Keeneland sets schedule for richest Spring Meet ever, awaits Breeders’ Cup next fall
The highlight of 2020 for Keeneland Race Course in Lexington will come next November when the track hosts the 37th annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Before we get there, though, Keeneland has lined up a 2020 Spring Meet featuring its largest purses for that season ever.
Keeneland announced a 2020 Spring Meet stakes schedule Friday of 18 races worth $4.8 million. The meet runs April 2-26 and opens on a Thursday for the second year in a row.
The Spring Meet is highlighted, as usual, by the track’s prep races for the following month’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Some of the sport’s top Derby contenders will be in Lexington for the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on the meet’s first Saturday, April 4. That same day, many of the top 3-year-old fillies will square off in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes in preparation for the Oaks.
Each race is worth 100 points to the winner in the Derby’s prep-race scoring system.
Purses for the Spring Meet grew from $4.6 million in 2019 to $4.8 million in 2020.
The Maker’s 46 Mile on April 10 received a boost from $300,000 to $400,000. The Giant’s Causeway Stakes on April 11 and the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes on April 17 were both increased from $100,000 to $150,000 races.
“The opening of Keeneland’s Spring Meet is one of those dates horsemen and fans alike annually circle on their calendars; it generates tremendous excitement given the depth of quality and competition,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said in a news release. “We are delighted to offer the purse increases, especially for the Maker’s 46 Mile, which further emphasizes the race’s significance among turf stars early in the season.”
Keeneland will present 10 stakes on grass and eight on dirt during the Spring Meet.
Opening day is Thursday, April 2, with a 3 p.m. first post.
During the remainder of the season, which runs through Friday, April 26, post time for the first race will be 1:05 p.m. Keeneland is closed Easter Sunday, April 12.
Keeneland hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the second time ever Nov. 6-7, 2020.
2020 Keeneland Spring Meet stakes schedule
April 2: $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 3: $150,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles (turf).
April 4: $1 million, Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
April 4: $500,000, Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
April 4: $300,000, Grade 1 Madison for fillies and mares 4 and older at 7 furlongs.
April 4: $250,000, Grade 3 Commonwealth for 4-year-olds and up at 7 furlongs.
April 4: $200,000, Grade 2 Shakertown for 3-year-olds and up at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 5: $200,000, Grade 2 Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile (turf).
April 5: $150,000, Grade 3 Beaumont Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs, 184 feet.
April 10: $400,000, Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile for 4-year-olds and up at 1 mile (turf).
April 10: $100,000 Limestone Turf Sprint for 3-year-old fillies at 5½ furlongs (turf).
April 11: $350,000, Grade 1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1 1/16 miles (turf).
April 11: $200,000, Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
April 11: $200,000, Grade 3 Ben Ali for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.
April 11: $150,000 Giant’s Causeway for fillies and mares 3 and older at 5 ½ furlongs (turf).
April 17: $150,000, Grade 3 Baird Doubledogdare for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1 1/16 miles.
April 18: $250,000, Grade 2 Dixiana Elkhorn for 4-year-olds and up at 1½ miles (turf).
April 24: $150,000, Grade 3 Bewitch for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1½ miles (turf).