Keeneland Magazine

NO2 2016

Keeneland, Investing in Racing's Future since 1936.

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72 SUMMER 2016 K KEENELAND.COM "do i hear..." and we wanted to be the destination for people," said Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. "We want to provide as much service as we can, and we felt we needed to do these renovations." Architect Mario Kow, who joined Froehlich's frm in 1970, oversaw the renovations and updates. "To bring in Mario Kow was ge- nius," Thornbury said. "He was such a qui- et, unassuming man but had such a design capability." Everything Kow did, Thornbury added, not only provided a better showcase for hors- es but also increased safety for buyers, sell- ers, spectators, and others involved in the process, especially in and around the walking rings. "This [facility] allows you as a viewer to look at a horse and stay out of harm's way," Thornbury said. In addition, maintaining a state-of-the-art arena required continued updates — installing a digital sound and graphics system, providing high-speed wireless Internet access, and adding more than 70 fat-pan- el televisions. "When they built it in '69, it was state-of-the-art then. Everything we've done has just added to it. I think it's the most practical sales facility in the world," Russell said. "I guess it's a cliché at this stage," he added, "but this is the NBA draft. This is where people from around the world come to buy the horses they expect to be running on the big race stages all over the world." In recent years the internationally renowned sales venue has also opened its doors to the community for fundraisers, conferences, and social events. On Sundays during race meets, Catholic masses are conducted there. Each September since 2013, coinciding with the Sep- tember yearling sale, the concourse walls are covered with art, mostly sporting art, which is for sale during a special auction that follows the November breeding stock sale. Keeneland's events staff is on hand to help individuals, businesses, and organizations make the best use of the facility, Russell said. "Our mission statement is very community-centered, and it's very important to Keeneland to be a community player," Russell said. "We do have a beautiful facility … We take pride and want everybody to be proud of Keeneland." KM Above, Tom Thornbury (right), the associ- ate director of sales; opposite, an equine weathervane tops the pavilion; recent up- dates have included a covered walking ring where horses can be viewed before they move inside to the auction block. ANNE M. EBERHARDT PHOTOS KEENELAND/Z

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