LEXINGTON, KY (Jan. 16, 2025) – Keeneland Library is now presenting the exhibit Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Through the Ages to celebrate the 90thanniversary of the founding of the Keeneland Association, which established the race track and became a leader in the Thoroughbred industry. Showcasing photographs and memorabilia tracing the development of Keeneland’s grounds, architecture, facilities and innovative industry firsts, the exhibit features photographs curated from Keeneland Library collections and Turf photographers who document today’s race meets and events to highlight Keeneland’s evolution from 1935 to today.
“Racing has had a home in Lexington since the settlement’s founding,” Keeneland Library Director Roda Ferraro said. “Keeneland factors into roughly 90 years of the city’s rich Thoroughbred industry history dating from the late 1700s, and we are pleased to present this exhibit to coincide with 250LEX celebrations of Lexington’s 250th anniversary in 2025.”
Developed by Keeneland Library Project Curator Sarah Cantor, Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Through the Ages explores both the constants and transformations from its founding to today. Keeneland is continuing to build for generations to come as evidenced by the current construction of a three-level Paddock Building set to be completed this fall.
The exhibit, which runs through mid-August, is free and open to the public.
About the Keeneland Association
The Keeneland Association was founded in the 1930s by a group of prominent Kentucky horsemen who wanted to build a new racing plant in Lexington. They settled on a site west of Lexington along the Versailles Pike owned by noted horseman J.O. “Jack” Keene, who had begun building a race track with several structures crafted from stone quarried on site. Facing income losses during the Depression, Keene agreed to sell around 148 acres, including the track, to the new Keeneland Association in 1935. Construction quickly began on and around the existing structures, and Keeneland hosted its first Fall Meet in October 1936.
Today Keeneland is a crown jewel of Thoroughbred racing, conducting prestigious racing seasons in April and October, and is the world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, welcoming horsemen and women from around the world to its five on-site auctions each year. Keeneland covers 1,234 acres of prime Kentucky Bluegrass and is a National Historic Landmark renowned for its beauty, charm and timeless traditions.
Founded with a goal to “create a model race track to perpetuate and improve the sport and to provide a course intended to serve as a symbol of the finest traditions of Thoroughbred racing,” Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission. It remains faithful to its founding principles by returning profits to the horse industry in the form of higher prize money for its races; funding equine research, health and safety initiatives for horses and riders as well as Thoroughbred aftercare; and contributing to local charitable and civic organizations through a blend of financial and in-kind sponsorships.
“While Keeneland is tradition-bound,” Ferraro said, “it continues to be a leader in the improvement of the sport, and the evolution of Keeneland’s grounds, architecture and facilities is emblematic of its honoring the past while moving the sport and its legacy forward.”
About Keeneland Library
Founded in 1939, the world-renowned Keeneland Library houses one of the most comprehensive collection of materials related to Thoroughbred racing, featuring thousands of books, magazines and newspapers and millions of photographic negatives and prints about all aspects of the industry. Staff at this distinguished public research facility annually assist thousands of visitors, racing fans, journalists, writers, academics, historians and others seeking information for their personal use or for articles, books, movies, documentaries and other projects.
Throughout the year, the Library hosts public exhibits, education and outreach programs for youth and adults, and special events, including a Lecture Series to showcase authors who have conducted research at the Library. Artwork and memorabilia related to Thoroughbred racing are also on display.
To reach the Library, enter Keeneland at Gate 1 (Man o’ War Blvd.) on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center. Admission is free.
For more information about Keeneland Library and how you can support its preservation and outreach efforts, visit Keeneland.com/library.
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Since its first race meet 89 years ago, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts five on-site sales a year, in January, April, September and November. Graduates of Keeneland sales 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. Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2015, 2020 and 2022. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research, and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institution with the mission of preserving information about the Thoroughbred industry. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.
Media Contact:
Amy Gregory
859 361-3490
Amy Owens
859 421-2566