99th Blue Grass Stakes the centerpiece of Keeneland’s richest-ever Spring Meet
Keeneland Race Course in Lexington is poised for its richest-ever Spring Meet after revealing a stakes schedule for 2023 on Friday worth $8.05 million in purses.
That represents a slight increase over last year’s $7.7 million but is almost double the total in 2021.
Keeneland will host 19 stakes across 15 days of racing from April 7-28.
“Keeneland enjoyed arguably its most successful racing year ever in 2022, thanks to a stellar lineup of equine stars and racing stables competing for record purses and the historic wagering that followed at the Spring and Fall Meets and the popularity of hosting our third Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said in a news release. “We are grateful for the interest in Keeneland racing from our horsemen, horseplayers and fans, and their enthusiasm creates momentum for the future.”
Headlining the 2023 schedule are the 99th running of the $1 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and the 86th running of the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland, both major targets for the nation’s top 3-year-olds.
The Blue Grass, which takes place on the first Saturday of the Spring Meet (April 8), provides 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, with 40 for second place, 20 for third and 10 for fourth.
The Ashland, a key prep race for the Kentucky Oaks is scheduled for opening day of the meet on April 7. That race delivers 100 Kentucky Oaks points to the victor.
A second Derby prep race, the Stonestreet Lexington, provides the final chance for qualifying points ahead of the Run for the Roses on May 6. The winner of the April 15 Lexington Stakes will receive 20 points.
The major purse increases for 2023 both involved Grade 1 stakes for older females — the Madison and the Jenny Wiley — by $100,000 each to $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.
2023 Keeneland Spring Meet stakes schedule
April 7: $600,000, Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
April 7: $400,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles (turf).
April 7: $400,000 Lafayette for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs.
April 8: $1 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
April 8: $600,000, Grade 1 Madison for fillies and mares 4 and older at 7 furlongs.
April 8: $400,000, Grade 2 Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile (turf).
April 8: $350,000, Grade 2 Shakertown for 3-year-olds and up at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 8: $300,000, Grade 3 Commonwealth for 4-year-olds and up at 7 furlongs.
April 14: $600,000, Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile for 4-year-olds and up at 1 mile (turf).
April 14: $250,000, Listed FanDuel Limestone Turf Sprint for 3-year-old fillies at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 15: $600,000, Grade 1 Jenny Wiley for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1 1/16 miles (turf).
April 15: $400,000, Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
April 15: $250,000 Giant’s Causeway for fillies and mares 3 and older at 5 ½ furlongs (turf).
April 16: $400,000, Grade 2 Beaumont Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs, 184 feet.
April 16: $250,000, Listed Palisades for 3-year-olds at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 21: $300,000, Grade 3 Baird Doubledogdare for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1 1/16 miles.
April 22: $350,000, Grade 2 Elkhorn for 4-year-olds and up at 1½ miles (turf).
April 22: $300,000, Grade 3 Ben Ali for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.
April 28: $300,000, Grade 3 Bewitch for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1½ miles (turf).