Keeneland’s Spring Meet begins with a major upset in key Kentucky Oaks prep race
The 2023 Spring Meet at Keeneland began Friday under cloudy skies and somewhat chilly temperatures, but with all the high-quality racing action that has come to be expected in April in Lexington.
Friday’s 10-race card was highlighted by a trio of stakes races in the late afternoon and evening, which included the 86th running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Central Bank Ashland, a key prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
That showcase race resulted in a surprise winner that has shaken up the qualifiers for the $1.25 million Oaks, which will be run the day before the Kentucky Derby on Friday, May 5, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Here’s what went down on Keeneland’s 2023 opening day, on and off the track.
Defining Purpose springs major upset in Ashland
Saturday’s centerpiece event featured 20-1 shot Defining Purpose hitting the finish line first in a seven-filly field in the Central Bank Ashland.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Defining Purpose claimed 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks with the victory, a haul that firmly secures her spot in the Oaks field.
Defining Purpose has 107 qualifying points toward the Oaks, which ranks her third on the leaderboard.
McPeek has three victories in the Ashland: Defining Purpose joins Take Charge Lady (2002) and Rosalind (2014).
“I’m not overly surprised,” McPeek said of his long shot emerging victorious.
“When she went around the first turn and got her position so nice and smoothly and settled into a nice rhythm, going down the backside I was just thinking to myself, ‘Be patient, just wait and wait and let her travel well,’” Hernandez added.
Qualification for the Oaks is less than certain for several other horses that were in the Ashland field.
Second-place Punchbowl now has 40 qualifying points for the Oaks. Third-place Julia Shining has 46 and fourth-place Guns n’ Graces has 40. Wonder Wheel, who finished the Ashland in a disappointing sixth, remains with 48 qualifying points toward the Oaks.
All four of these horses are between 12th and 18th on the leaderboard for the Oaks.
The top 14 points earners that pass the entry box will race in the Oaks, and three more qualifying races are yet to take place to determine the field.
Two of them — the Santa Anita Oaks (Santa Anita) and the Gazelle (Aqueduct) — were to be run Saturday.
Both of those races were also to offer qualifying points for the Oaks on the same scale as the Ashland: 100-40-30-20-10 for the top-five finishers.
The final qualifying points race toward the Kentucky Oaks is the Beaumont, which will be run at Keeneland on April 16 and offer fewer points: 10-4-3-2-1 to the top-five finishers.
Mo Stash steals the show in Transylvania
The 35th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania went to Mo Stash on Keeneland’s turf course.
Trained by Vicki Oliver and ridden by Luis Saez, Mo Stash provided Oliver with her first stakes race win at Keeneland.
“Vicki is doing a magnificent job with him. He’s always ready,” Saez said after the win. “He loves the turf, he loves to run here on this turf course and, like I said, Vicki did a great job.”
Nagirroc, the race favorite who was trained by Graham Motion (who won the race last year with Sy Dog), finished a length behind Mo Stash in second.
History held true on Friday in the Transylvania: No trainer has won the race in consecutive years.
The Transylvania University women’s basketball team — which recently completed an undefeated season with its first NCAA Division III Tournament championship — was honored prior to the race and took part in the postrace trophy presentation.
Keeneland stakes season begins with win by Corona Bolt
The first stakes race of the 2023 season at Keeneland was the 75th running of the $400,000 Lafayette, which was won by Corona Bolt.
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, Corona Bolt entered the Lafayette (seven furlongs on the main track) undefeated in three career sprint starts, a perfect mark which remains intact.
Corona Bolt — a son of former Kentucky Derby participant Bolt d’ Oro — has won four of five career starts.
