In keeping with the rest of the nation, Lexington's Blue Grass Airport was shut down. Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton issued a Level Two security alert in the state, according to radio reports.Keeneland spokesman Jim Williams said he could only recall Keeneland sales being delayed due to weather, and that none had ever been canceled. He said a Keeneland January sale was held up when the Gulf War broke out.In the barns and throughout the sale pavilion, the sale took a backseat to the events in New York and Washington, D.C., as consignors, buyers, sale personnel, and Keeneland staff watched developments on television monitors throughout the facility.
Due to the plane attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, and reports of possible terrorist acts in Washington, D.C., the Keeneland Association postponed the Tuesday session of its September yearling sale and rescheduled it for Wednesday. Keeneland said each session of the sale from Wednesday on will be held a day late. The sale is now scheduled to end Sept. 23 instead of Sept. 22."Due to the events of the day, Keeneland believes the most appropriate action is to cancel today's session of the sale," Keeneland president Nick Nicholson said. "We apologize if anyone is inconvenienced by the decision, and in the meantime, we will be doing what each of you is doing: praying for the victims and their families."Nicholson said Keeneland would assist anyone at the sale who has been inconvenienced by the delay. "It's more about humanity than it is about business," he said. "It's not appropriate to have a horse sale when so many people are suffering."