Officials at Keeneland Race Course and Breeders’ Cup made it official Tuesday when they announced at a morning press conference that horse racing's year-end championship series, the Breeders' Cup, will be held at the Lexington, Ky. race track in 2015. The two-day race event will take place Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 and Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
It was also announced that the 2016 Breeders’ Cup will, for the ninth time, return to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Cal. and make its first appearance at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, Cal. 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.”
Keeneland hosts live racing for two short months a year in April and October and routinely draws some of racing’s elite owners, trainers, jockeys and horses. In addition to the racing, Keeneland is known for the horse auctions it holds every January, April, September and November. Keeneland sales graduates have gone on to win the industry’s greatest 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.”
