▁Bag hd ad ▁al umn i ▁Category : S ou thern ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁University ▁fac ulty <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Ke ene ▁Memorial ▁St akes ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁Thor ough bre d ▁horse ▁race ▁run ▁for ▁twenty ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁through ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁at ▁Bel mont ▁Park , ▁in ▁El mont , ▁New ▁York . ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁created ▁to ▁honor ▁James ▁R . ▁Ke ene ▁who ▁died ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 1 3 . ▁A ▁Wall ▁Street ▁stock bro ker , ▁Ke ene ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁owner ▁and ▁bre eder ▁of ▁Thor ough bre d ▁race h ors es ▁and ▁would ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Racing ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ' s ▁P ill ars ▁of ▁the ▁Tur f . ▁ ▁Historical ▁notes ▁The ▁distance ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁ed itions ▁of ▁the ▁Ke ene ▁Memorial ▁St akes ▁were ▁set ▁at ▁six ▁f url ongs ▁over ▁the ▁main ▁course . ▁Then , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁race ▁was ▁short ened ▁to ▁five ▁and ▁one - half ▁f url ongs ▁and ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁track ' s ▁straight ▁course . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁the ▁distance ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁four ▁and ▁one - half ▁f url ongs . ▁ ▁Ref lect ing ▁a ▁recognition ▁by ▁stable ▁own ers ▁of ▁James ▁R . ▁Ke ene ' s ▁place ▁in ▁Thor ough bre d ▁racing ▁history , ▁every ▁single ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Ke ene ▁Memorial ▁St