Best View @ Keeneland?

[tanner12oz]

wheres a good spot to post up and watch the races with a general admission seat at keeneland??? i searched online and couldnt find any info on where general admission folks hang out.

[BluegrassProf]

Lived down the way from Keeneland for a bit..plenty of time spent there.

Keeneland is a very "user-friendly" track; very intimate, and quite pretty, particularly the paddock area. Plenty of rail access on the track proper, which tends to be where I plant myself...otherwise, you're looking at plenty of accessibility in the GA seating areas, so odds are you'll have your pick of general areas in which to find a seat, if you'd prefer.

My only cautious comment: provided the weather's nice, opening day and UK day are super-crowded (particularly the latter, and by crowded I mean crowded with a gazillion college students...Lexi is a college town, acourse), as is BG stakes day, unsurprisingly. Personally, I prefer the "kinda nice" days there, as it tends to lower attendance to a reasonable level so as to give one a chance to appreciate the aforementioned intimacy.

Keeneland was my "first" track, and always near and dear to my heart. :ThmbUp:

[JustRalph]

you will be on the ground out front.......... and you better get there early and plan to have someone hold your seat. If you can't stand for long periods, you are going to be hurting, just an fyi

if you want to sit inside upstairs in the simulcast area.......9a is getting there late if you want a table .........weekdays are better, you might get away with 10a.

UK Days are crowded as hell, but the sights are unbelievable.

The worst Breeders Cup day I ever spent was in the Keeneland Simo. Crowded as hell and tons of rookies in Attendance. Never again on Breeders Cup day

Highly recommend "Breakfast with the Works"

[sandpit]

I would go to there website, keeneland.com, and check out the calendar of events. Coach Cal is gonna be there one day autographing Maker's Mark Whiskey bottles, and it will be a zoo, particularly if UK win the NCAA. Also, like was mentioned, Saturdays in the spring are usually very crowded. There's only 3 of them, and one is Blue Grass day and another Lexington Stakes, which packs them in. Sundays are good days, because the crowd is a little smaller and you can move around okay. I will say that if you go and it's overcast and the temp. is 50 or lower, you might think you are at the coldest place on earth. With all the stone and concrete construction, the place gets absolutely frigid.

Venture up to the second floor overlooking the paddock...there is a great oval bar where you can often find people like Gary Stevens hanging out. Plus, walk out onto several of the balconies to see horses being saddled. Great view.

[tanner12oz]

can i go to the am workouts and just stay inside in order to reserve my place on rail or does everyone have to leave and reenter after the works?

[Grits]

can i go to the am workouts and just stay inside in order to reserve my place on rail or does everyone have to leave and reenter after the works?

You have to leave the track and re-enter through the gate.

[judd]

friend of mine went there last week end for big race day
said place was packed , couldnt move, which is actually good to hear for the
horse racing industry

[lamboguy]

i have never been to keeneland, but what i have heard is its the greatest place to be for racing.

its my favorite track as well, i ran 6 horses there since 1990 and have had 5 wins and a third, all in the early maiden 2 yo races in april. one of them won from an 11 hole and won by about 20 lengths and paid $35.00 to win after i got done with him at the simulcast parlor years ago.

[cosmo96]

I was at Keenland for the Makers Mark and Blue Grass Stakes. Keenland is everyting people say it is. It's beautiful, best long shot track, good prices almost every race, decent food, etc. It's a great experiance, but there is a downside. For the serious player there is a lot to be desired. Drunken college kids take over. The drunks are not all college kids. There are busloads from all over the region. Buss's come from the Cincinnati/Dayton area by the time they reach Lexington they are already drunk. Very few of these ametuers know anything about racing, they make $2.00 place/show bets. If they come in the money they celebrate as if they won the power ball. Often, they can tell who is a serious player, and they pester for picks. Most times they do this when another race besides Keenland is on. I don't want to be botherd in the middle of a race at Oaklawn. There is a racebook, but very expensive. The restaurants are full. There should be a race book for serious players who are not rich. I know Keenland is much better. But, sometimes the friendly confines of River Downs is really appreciated.

[The Hawk]

friend of mine went there last week end for big race day
said place was packed , couldnt move, which is actually good to hear for the
horse racing industry

Whaddya mean? I thought racing was dying? Why would a racetrack EVER be crowded outside of Churchill on the 1st Saturday in May in 2010? I hear the same things about Saratoga, too. Weird.

Maybe GOOD racing is still popular?

[cosmo96]

I have made several posts on this issue. Every time I go to a major track it is full. I live in Southern Ohio. When I go to the local tracks at Beulah, River Downs, Lebanon off track betting facility, and Turfway they have very good crowds. I know there are issues. We all know them. But, I feel that the problems are greatly exagerated.