$1 million Blue Grass leads Keeneland spring stakes schedule

Keeneland will award a season record $8.1 million for 19 stakes and celebrate the 100th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass during its 2024 spring meet, which will cover 16 days from April 5 to 26. Other Grade 1 races during the meet are the Ashland, the Madison, the Maker’s Mark Mile and the Jenny Wiley, each worth $600,000.

Contributing to the spring meet stakes purses is a total of $1.5 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

“Lucrative purses and outstanding competition make Keeneland’s spring meet a highlight of the racing calendar for horsemen, horseplayers and fans during the first half of the year,” Keeneland vice president of racing Gatewood Bell said. “We look forward to hosting the country’s best horses and their connections here in April.”

Blue Grass has rich history

The Blue Grass, an iconic springtime fixture for 3-year-olds, has been held at Keeneland since the track’s first spring meet in April 1937. Scheduled on the first Saturday of the season, the 1 1/8-mile race was inaugurated in 1911 at the Kentucky Association track located near downtown Lexington and was run there through 1914 and again from 1919 to 1926.

After the closure of the Kentucky Association track, the Blue Grass was continued at Keeneland and has been won by such Racing Hall of Famers as Bimelech (1940), Coaltown (1948), Round Table (1957), Northern Dancer (1964), Arts and Letters (1969), Riva Ridge (1972), Alydar (1978), Spectacular Bid (1979), Holy Bull (1994) and Skip Away (1996).

Ashland opens season

The first day of next year’s spring meet features three stakes for 3-year-olds anchored by the 86th running of the Ashland, an early-season objective for top sophomore fillies at 1 1/16 miles. The day features two other stakes each worth $400,000: the Transylvania (G3), at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, and the Lafayette, a seven-furlong dirt race.

The Blue Grass leads five stakes on the first Saturday of the season. Also on the card are the $600,000 Madison (G1), for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on the dirt; the $400,000 Appalachian (G2), for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on the grass; the $350,000 Shakertown (G2), for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf; and the $300,000 Commonwealth (G3), for older horses at seven furlongs on the dirt.

In addition to being signature spring meet stakes, the Blue Grass and the Ashland are prominent on the national racing calendar. They are worth 100-50-25-15-10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby and road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively.

The early nomination deadline for the two races is Feb. 17. Late nominations are due March 20.

Giant’s Causeway upgraded for 2024

Stakes action for 3-year-olds will continue Sunday of opening weekend with the $400,000 Beaumont (G2), at seven furlongs, 184 feet, on the dirt for fillies, and the $250,000 Palisades, at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.

On Friday, April 12, Keeneland will run two turf stakes: the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1), for 4-year-olds and up at 1 mile, and the $250,000 Limestone for 3-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs.

Three stakes the following day are the $600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1), a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares; the $400,000 Lexington (G3), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles; and the $300,000 Giant’s Causeway (G3), a 5 1/2-furlong turf race for fillies and mares.

For 2024, the Giant’s Causeway was upgraded to a Grade 3 event after being a listed stakes since 2006. Keeneland also increased the purse of the race by $50,000.

The Lexington, which is the final prep on the 2024 road to the Kentucky Derby, will award 20-10-6-4-2 Derby qualifying points to its top five finishers.

On the final days of the spring meet, Keeneland will run four graded stakes for older horses. The $300,000 Doubledogdare (G3), for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, will be held Friday, April 19. Two stakes on Saturday, April 20 are the $350,000 Elkhorn (G2), at 1 1/2 miles on the turf, and the $300,000 Ben Ali (G3), at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt.

Keeneland will bridge the gap between racing and auctions on closing day, Friday, April 26. The race card will feature the $300,000 Bewitch (G3), for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

After the races, Keeneland will hold the April selected horses of racing age sale.