LEXINGTON, Ky. — Keeneland will award a season record $8.05 million for 19 stakes to run during its 2023 Spring Meet, covering 15 days from April 7-28. Leading the schedule are the 99th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and 86th running of the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), both major targets of the nation’s top 3-year-olds. Keeneland has increased the purses of two Grade 1 stakes for older females – the Madison (G1) and the Jenny Wiley (G1) – by $100,000 apiece to $600,000 and has raised the purses of three listed stakes – the FanDuel Limestone, the Giant’s Causeway and the Palisades – by $50,000 each to $250,000. Fifteen stakes are graded, with the Beaumont (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select featuring an upgrade for 2023.
Contributing to the Spring Meet stakes purses is a total of $1.5 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF), pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Post time for the first race each day during the Spring Meet is 1 p.m. ET. Keeneland will be closed for racing on Easter Sunday, April 9.
Spring means Keeneland In addition to being important springtime races for talented sophomores, the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and Central Bank Ashland (G1) both are worth 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively. Both stakes winners will earn 100 qualifying points to the respective classic.
The early nomination deadline for the two races is Feb. 18. Late nominations are due March 22.
The Central Bank Ashland, at 1 1/16 miles for fillies, anchors the card for the April 7 opening day of the Spring Meet for the second consecutive year and is the richest of three stakes for sophomores that day. The other stakes worth $400,000 each are the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf race, and the Lafayette, a 7-furlong dirt race.
The following day, the Toyota Blue Grass leads five stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. Also on the card are the $600,000 Madison (G1), for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs; the $400,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile on the grass; the $350,000 Shakertown (G2), for 3-year-olds and up at 5½ furlongs on the turf; and the $300,000 Commonwealth (G3), for older horses at 7 furlongs.
With no racing Easter Sunday, the Spring Meet will resume Wednesday, April 12. Stakes action returns two days later with two turf stakes, the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1), for 4-year-olds and up at 1 mile, and the $250,000 FanDuel Limestone, for 3-year-old fillies going 5½ furlongs.
The three stakes on Saturday, April 15 are the $600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1), a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares; the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles; and the $250,000 Giant’s Causeway, a 5½-furlong turf race for fillies and mares.
The Stonestreet Lexington, which is the final prep on this year’s Road to the Kentucky Derby, will award 40 Derby qualifying points. The winner will receive 20 points.
Because of Easter Sunday, Keeneland moved two stakes for 3-year-olds from that day to the meet’s second Sunday, April 16. They are the $400,000 Beaumont (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select, at 7 furlongs, 184 feet, on dirt for fillies; and the $250,000 Palisades, at 5½ furlongs on the grass. The Beaumont is worth 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, with the winner collecting 10 points.
On the later days of the Spring Meet, Keeneland will run four graded stakes for older horses:
- Friday, April 21: $300,000 Baird Doubledogdare (G3), for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles:
- Saturday, April 22: $350,000 Elkhorn (G2), at 1½ miles on the turf, and the $300,000 Ben Ali (G3), contested at an extended distance of 1 3/16 miles on the dirt; and
- Closing day, Friday, April 28: $300,000 Bewitch (G3), for fillies and mares at 1½ miles on the turf.
Keeneland 2023 Spring Meet Stakes Schedule
|
Date |
Stakes |
KTDF* Contribution to Purse |
Division |
Distance |
|
April 7 |
$600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) |
$100,000 |
3YO Fillies |
1 1/16 Miles |
|
April 7 |
$400,000 Kentucky UtilitiesTransylvania (G3) |
$100,000 |
3YOs |
1 1/16 Miles (T) |
|
April 7 |
$400,000 Lafayette |
$100,000 |
3YOs |
7 Furlongs |
|
April 8 |
$1 Million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) |
$150,000 |
3YOs |
1 1/8 Miles |
|
April 8 |
$600,000 Madison (G1) |
$100,000 |
4YOs & Up, F&M |
7 Furlongs |
|
April 8 |
$400,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association |
$100,000 |
3YO Fillies |
1 Mile (T) |
|
April 8 |
$350,000 Shakertown (G2) |
$50,000 |
3YOs & Up |
5½ Furlongs (T) |
|
April 8 |
$300,000 Commonwealth (G3) |
$50,000 |
4YO & Up |
7 Furlongs |
|
April 14 |
$600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) |
$100,000 |
4YOs & Up |
1 Mile (T) |
|
April 14 |
$250,000 FanDuel Limestone (L) |
$50,000 |
3YO Fillies |
5½ Furlongs (T) |
|
April 15 |
$600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) |
$100,000 |
4YOs & Up, F&M |
1 1/16 Miles (T) |
|
April 15 |
$400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) |
$100,000 |
3YOs |
1 1/16 Miles |
|
April 15 |
$250,000 Giant’s Causeway (L) |
$50,000 |
3YOs & Up, F&M |
5½ Furlongs (T) |
|
April 16 |
$400,000 Beaumont (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select |
$100,000 |
3YO Fillies |
7 Furlongs, 184’ |
|
April 16 |
$250,000 Palisades (L) |
$50,000 |
3YO |
5½ Furlongs (T) |
|
April 21 |
$300,000 Baird Doubledogdare (G3) |
$50,000 |
4YOs & Up, F&M |
1 1/16 Miles |
|
April 22 |
$350,000 Elkhorn (G2) |
$50,000 |
4YOs & Up |
1½ Miles (T) |
|
April 22 |
$300,000 Ben Ali (G3) |
$50,000 |
4YOs & Up |
1 3/16 Miles |
|
April 28
|
$300,000 Bewitch (G3) |
$50,000 |
4YOs & Up, F&M |
1½ Miles (T) |
Click here for more Kentucky business news.
