Announcement marks the debut of the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland
Lexington, KY (June 24, 2014) – The Breeders’ Cup, one of Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international events, has today announced Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington, KY, as the host site of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. This is the first time that Keeneland, one of the most iconic tracks in the country, will play host to the Breeders’ Cup. The event will be held on October 30-31, 2015.
The announcement marks the second time in the event’s history and the first time since 1993 that the Breeders’ Cup has revealed on the same day more than one future host site for the World Championships. In addition to Keeneland, the brand’s multi-year location strategy includes bringing the event to Santa Anita Park, in Arcadia, CA for the 2016 Breeders’ Cup World Championships and Del Mar, near San Diego, CA in 2017.
“As part of our strategic three-year host site plan we are very pleased to announce Keeneland as the host venue for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” said Breeders’ Cup Chairman Bill Farish. “Throughout its storied history, Keeneland has developed an extraordinary reputation for delivering a first-class racing and hospitality product. We are excited to bring the Breeders’ Cup home to Lexington and are energized by the support from the local community and the breeders of Central Kentucky who have been such a vital part of our program since its inception.”
Located in the heart of Central Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, Keeneland plays a unique role in both Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Each April and October, the top owners, trainers and jockeys converge at Keeneland to compete for some of the nation’s richest purse money. As the world’s premier Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland attracts a global clientele to its four annual sales. Sale graduates include 77 horses that have won 83 Breeders’ Cup races.
“The Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is a homecoming for many of these great champions who were foaled and raised at Central Kentucky farms, and often sold at Keeneland,” said Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason. “The Keeneland team feels that sense of connection and history with the Breeders’ Cup, and we look forward to offering fans an extraordinary racing and entertainment experience.”
The multi-year host site decision is part of Breeders’ Cup larger, forward-thinking growth strategy to showcase the best of what Thoroughbred racing has to offer and is an extension of the brand’s “The Best Is Yet To Come” campaign which promises a curated Thoroughbred racing experience that will attract the best horses, the best owners and the best marketing partners.
Like Keeneland, which will be the site of next year’s event on October 30 and 31, Del Mar will be hosting the Breeders’ Cup for the first time in the event’s 30-year history with the 2017 Breeders’ Cup on November 3 and 4. In between these years, Breeders’ Cup will return to Santa Anita, which will host the 2016 event on November 4 and 5 and represents the ninth time the track hosts the Breeders’ Cup. All event dates are pending approval by the tracks’ respective states.
About Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 13 races and purses totaling $26 million will be held October 31-Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About Keeneland
For more than 75 years, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. As the world’s largest Thoroughbred auction company, Keeneland conducts sales every January, April, September and November. Its sales graduates dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a private, for-profit corporation that returns its earnings back to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses, as well as millions of dollars in charitable contributions for education, research and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. To learn more about Keeneland, visit us online at www.keeneland.com.
For additional information, contact Niki Heichelbech at enh@visitlex.com.
