Keeneland Gets Back to Business With Spring Meet

Rich purses, prestige, tradition, and importance to the Central Kentucky breeding industry are all key elements of racing at Keeneland, or as trainer and New Orleans native Al Stall Jr. likes to phrase it, "that's all in the gumbo of Keeneland." Now another missing ingredient—fans—is back in the mix. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, paid attendance returns to the Lexington track for the spring meet, though in a limited capacity due to social distancing and other health guidelines. The track is planning on hosting up to 7,000 fans daily for its 15-day season from April 2-23, Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said. That is less than half of its average daily attendance of 15,159 from the spring of 2019 and a fraction of its largest crowds of 34,000 or more it previously drew to witness its most popular Saturday cards. Last year's spring meet was scrapped altogether with the onset of COVID-19, leaving the track to stage a unique, week-long summer meet and its regular fall meet without fans. Those meets were closed to paid attendance, though participating horsemen, owners, and VIPs were allowed access. Thousands of unpaid spectators were onsite at Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 6-7, with the leadership of that two-day event handled by that organization. Though fans will be back this spring, getting a ticket—no walk-up sales are taking place—isn't easy. Within days of going on sale last week, Keeneland quickly sold out its general admission tickets for weekends and some Fridays. "We really have missed our fans so much. We can't emphasize enough how much we've missed our fans," Arvin said in an interview March 26. "They and their loyalty are part of what makes this such a vibrant track, and a great place to watch racing, and enjoy an afternoon. We have gone to great lengths since the pandemic to make sure that this is a safe environment for anybody that's on the grounds, and we're going to continue to do that this spring." That environment requires mask-wearing when not eating or drinking. Another Keeneland tradition, tailgating, is not endorsed by the track this spring in keeping with state health guidelines. Arvin said the track is "working on" plans to implement a vaccination program for its backstretch and frontside workers—such as one Churchill Downs began offering in partnership with Norton Health Care starting March 29. She noted the Lexington track hosted a University of Kentucky mobile vaccination clinic Feb. 20 in which more than 500 vaccinations were administered to older residents and those with pre-existing conditions. Weekly testing of employees continues, she added. Last year on June 19, Keeneland confirmed 27 backstretch workers had tested positive for COVID-19 from testing that first began in May. Other tracks such as Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, and Golden Gate Fields also had positive cases. Most impacted by COVID-19 was Golden Gate, which suspended racing for two months due to its outbreak. The return of fans this meet and the improving environment with COVID-19 also is financially rewarding for Keeneland. The track derives more revenue than other tracks from on-track attendance, betting, and concession sales—dollar amounts not fully offset by at-home wagering. "We definitely have been impacted, financially and otherwise, but we just have been careful to take our time and only have fans back when we feel like we can safely do that," Arvin said. "And aside from the financial implications, one of the things that is special is that so many people in our community embrace Keeneland and nothing says spring is here like the Keeneland spring race meet. So it was certainly difficult to not host a spring race meet last year, and to host race meets since then has been really hard because (fans are) such an important part of the vibrancy of this place." Fans aren't the only new additions to Keeneland this spring. It's the first such meet for Arvin in her position after being announced as the track's new leader last summer, succeeding Bill Thomason. She formally became president and CEO at the end of 2020. The spring meet is also the first for Dr. Stuart Brown II after joining Keeneland last summer as its equine safety director. Dr. George Mundy, equine safety officer, also is on staff. Like Churchill Downs, Keeneland requires a trainer/veterinarian agreement to be on file for participation. Keeneland also requires a trainer's attending veterinarian to examine intended runners during the three days immediately preceding entry to a race. Last year there was one racing fatality from 1,989 starters at Keeneland (.50 fatalities per 1,000 starts), per The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database. The previous year, the track had nine fatalities from 2,807 starts (a ratio of 3.21 incidents per 1,000 starts) during its two traditional meets, its highest tally in data collected since 2009. New in