Consist Of Two Sessions

Following is a letter to customers from Keeneland's president and CEO Shannon Arvin and vice president of sales Tony Lacy:

As we have shared in past communications, it is our intent to keep you informed of our planning and continued efforts to deliver the absolute best marketplace this September. We remain customer-focused on this mission as we work through this process and continue meaningful conversations with you all.

As was announced previously, we adjusted the Keeneland September Yearling Sale schedule based upon the total number of inspected yearlings. After evaluating what we feel is best for our customers and the market, Book 1 of the September Sale will be conducted over two days, taking place Monday, Sept. 13 and Tuesday, Sept. 14.

In an effort to position the largest number of horses before our deep audience of domestic and international buyers, we are holding the first four sessions (Books 1 and 2) consecutively prior to the Dark Day. Therefore, the first week of selling will take place Monday through Thursday, with a Dark Day on Friday. We made this adjustment after consulting with numerous buyers and sellers who continue to express their strong desire to see a significant number of yearlings before a break.

To recap, the final 2021 September Sale schedule will be:

Week 1: Monday, Sept. 13 through Thursday, Sept. 16 – 4 sessions
– Book 1 begins at 1 p.m. | Alphabetical by dam
– Book 2 begins at 11 a.m. | Beginning consignor regular rotation

Dark Day: Friday, Sept. 17

Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Sept. 25 – 8 sessions beginning at 10 a.m. daily

We are keenly aware that the goal is to create a consistent format year to year. We are committed to meeting that goal, and to ensuring a stable marketplace for buyers and sellers alike.

We look forward to hosting you here at Keeneland for the world's preeminent yearling sale and to sharing with you all that Lexington has to offer.

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Keeneland Announces Finalized September Schedule

Keeneland has announced the official daily schedule for its marquee September Yearling Sale, which will begin Monday, Sept. 13 with the first session of a two-day Book 1 opener, a schedule update that was reported in the TDN June 26. Also included in the changes to Book 1's schedule is the ability for sellers to send horses who RNA'd on the first day back through the ring on day two.

The sale will start at 1 p.m. for both Book 1 sessions Monday and Tuesday, while the two Book 2 sessions will get underway at 11 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 15-16. The traditional dark day, moved from its usual spot following Book 1, will be Friday, Sept. 17, with the rest of the sale continuing from Sept. 18-25 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

“In an effort to position the largest number of horses before our deep audience of domestic and international buyers, we are holding the first four sessions [Books 1 and 2] consecutively prior to the Dark Day,” said Keeneland CEO Shannon Arvin. “We made this adjustment after consulting with numerous buyers and sellers who continue to express their strong desire to see a significant number of yearlings before a break … We are keenly aware that the goal is to create a consistent format year to year. We are committed to meeting that goal, and to ensuring a stable marketplace for buyers and sellers alike.”

The post Keeneland Announces Finalized September Schedule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Keeneland Announces Record Stakes Purses For Fall Meet

While Keeneland celebrates its 85th anniversary during the 2021 Fall Meet in October, the track will offer a race meet record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. The Fall Meet, which covers 17 days of racing from Oct. 8-30, will open with the signature Fall Stars Weekend, feature 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races, offer two new $150,000 stakes for 2-year-olds and reposition several stakes to create a total of six race cards with multiple stakes.

Keeneland opened Oct. 15, 1936, for a nine-day Fall Meet.

“The Keeneland Fall Meet is incredibly important, and 85 years of racing at Keeneland is a testament to the uncommon vision of our founders, who tirelessly worked to create an entity that would take a leadership role in the global Thoroughbred industry and in the Central Kentucky community,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “This summer, as we look forward to welcoming back fans and the superstars who will compete here, we feel the anticipation building for the Fall Meet and we look forward to celebrating the anniversary.”

Keeneland will release information about 2021 Fall Meet ticketing along with the timeline for purchases in early July.

All existing stakes for the 2021 Fall Meet have been restored to 2019 purse levels except for the Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3), which received a boost from $125,000 to $150,000, and the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) and Bourbon (G2), which remain at 2020 levels of $750,000 and $200,000, respectively.

“After thoughtful review by our racing team and input from horsemen, we made adjustments to our fall stakes program that will further elevate the quality of racing throughout the meet,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We feel the lucrative purse money and expanded racing opportunities, including two new stakes for 2-year-olds, now in place will broaden Keeneland's appeal to horsemen and fans alike.”

