Shannon Arvin

Following the news of his passing, tributes  to legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas poured in from across the industry Sunday. "A four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, today we lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years. We will miss his humor, his wisdom and his unmatched capacity to thrill the fans with the performances of his horses on our sport's biggest days." Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated "D. Wayne Lukas was...

The Breeders' Cup will be held at Keeneland Race Course and the new Belmont Park for the 2026 and 2027 Breeders' Cup World Championships, the company announced in a joint statement with NYRA and Keeneland Wednesday. The Breeders' Cup at Keeneland will take place Oct. 30-31, 2026, while the Belmont Park edition will be held Oct. 29-30, 2027, pending approval by the host tracks' respective states. "The Breeders' Cup, Keeneland, and Belmont Park share many core values, including a steadfast commitment to excellence and Thoroughbred racing, and there is no...

Keeneland and Stable Recovery, a groundbreaking peer-driven program that offers recovering addicts the opportunity to learn the skills needed to find meaningful employment in the Thoroughbred industry, are teaming to launch a dedicated Maintenance Cohort at Keeneland Aug. 1, according to a Thursday press release from the track. The Maintenance Cohort will be a specialized extension of the existing 90-day Taylor Made School of Horsemanship focusing on practical skills, job readiness and character development through hard work and accountability. Keeneland will be the first race track nationally to provide on-site...

Keeneland concluded its 2025 Spring Meet on Friday following 15 days of racing that produced total wagering of $192 million. The Spring Meet was slated to begin Friday, Apr. 4, but severe storms and flooding rainfall forced Keeneland officials to take the unprecedented step of rescheduling the opening two days, resulting in the GI Central Bank Ashland and the GI Toyota Blue Grass moving to Monday, Apr. 7 and Tuesday, Apr. 8, respectively. "The success of this Spring Meet is a salute to the power of teamwork, and we are...

The longtime director of communications at Keeneland, Amy Gregory, has announced her retirement from the Kentucky icon effective June 1, the track shared via press release Monday afternoon. Gregory joined Keeneland in 2006 and was named to her current position in 2013. She will continue to provide support during race meets and sales and consult on special projects. As director, Gregory oversaw media and public relations for the Spring and Fall meets as well as the auctions and held key roles in brand enhancement and messaging. On the auction side,...

James E. "Ted" Bassett III, who led Keeneland through historic expansion during his 38-year tenure serving as President, Chairman and Trustee, died Thursday at his home in Lexington. He was 103. So he was not immortal, after all. But those of us privileged to have known James E. Bassett III will know how rare it is not only for human life to stretch to so wide a span but yet to conclude with the emphasis so unequivocally on quality, rather than mere quantity. It began [and ended] in Lexington, aptly...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, & Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale opened Tuesday in Lexington with a solid Book 1 session punctuated by nine million-dollar mares purchased by a diverse, international buying bench. Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm made the session's highest bid when purchasing graded-stakes winner Roses For Debra (Liam's Map) for $2.4 million from the Candy Meadows Sales consignment. "It was a very solid, vibrant marketplace," said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. "It was a really diverse buying bench. We had...

by Steve Sherack & J.N. Campbell  DEL MAR, CA -- A stallion share (2.5% fractional interest) in undefeated 2022 Horse of the Year and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Flightline (Tapit) brought $2.5 million from Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm to top the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale held in Del Mar's paddock Wednesday evening. The final offering of the sale, the stallion share was consigned by Lane's End Farm as Hip 12. Flightline welcomed his first foals this year and will command a $150,000 stud fee at Lane's End in...

Saturday marked the final day of Keeneland's 2024 Fall Meet which saw a season-record all-sources wagering total of $210 million boosted by record purse money that attracted full fields featuring the nation's top trainers, jockeys and horses. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione earned the leading rider title, his eighth overall, with 24 total wins while trainer Brad Cox led all trainers with 14 wins including a record six stakes wins during the meet. Godolphin was the meet's leading owner with four wins. "The Fall Meet was exceptional," said Keeneland President and CEO...

The inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale--part glitzy party, part horse auction--will be held in the Del Mar paddock Oct. 30, offering invitation-only attendees, as well as off-site bidders, the chance to become owners of horses running in the Breeders' Cup at the oceanside oval just days later. The catalogue for the auction was released Thursday, revealing full or fractional interests available in four Breeders' Cup contenders, as well as a stallion share in a fifth championship starter. The 12 offerings in the auction also include a half-sister to a Breeders' Cup...

The inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale, to be held Oct. 30 in the Del Mar paddock, will feature 12 offerings, including interests in four horses expected to participate in Breeders' Cup championship weekend days later. Now available at Championship.Keeneland.com, the interactive catalogue features photos, videos, speed figures and more information for each entered horse. "Keeneland created the Championship Sale to be a fun, unique event that celebrates the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the sport, and we look forward to hosting a top-level experience," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said....

David O'Farrell, General Manager of Ocala Stud, has been appointed to Keeneland's Advisory Board of Directors, according to a release Thursday. "David brings a wealth of expertise and a deep-rooted commitment to the Thoroughbred industry," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. "His leadership at Ocala Stud, coupled with his involvement in numerous industry organizations, makes him a valuable addition to the board and to Keeneland's continued success. We are grateful for David's service in advancing the sport we all love." O'Farrell, who serves as General Manager of his family's...