Workers are prepping for the beginning of the meet as construction is in the early stages on a new three-level Paddock Building with improved ticketing and saddling stalls on the first floor, "which will allow our patrons to see more of the horses when they're in the paddock area and it's a lot safer for our equine athletes and jockeys," says Kara Heissenbuttel, senior director of operations and community relations.
The new addition won’t be open until August 2025, but in the meantime, it’s a bustling atmosphere in the ticketing office ahead of the meet.
"The great news is that once you're inside the gates, everything is exactly the same," Heissenbuttel explains. " So what patrons have come to know and love about Keeneland will be the same. It's just that the path in might be a little different."
Parking, she notes, will be shifted a bit, but race-goers can still obtain permitted parking on available paved areas and free parking every day in the hill and meadow with a complimentary shuttle.
Heissenbuttel says the Spring Meet marks the return of a Kentucky pastime as the weather warms, trees bloom, and a new spirit enters the air.
"The place really comes alive," she says. "There's a lot of excitement and energy behind that, and leading in to Derby 150, Keeneland will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Blue Grass Stakes — that is a Derby prep race — and we're really excited about the star-studded lineup that we have who'll be competing in the Blue Grass Stakes this weekend."
Find all the information at Keeneland.com/welcome.
