Keeneland Spring Meet Set to Open April 3
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Keeneland begins its 2015 spring meet April 3 with the first two days of its 15-day stand anchored by the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), which moves up a week as part of a richer, re-ordered stakes calendar.
The card for April 4 features five graded stakes races worth just more than $2.2 million, including the Blue Grass and the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles.
The Blue Grass is a 1 1/8-mile prep race for top 3-year-olds aiming to run in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). For 2015, Keeneland increased the purse of the spring's signature race by $250,000 to make the stakes one of North America's richest Triple Crown preps. The Blue Grass was al moved to the first Saturday of the spring meet, which is four weeks before the Kentucky Derby, and will be run the same day as the Ashland, a fixture on the opening Saturday card and a significant Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) prep.
The Blue Grass and Ashland are each worth 100 points to their respective winners in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" and "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" standings.
In 2014, Toyota Blue Grass Day drew 39,722 fans, the second-largest crowd in Keeneland history. The last three Blue Grass Days have drawn a total of 117,500 fans and rank as the three highest attendance days in the track's storied history.
Race fans can track updated information on contenders, connections, stakes history, and more for the Blue Grass and Ashland at this link.
NBC Sports Network will provide live coverage of the Blue Grass and a replay of the Ashland on Saturday, April 4, from 5-7 p.m. EDT.
In all, Keeneland's spring meet features 16 stakes total purses of $4.35 million.
Opening day, April 3, features the $100,000 Transylvania presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
The shift of the Blue Grass to the first Saturday of the spring meet makes opening weekend one of the most impressive slates in racing. Three other graded stakes traditionally featured on the Blue Grass undercard will join the opening Saturday lineup and each has earned a purse enhancement: the $350,000 Madison, a grade I event for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs, reflecting a purse increase of $50,000 from last year; the $300,000 Commonwealth (gr. II) for older horses at seven furlongs, up $125,000; and the $125,000 Shakertown (gr. IIIT) for older horses at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, up $25,000.
Other prominent stakes this spring are the $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT), a mile race on the turf for older horses April 10, and the $250,000 Coolmore Lexington (gr. III), a 1 1/16-mile race April 11 for 3-year-olds with Triple Crown hopes.
The Keeneland Race Day App provides fans up-to-the-minute information, such as entries, scratches, changes, real-time results, payouts, expert picks and a betting calculator. New features for the spring meet include:
• Live streaming video of Keeneland races.
• Track Pack coupon, an app exclusive, which enables users to receive free general admission on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For $10, purchase a reserved grandstand seat and program, and receive a Keeneland hat—a value of $28.
• Real-time handicapper picks from the track's Twitter feed: @keenelandracing. Tweets appear at the bottom of the corresponding race.
• Results and next-race updates available in the notification center and via push notifications for anyone who opts in.
• Biographies of Keeneland trainers and jockeys.
• Logo indicating whether a horse is a Keeneland sales graduate.
The spring meet runs through April 24, with live racing Wednesdays through Sundays. Gates open at 11 a.m. and post time for the first race is 1:05 p.m. except April 4 and April 11, when first post is 12:35 p.m. Keeneland is closed Easter Sunday, April 5.