Thursday morning brought with it a cloudburst that threatened to put a major damper on the day’s planned activities, one of which was a visit to Keeneland Racetrack. Founded in 1935 and situated on about 150 acres just on the outskirts of Lexington, the famed racetrack was the location for most of the racing scenes from the 2003 movie “Seabiscuit“.
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It is a gorgeous venue and is well known for its mid-April running of the Blue Grass Stakes, an important prep for the Kentucky Derby. We were a tad early (in the season) to experience the thrill of an actual race but were still able the watch the jockeys and trainers as they worked out their horses on the synthetic Polytrack surface installed in 2006.
Racing starts in April and on Saturdays, a hot buffet breakfast is served — $5 for adults and kids 3 and older; kids under 3 eat free. Parking is free with a nominal $3 admission fee to the racetrack during races. There are numerous opportunities to learn more from the trackside commentary about how horses prepare for a race and to learn about Keeneland’s history. You might even see a famous jockey or two. For those who want to place a wager, it can still be done cheaply — as little as $2 — and the whole family can have fun without having to take out a loan to do it! (Please note that these were the costs in 2008.)
