Opens this Friday April 4.
According to a tweet on the Paulick Report, all horsemen have been asked to
leave the stable area on May 10; speculation seems to be that Keeneland will be
switching back to dirt racing surface.
Anyone hear anything?
I just read in the Lexington paper that track management would like Keeneland to be considered as BC host as early as next year. They would have to install dirt and track lighting (for NBC prime time live viewing) to be seriously considered. They would like to tie the BC extravaganza with the November Keeneland sale.
In addition to this, they would have to figure out how to double their seating capacity, and improve traffic in/out as a result of that, which is bad enough as it is under their current capacity on big days.
Follow my reasoning here.
Keeneland will figure it out.
The possibility that world known brands like the Keeneland Sales and the
Breeders Cup (aka World Thoroughbred Championship Races(not)) could be
co-promoted and cross-promoted is a tremendous boost for the BC and of course
Keeneland Association. This is not a concept Keeneland stumbled across during a
recent board meeting. I am sure the Keeneland people have done ample planning
regarding traffic, parking and seating.
BC or no BC, I think with the return to dirt Keeneland will eventually become
the 2 month a year home of the best racing in North America. I think it is also
inevitable that these Keeneland meets will become so popular with horsemen and
horseplayers that the Fall meet could be enlarged.
Here in Kentucky, it\'s known that Churchill had previously wanted to race in September and give up its November dates to Turfway. They have succeeded in taking the September dates away from Turfway and with the news of a possible Keeneland expansion, I believe it will only be a matter of a few years before Churchill eliminates its November dates. I would believe that a type of schedule between Keeneland, Turfway, and Kentucky Downs will eventually take its place.
Perhaps, Keeneland will race the first two weeks of November to coincide with its breeding stock sale, then Turfway/Kentucky Downs will take the last two/three weeks including the lucrative Thanksigivng weekend.
This all sounds like what Del Mar is doing now. New enlarged turf course. New dirt course. Not sure about the lighting. No ample parking on site -- lots of nearby parking on a large polo field -- shuttles required. Terrible traffic and lack of hotel rooms for an event of this magnitude -- however, San Diego is close. As Richiebee implies regarding the Keeneland folks, the Del Mar folks are smart and will figure it out. (I cannot imagine 60,000+ there under circumstance though).
As bad as the situation is at DelMar (and I agree they would have trouble with a BC), with their train service, multiple potential angles/roads of entry, and usable infield, DelMar is 10X more capable of hosting than Keeneland is.
I realize the Keeneland folks must have thought this thru before requesting, but all they got is Man O War blvd in terms of getting in and out of there. I\'d be very interested in seeing what their plans are, and not sure why it would be some huge secret. There would have to be some radical changes I would think.
I don\'t know Keeneland well but I know Del Mar very well (speaking of Art Sherman and CA Chrome, my box is next to his -- good guy). When DM gets a BC invitation, and they will, because of a traffic nightmare of unbelievable proportions I will arrive by kayak -- leave it on the beach and walk. Will have lunch at the Brig on the way to the track (only kind of kidding).
TreadHead Wrote:
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> As bad as the situation is at DelMar (and I agree
> they would have trouble with a BC), with their
> train service, multiple potential angles/roads of
> entry, and usable infield, DelMar is 10X more
> capable of hosting than Keeneland is.
Because of the significance of Lexington in the industry, and the influence of
Kentucky breeders, I think the folks who choose BC sites might be be satisfied
if Keeneland was able to accommodate a live crowd of 45K. BC would sacrifice some
live gate knowing that the event would be hosted and locally promoted properly.
> I realize the Keeneland folks must have thought
> this thru before requesting, but all they got is
> Man O War blvd in terms of getting in and out of
> there. I\'d be very interested in seeing what
> their plans are, and not sure why it would be some
> huge secret. There would have to be some radical
> changes I would think.
Tread, the last time I was at Keeneland there was no race caller. You are talking
about logistics. If you saw the way NY/NJ handled this past Super Bowl, you
realize that event day mandatory mass transit (in the case of Keeneland, buses I
would imagine), while not a crowd pleaser in all cases, eliminates many parking
and traffic problems.
Keeneland deserves to host its first BC. Churchill has the lights and the seating
capacity, but who knows if its casino crazy parent company even cares to host the
BC. Santa Anita does the BC well and probably should host most frequently.
Gulfstream is a tough sell because it seems as if each time Frankstro renovates
GP its seating capacity is diminished.
If the Kee dirt rumor is true, that leaves Woodbine and Arlington isolated as NA\'s
remaining two major outposts of synthetic racing.
Almost April. All about the final preps and the Derby now.
I was told by people that stable there the reason is Keeneland will be installing a better Wi-Fi system.
I can\'t guarantee that to be accurate, but it certainly doesn\'t preclude going back to dirt or hosting the BC.