President’s Message Deep roots

Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” At Keeneland, we have been deeply engaged in planning for the years to come and have been discussing how our grounds should evolve to meet the needs of our horsemen for racing, training, and sales; for our patrons and fans; and for our community. Since 1936, there has not been a haphazard decision about the placement of a brick, the color of a shutter, or the planting of a tree. Tat level of attention to detail will not change.

Te 1930s could not have been an easy time to generate support to build a racetrack. Following World War I, amid the Great Depression, I would imagine there were a number of naysayers. Te founders must have known that as well, and they made their case in the Keeneland prospectus, which outlined their vision of creating a model racetrack not just for one sector of the population or another but for the betterment of everyone in the equine and local communities. Te Keeneland prospectus pledged the creation of a model racetrack and the perpetuation of the best traditions of our sport: “A commitment to our founding, these words guide the actions of our employees and allow us to pass on our rich traditions to future generations. It’s a promise to our founders, our industry, our local community, and each other.”

To renew that promise to our founders, our industry, our local community, and each other today as we contemplate appropriate updates to our facilities and the addition of iconic properties such as Manchester Farm, we have stepped back for a gut check that we all still believe in the viability of a model racetrack; in perpetuating the best of our traditions; in creating a place where people come from near and far to celebrate the horse and in the sport of horse racing. Hal Price Headley said, “We want a place where those who love horses can come and picnic with us and thrill to the sport of the Bluegrass. We are not running a race plant to hear the click of the mutuel machines. We want them to come out here to enjoy God’s sunshine, fresh air, and to watch horses race.”

Te world is a diferent place now than it was in 1936. Where is our place? Before we asked the question, we knew our answers. Yes, we believe. We believe in the sport of horse racing and in the many people who work to enhance all aspects of integrity related to our sport. We believe in the power of sports to bring people together. We believe in the strength of the people who make working with horses their life’s work. We believe in the rhythm of counting on the same weeks each April and October to come together with our friends — rain, snow, or shine — and intentionally celebrate life. We believe in the importance of perpetuating the best of the traditions of the Turf. We believe in the horse and will pass on the best of Keeneland’s traditions to future generations.

SHANNON ARVIN President and CEO

I have long admired Keeneland’s neighbor, Manchester Farm. Mike Rutherford did a masterful job building one of the most photographed and beautiful barns in the Commonwealth. Brad Kelley purchased the property from Mr. Rutherford, and I continued to covet the land and dream about what such a property could add to Keeneland and our mission. As we have been working through planning for Keeneland’s future, it became clear that Manchester Farm has to be part of it. We don’t yet know the details of how Manchester Farm will enhance your experiences at Keeneland, but rest assured we are working on it with the same careful attention to mission and detail you expect from Keeneland. We don’t think you will be disappointed. And we know, as Warren Bufet said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” I’m thankful for the many trees planted by our founders and those who came before me, and we’ll keep planting those trees.

Cheers to blue skies ahead. KM