During Fall Stars Weekend, nine stakes are included in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Presented by America's Best Racing. Each winner receives an automatic starting position and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Nov. 5-6 World Championships at Del Mar:

· $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) (Juvenile Fillies-G1) and $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) (Sprint-G1) on Friday, Oct. 8;

· $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) (FanDuel Mile-G1), $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) (TVG Juvenile-G1), $400,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1) (Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf-G1) and $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) (Filly and Mare Sprint-G1) on Saturday, Oct. 9; and

· $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) (Distaff-G1), $200,000 Bourbon (G2) (Juvenile Turf-G1) and $200,000 Indian Summer (L) (Juvenile Turf Sprint-G2) on Sunday, Oct. 10.

The fifth stakes on Fall Stars Saturday, Oct. 9, is the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG.

On Wednesday, Oct. 13, Keeneland will present its 10th Breeders' Cup Challenge race, the $200,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) (Juvenile Fillies Turf-G1).

The Fall Meet's sixth Grade 1 stakes is the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, an invitational turf race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, to be run Saturday, Oct. 16.

For the season, Keeneland has shifted the dates of several stakes. The first is the $150,000 Sycamore (G3), a 1½-mile turf event for 3-year-old and up, which has been moved from Thursday to Friday, Oct. 22.

To enhance the final days of the Fall Meet, Keeneland has introduced two new $150,000 juvenile stakes, the Myrtlewood and Bowman Mill; revived the Perryville and Bryan Station, both fixtures for 3-year-olds, and scheduled the Valley View (G3) and Hagyard Fayette (G2) to create multiple stakes cards:

· Joining the $250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) on Saturday, Oct 23 is the $150,000 Perryville, a 7-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Keeneland ran the Perryville from 1999-2009 and revived the race in 2015 and 2020 as a 6-furlong event that was part of the undercard stakes for the Breeders' Cup here.

· The $150,000 Valley View (G3) will be run Friday, Oct. 29 alongside the new $150,000 Myrtlewood for 2-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs.

· The $200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2), for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, resumes its traditional role as the Fall Meet's closing-day feature. Joining the Hagyard Fayette on Saturday, Oct. 30 are the $150,000 Bryan Station for 3-year-olds at 1 mile on the turf and the new $150,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-olds at 6 furlongs.

Keeneland previously ran the Bryan Station from 1993-2009 and revived the race as a 1 1/8-mile stakes on the turf for 3-year-olds in 2015 and 2020 as part of the Breeders' Cup undercard.

Keeneland 2021 Fall Meet Stakes Schedule: Oct. 8-30

Date	Stakes	Division	Distance
Oct. 8	$400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1)*	2YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles
Oct. 8	$250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2)*	3YOs & Up	6 Furlongs
Oct. 9	$750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile (G1)*	3YOs & Up	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 9	$500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1)*	2YOs	1 1/16 Miles
Oct. 9	$400,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 9	$250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	6 Furlongs
Oct. 9	$200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG	3YOs & Up	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 10	$500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1)*	3YOs & Up, F&M	1 1/8 Miles
Oct. 10	$200,000 Bourbon (G2)*	2YOs	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 10	$200,000 Indian Summer (L)*	2YOs	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 13	$200,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2)*	2YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 15	$150,000 Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3)	3YOs & Up, F&M	5½ Furlongs (T)
Oct. 16	$500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana (G1)	3YO Fillies	1 1/8 Miles (T)
Oct. 22	$150,000 Sycamore (G3)	3YOs & Up	1½ Miles (T)
Oct. 23	$250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2)	3YO Fillies	7 Furlongs
Oct. 23	$150,000 Perryville	3YO	7 Furlongs
Oct. 24	$150,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3)	3YOs & Up, F&M	1½ Miles (T)
Oct. 29	$150,000 Valley View (G3)	3YO Fillies	1 1/16 Miles (T)
Oct. 29	$150,000 Myrtlewood	2YO Fillies	6 Furlongs
Oct. 30	$200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2)	3YO & Up	1 1/8 Miles
Oct. 30	$150,000 Bryan Station	3YO	1 Mile (T)
Oct. 30	$150,000 Bowman Mill	2YO	6 Furlongs

*Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes

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