Keeneland administration this spring is Gatewood Bell as vice president of racing, having begun his duties in late February following Bob Elliston's resignation in December. Over the past month, Bell has been making the rounds, conversing with horsemen and staff. Some already knew him from previous roles as a jockey agent, bloodstock agent, horse owner, and Kentucky Horse Racing Commission member. He is the son of Jimmy Bell, president of Godolphin USA. "(Gatewood) has been out each and every morning, at the starting gate, walking the barns, meeting the maintenance crew, back to the tractor drivers. He's just everywhere," said Wesley Ward, who trained for Bell during his time as a bloodstock agent and owner. "He just really wants to learn. He knows he has a lot to learn from the ground up. He's very bright, well educated. I just think he's going to be a great addition to Keeneland and really continue Keeneland's tradition to make this the best place to be." Ward figures to enjoy his customarily strong meet. A five-time leading trainer at Keeneland—a track he calls his "absolute favorite"—he has six horses entered on opening day, three in stakes. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Chasing Artie and Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable's Fauci are an uncoupled entry for the trainer in the $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint, a 5 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds, and Three Chimneys Farm's Twenty Carat runs in the Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3). The next day on April 3, he has Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari entered in the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) and a horse he owns and trains, Bound for Nowhere, in the Shakertown Stakes (G2T). Bound for Nowhere won the 2018 Shakertown, was second in 2019, and ran third in 2020. Ward also will eagerly welcome the return of 4 1/2-furlong dashes for 2-year-olds, where his gate-savvy, precocious runners so often shine. Such short sprints for 2-year-olds weren't available last year at Keeneland due to the spring meet cancellation from COVID-19. Ward said some of his 2-year-olds had their training delayed by a cold spell in Kentucky in February, but "we've got some good things coming, I think." He has two debuting 2-year-old fillies entered in separate races Friday—Dream Fly in the opener and Magniloquent in the third race. He owns both. Joel Rosario will be aboard the pair. Rosario, Luis Saez, Javier Castellano, and Drayden Van Dyke are among those that will be riding all or portions of the spring meet in addition to the customary Kentucky riding colony. In discussing his current group of 2-year-olds, Ward mentioned a Not This Time colt out of the Lookin At Lucky mare Lucky'stormwarning that "can really run." The juvenile, named Time Tosay Goodbye according to Equineline, was a $290,000 purchase by Stripes Stable from the Paramount Sales consignment from Fasig-Tipton's Selected Yearlings Showcase last September. He breezed three furlongs from the gate at Keeneland March 25 in :37 2/5. Stall, too, plans to run some of his better horses. The trainer will saddle Columbine Stable's Carribean Caper, an eight-length debut winner at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 13, in the fourth race on Friday, a six-horse, first-level allowance optional claiming race. In total, 86 horses were entered in 10 races on opening day, plus four also eligibles. Ninety-six horses and two also-eligibles fill Saturday's 11 races. "I've been going (to Keeneland) since I was a kid in the 70s—have a sister who lives in Lexington; she's been there since high school—so we're all over that place," Stall said. "I like to run horses at Keeneland, but we're very selective about what we run. It's not just the type of place where you just tiptoe into or run horses just to run horses. I've always had a limited amount of starters; I just try and make them count. "The thrill of winning at Keeneland is different than anywhere else, especially if you happen to win a stakes race there. It's unbelievable." Eight such graded races are among the nine stakes Keeneland will run on Friday and Saturday. (The track is closed on Easter, April 4.) Six of those graded stakes are Saturday, topped by the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and the $800,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), a leading prep for the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs. According to Churchill Downs publicity, 23 participants from the Blue Grass have gone on to win the Derby, though none since Street Sense did so in 2007 after a runner-up finish in the Blue Grass. "It's just an exciting time of year," Bell said. "The highlight is probably the fact that the current (Derby) favorite, Essential Quality, is going to run in the Blue Grass. So we will be excited to watch that race, all who come and take him on, and hope somebody out of that race can wear the roses in four weeks."