Life's Work Oral History Project
“The preservation of our industry’s rich history is at the core of our mission at Keeneland. We look forward to continuing our efforts to share the tremendous passion for Thoroughbred racing, which is woven throughout these stories...It is fitting that the Keeneland Library is playing a role in capturing, celebrating and properly preserving the valuable stories of our industry for future generations.”
- Bill Thomason - Keeneland President and CEO
In 2019 Keeneland launched the Life's Work project to capture, preserve, and promote the treasured stories from some of the Thoroughbred industry's prominent figures. While Keeneland's website showcases the full video interviews, oral histories, and blog posts; Life’s Work was a collaborative effort between Keeneland Library, the University of Kentucky Libraries’ Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, and Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN).
Video and oral interviews from these influential figures in the equine industry showcase their devotion to the Thoroughbred through passion and life's dedication. Conducted by respected journalist Chris McGrath, filmed by Keeneland Broadcast Services, and processed by Keeneland Library, the interviews appeared as monthly feature articles in TDN and as a feature video series in TDN Look.
The University of Kentucky Libraries’ Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History maintains, preserves, and provides access to the initiative's interview indexes and videos here.