Keeneland announced a spring schedule of 16 stakes races worth $3.725 million Tuesday, an increase in purses of $100,000 over last year.
The 15-day spring meeting will be held April 4-25. Fifteen of the stakes are graded, highlighted by five Grade I races.
The meet's richest races are the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland for 3-year-old fillies on April 5 and the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds on April 12. Both are prep races worth 100 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, respectively.
The other three Grade I races are the Maker's 46 Mile on April 11 and the Madison Stakes and Jenny Wiley Stakes on April 12.
The $100,000 in purse increases come from the Grade II Beaumont, which is now a $200,000 race on April 13, and the Grade II Elkhorn, which is now a $200,000 race on April 25. Both were $150,000 races last spring.
Because there is no racing on Easter Sunday, three stakes will be held the day before on Saturday, April 19: the Grade III Coolmore Lexington, the Giant's Causeway and the Grade III Ben Ali. The Coolmore Lexington is worth 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby.
Keeneland races Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m.
2014 Keeneland spring stakes schedule
April 4 — $100,000, Grade III Transylvania for 3-year-olds at 11⁄16 miles (turf)
April 5 — $500,000, Grade I Central Bank Ashland for 3-year-old fillies at 11⁄16 miles
April 11 — $300,000, Grade I Maker's 46 Mile for 4-year-olds and older at 1 mile (turf)
April 12 — $750,000, Grade I Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds at 11⁄8 miles
April 12 — $300,000, Grade I Jenny Wiley for fillies and mares 4 and older at 11⁄16 miles (turf)
April 12 — $300,000, Grade I Madison for fillies and mares 4 and older at 7 furlongs
April 12 — $175,000, Grade III Commonwealth for 4-year-olds and older at 7 furlongs
April 12 — $100,000, Grade III Shakertown for 4-year-olds and older at 5½ furlongs (turf)
April 13 — $200,000, Grade II Beaumont Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-old fillies at 7 Furlongs, 184 feet
April 17 — $100,000, Grade III Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile (turf)
April 18 — $100,000, Grade III Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare for fillies and mares 4 and older at 11⁄16 miles
April 19 — $200,000, Grade III Coolmore Lexington for 3-year-olds at 11⁄16 miles
April 19 — $100,000 Giant's Causeway for fillies and mares 4 and older at 5½ furlongs (turf)
April 19 — $150,000, Grade III Ben Ali for 4-year-olds and older at 11⁄8 miles
April 24 — $150,000, Grade III Bewitch for fillies and mares 4 and older at 1½ miles (turf)
April 25 — $200,000, Grade II Elkhorn for 4-year-olds and up at 1½ miles (turf)
Herald-Leader Staff Report
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