Keeneland welcomed local college students during its semiannual College Scholarship Day, which awarded a total of $40,000 in raffled scholarships.

Free admission into Keeneland on Oct. 18, 2024, was offered to any pre-registered college student. They were also able to receive promotional items, coupons and the chance at raffled prizes.

“(Scholarship day) gets students into Keeneland, and Keeneland being such a big part of Lexington, it’s such like, a tradition thing that then getting to bring college students and this generation in is super cool,” Keeneland College Ambassador Reagan Peterson said.

Peterson is a senior at the University of Kentucky studying finance and accounting and is a second-year ambassador at Keeneland helping run promotional events throughout the school year.

“It’s really fun to just get an entire day for college students, just because we don’t get a lot of things like that,” Peterson said. 

This fall, one $2,000 scholarship was awarded during each of the 10 races, totaling $20,000, as well as two $10,000 raffled scholarships being awarded during race six.

Integrated strategic communications (ISC) sophomore, Ryan Lewis, never believed she would be winning the $10,000 scholarship.

“I get a call from a Kentucky number and I answer it randomly, they were like ‘Hey you just won $10,000,’ and I was like you have the wrong number,” Lewis said. 

When she was told that it was the right number, she rushed downstairs right away. 

“I still haven’t comprehended it or processed it, like it’s crazy,” Lewis said. 

Christina Sutton, a sophomore family science major at UK, transferred this year from Baylor University. She said winning the scholarship made her feel like she was meant to be here. 

“I would never think that I would get it, but I got it,” Sutton said. “I’m just really grateful.”

For some students, College Scholarship Day was their first time at Keeneland, like freshman ISC major Sidney Trumpinski. 

“I’m excited to see the races and bet. I’ve never really done that because I’m from Chicago,” Trumpinski said. 

She said events like this are rare back home where people dress up and watch horse races. 

Growing up in Lexington, freshman human health science major Stephanie Sara, has been going to the races for a while. 

“I just love seeing everyone dressed up, I love the energy at Keeneland and just seeing everyone I know,” Sara said. 

For senior ISC major Matthew Riordan, he has been to Keeneland throughout his time at UK, but has never made it to Keeneland Scholarship Day. 

“I have actually never been to scholarship day, so this is my first time, and I’m a senior, so I kind of feel bad I missed out on all like the previous ones,” Riordan said. 

Despite the missed opportunities, Riordan said he embraced the chance to make memories with his friends. 

“(I’m looking forward to) just spending time with my friends on my last scholarship day,” Riordan said.