Keeneland Expands Spring Meet

Keeneland Dec. 12 announced expansions to its 2019 spring meet, which will open Thursday, April 4, a day earlier than in previous years, and present two new stakes, both $100,000 turf sprints, to its schedule for a total of 18 stakes worth a season-record $4.6 million in purse money.

Topping the 16-day meet, to be held April 4-26, are the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1), both nationally prominent classic preps set for opening Saturday, April 6.

The Thursday opener means the spring meet will not lose a day because of Easter Sunday, April 21, when Keeneland is closed. Prior to 1960, the spring meet often opened on Thursday when the season was shorter. With the new stakes, the spring meet will present 10 stakes on grass and eight stakes on dirt.

"Keeneland is excited to offer these new features for the 2019 Spring Meet," Keeneland vice president of racing and sales Bob Elliston said. "The addition of two turf stakes for 3-year-olds will increase opportunities for horsemen competing during the spring meet and fill a nice niche in the national landscape of turf racing. We've also seen the growing interest of several major connections to use the grass stakes at Keeneland to prepare for summer campaigns, including competing at Royal Ascot.  

"The new races will enrich a season anchored by blockbuster stakes racing on the first two Saturdays and one that spotlights leading 3-year-olds with classic aspirations."

New this spring are the $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint, for 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass, scheduled for opening day, and the $100,000 Limestone Turf Sprint, a 5 1/2-furlong grass race for 3-year-old fillies that will be run April 12 as a supporting feature of the prestigious $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (G1T).

Keeneland held the listed Palisades Stakes, a turf event for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, from 1989-2001.

Opening weekend of the spring meet continues April 5 with the $150,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds.

Sophomores will take center stage the following day, April 6, for Keeneland's signature Blue Grass Stakes and Ashland Stakes. Last year, Good Magic  won the Blue Grass before running second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), and Monomoy Girl took the Ashland before capturing the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). 

The Blue Grass, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, and the Ashland, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, are worth 100 points each to the winners on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

The Blue Grass will be televised by NBC Sports Group along with the Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) from Aqueduct Racetrack and the Santa Anita Derby (G1) from Santa Anita Park.

The early nomination deadline for the Blue Grass and Ashland is Feb. 16. Late nominations are due March 20.

The April 6 undercard will include the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs; the $200,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf; and the $250,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3), for older horses over seven furlongs.

The four-day opening weekend concludes April 7 with two stakes for 3-year-old fillies: the $200,000 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at one mile on turf, and the $150,000 Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) over seven furlongs and 184 feet on dirt.

For the remainder of the spring meet, racing will be held Wednesday through Sunday. 

The second Saturday of racing, April 13, is another multi-stakes day centered around the $350,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T), a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares on the turf, and the $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. One of the final preps on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Stonestreet Lexington awards the winner 20 Derby qualifying points. The day's other stakes are the $200,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3), for older horses racing 1 1/8 miles, and the listed $100,000 Giant's Causeway Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares.

The final days of the spring meet offer a trio of graded stakes for older horses. The $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (G3), for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, will be run April 19, followed the next day by the $250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at 1 1/2 miles on the turf. 

The April 26 closing-day feature is the $150,000 Bewitch Stakes (G3T), for fillies and mares racing 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

During the spring meet, gates open at 11 a.m. ET. Post time for the first race daily is 1:05 p.m. 



The 2019 spring meet will include the resumption of Keeneland's April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, to be held April 9. Preview Day, during which cataloged horses will have breezes over both the dirt track and turf course, is scheduled for April 8.