Keeneland Race Course

Keeneland is a big part of what gives Lexington its identity. Twice a year, in April and October, this race course transforms the city into something special. It is part horse race, part fashion show, part social event, and entirely unlike anywhere else in the country.

This page shows live race entries and results during Keeneland's Spring and Fall meets, plus a countdown to the next race day when a meet is coming up. Below that, you will find a full guide to Keeneland: its history, what happens there, and how to plan a visit.

About Keeneland

Keeneland Race Course opened in October 1936. It sits on more than 1,000 acres along Versailles Road on the western edge of Lexington. The federal government designated Keeneland a National Historic Landmark in 1986, formal recognition of what locals have always known.

What makes Keeneland unusual in the Thoroughbred industry is that it does two things at the highest level under one roof. It hosts world-class racing. It also runs the world's largest Thoroughbred auction house. Most racing venues do one or the other. Keeneland does both.

Keeneland calls itself "Founded by Horsemen." The organization is mission-driven, and profits from racing and sales are reinvested into the industry and the local community. Over the past seven years alone, Keeneland has contributed nearly $40 million above what is required to the purses that make its racing among the richest in North America.

The Two Race Meets

Keeneland runs two race meets each year, both of them short and high-energy. Keeneland describes them as "boutique" meets. That is an accurate word for it.

The Spring Meet runs in April. The Fall Meet runs in October. Between the two meets, Keeneland hosts 40 graded stakes races worth $10.1 million and includes 10 Breeders' Cup Win-and-You're-In races. Post time is 1 p.m. daily during meets, and there is no racing on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Keeneland Sales

Keeneland is the world's largest and most prominent Thoroughbred auction house. Six sales are held each year, spread across January, April, September, and November. Total annual sales top $500 million, and buyers and sellers travel to Lexington from more than 50 countries.

The biggest of these is the September Yearling Sale, which runs for nearly two weeks each fall and represents the single largest annual event in the Thoroughbred sales calendar anywhere in the world.

If you visit Lexington during a sales week, you will notice the private jets at Bluegrass Airport and the horse trailers on Versailles Road. That is Keeneland at work.

The Keeneland Library

Established in 1939, three years after the track opened, the Keeneland Library is the world's largest repository of resources about the Thoroughbred industry. It holds more than 40,000 books dating from the late 1500s, five million photographic negatives and prints from the late 1800s, and millions of newspaper and magazine articles going back to the early 1700s.

The Library is free and open to the public, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It sits on Keeneland's grounds and welcomes journalists, academics, racing fans, and anyone curious about the sport. Every year, more than 10,000 researchers from around the world use its collections.

Reinvesting in the Community

Keeneland's founding mission was to give back, and it still does. Beyond the racing purses, the organization contributes millions to local charities, health programs, and educational programs. It hosts hundreds of charitable events each year. The Keeneland Kids Club has more than 10,000 members. The Track has contributed nearly $1.5 million to Thoroughbred Aftercare in the past five years.

Racing is the front door. The mission behind it is bigger.

Planning Your Visit

If you are new to Keeneland, this section covers the practical stuff. When to go, what to wear, how to bet, where to eat and drink, and how to experience it all without spending a dime if you want to.

When to Go

The Fall Meet runs October 2-24, 2026. Post time is 1 p.m. daily. There is no racing on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Both meets are spectacular but have slightly different personalities. Spring feels fresh and celebratory. Derby season energy is in the air and the surrounding horse farms are lush and green. Fall is crisp and colorful, with some of the best weather Kentucky has to offer. If you happen to go in late October, keep your eyes open. The Headless Horseman has been known to make an appearance, riding through the grounds around Halloween. It is one of those only-at-Keeneland moments. I don't know why Keeneland doesn't make him a full time jockey. He'd be lighter and more aerodynamic than the rest of the jockeys.

Getting There and Parking

Gates open at 11 a.m. with first post at 1 p.m., but you really want to arrive between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Parking is free but the lots fill up fast. General admission seating is first come first served, so the earlier you arrive the better your spot. If you want a picnic table on the apron or a good bench in the grandstand, get there early.

For a full breakdown of every parking lot including which ones fill up first and walking times to the grandstand, see my Keeneland parking guide.

Tickets and Venues

Here is a sense of what Keeneland ticket pricing looks like, based on the most recent Spring Meet 2026 rates. Fall Meet pricing typically runs similar, with adjustments announced closer to the meet. All prices are listed as Wed-Thu / Fri-Sat-Sun / Opening Saturday.

What to Wear

Keeneland has a dress code and people take it seriously. This is one of the few places in Lexington where you will see people genuinely dressed up: spring outfits, derby hats, suits, sundresses. The fashion watching alone is worth the price of admission. I have seen some stunning hats and really impressive watches over the years.

That said you do not have to go overboard. My personal approach: if it is cool, slacks, a white shirt and a tie. If it is warm, a nice pair of shorts and a good button up shirt. Not fancy, but put together.

One important note: check the weather forecast before you go. Kentucky weather in April and October is notoriously unpredictable. It can be gorgeous and sunny or cold and blustery, sometimes on the same day. Layers are your friend.

How to Bet

If you have never bet on horses before, do not overthink it. The minimum bet is usually $2 and there are plenty of windows and self-service machines to place your wagers.

My personal strategy? I look for horses with cool names and bet on my favorites. No racing forms, no number crunching. Just vibes and hope.

I also love betting on long shots. The odds are against you. That is the whole point. But if your long shot comes in, the payoff is incredible. I once hit a trifecta picking purely by horse names and walked away with $50. Pure luck, pure joy.

Fair warning: long shots usually break your heart. But I live on the thrill that it might actually happen. That feeling right before the race when your long shot is still in contention. There is nothing quite like it.

What to Drink

Keeneland has several bars throughout the grounds and the lines move. My drink of choice is the Keeneland Breeze: bourbon, ginger ale, and orange liqueur. It is refreshing, it is perfectly Lexington, and it is my go to.

Last time I was there I paired it with a Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented cigar from Drew Estate. If you enjoy a good cigar, Keeneland is one of the finest places you will ever smoke one. There is something about watching thoroughbreds run while sipping bourbon and smoking a great cigar that just feels right.

Where to Eat

How to Experience Keeneland for Free

The Atmosphere

The crowd at Keeneland on race day is a mix. Longtime locals who have been coming for decades. First timers walking around wide-eyed. Families. Groups of friends dressed real fancy. Serious racing fans with their heads down in their programs. And me with my head down in my lap because I've lost the last 3 races.

When the horses come out of the gate, everyone stops what they are doing and watches. For a moment time stands still. All the energy shifts from hanging with friends and crunching the numbers to the horses on the track.

Even if you lose every bet, and some days you will, you walk out of Keeneland glad you came.