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Oh Beautiful Keeneland


I must revise my rankings of race tracks I've visited and loved. In a word: Keeneland "http://www.keeneland.com".

When a friend invited me to Lexington last spring, I had no idea the track was so beautiful -- No. 1 in my book. Just six miles west in the heart of Bluegrass Country you enter a different world.

Brad Yazell, a transplanted Kentuckian who maintains a highly-rated Internet thoroughbred site "http://www.angelfire.com/fl/brad61yazell...", and Rich Haggard, manager of the Lexington Country Club, were our attentive co-hosts. Anita and I were en route to Texas for her family reunion in Waco when we made a pit stop on Blue Grass Stakes weekend.

The budding greenery of April punctuated the landscape. The sun was muted. Hundreds of horse farms are located in the area. Magnificent! The barns are steps await from the main entrance of Keeneland, which opened in 1936. Tradition!

The press box on the fourth floor is spacious. The people are cordial. We had a great time. I even had the Blue Grass winner, Menifee.

While Brad lives in South Florida, he and his family visit Lexington often. Now I know why.

In Texas, we took in Lone Star Park "http://www.lonestarpark.com", which from afar resembles a castle. Located in Grand Prairie near Texas Stadium in Arlington, the track differs from Keeneland. In daytime, the dominating color is bright gold, the main track surface. They also race at night.

The eye-pleasing complex has seven floors, including suites and the Equine Art Gallery. You climb a winding staircase to the press box after leaving the elevator. Some things are the same as Keeneland -- the press box is spacious and the people are cordial. Anita loved the place.

It's probably the prototype for tracks of the future.
The copyright of the article Oh Beautiful Keeneland in Horse Racing is owned by Greg Melikov. Permission to republish Oh Beautiful Keeneland in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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