2020 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland: Here’s when and how you can get tickets.
Keeneland Race Course in Lexington will become the center of the Thoroughbred racing universe for two days this fall.
In preparation for what is expected to be a high-demand event with a limited amount of available tickets, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Tuesday made a call to the post of sorts to horse racing fans interested in attending.
The Breeders’ Cup races will play out at Keeneland for only the second time in the event’s 37-year history in 2020, and for the first time since 2015, on Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7.
Breeders’ Cup officials announced Tuesday that tickets would go on sale to the public on March 9 at 9 a.m. EST and encouraged fans to visit BreedersCup.com/2020 in advance to review available seating options and pricing.
Why the early warning?
Attendance will be capped at 45,000 patrons each day “to assure an enhanced on-track experience for all attendees.”
The 2015 Breeders’ Cup in Lexington announced an official track-record attendance of 50,155 for Saturday’s racing, which was highlighted by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah winning the Classic. Attendance on Friday’s opening day was 44,947.
The 2015 event was hailed by Breeders’ Cup officials and city leaders as a rousing success that could be improved upon given another chance.
“There are a lot of things everyone learned that will make it easier the next time around,” Kip Cornett, who chaired the Breeders’ Cup Festival, said at the time. “But everyone in Lexington should be proud of what they did. We did everything we could to show we’re a world-class city, and it worked.”
Single-day ticket prices for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup will range from $40 to $440 on Friday, and $60 to $590 on Saturday.
Two-day packages available for purchase range from $325 to $1,780. All tickets will be sold in advance of the event. No tickets will be sold on event days at the racetrack.
Tuesday’s announcement said the Breeders’ Cup and Keeneland will invest $10.5 million in the coming months to expand luxury seating areas and hospitality offerings. These areas will include:
▪ The Silks Lawn Chalet, a 50,000-square-foot, glassed-in and climate-controlled space that offers views of the racetrack along with reserved seating, mutuel tellers, a private buffet and restrooms.
▪ The Saddling Paddock Chalet, which offers premium views of the Breeders’ Cup contenders as they circle the saddling paddock before each race.
▪ The Equestrian Room, Phoenix Room, Keene Barn and Entertainment Center, Sales Pavilion, Loge Box seats, Grandstand Reserved seating and General Admission, which includes a tailgating area at The Hill.
Based on its 2015 transportation plan, the Breeders’ Cup will again offer a park-and-ride program from three local destinations to Keeneland during the event. Parking on-site at Keeneland will be limited and only available to those with official pre-paid parking credentials.