Keeneland 2023 Fall Meet: What you need to know about richest meet in track history
This year’s Fall Meet at Keeneland Race Course will be a historic one.
It was announced Wednesday that the meet, which will feature 22 stakes races, will award a record total of $9.05 million.
Not only will this amount be a record for any Fall Meet in Keeneland history, it will be a record for any racing season at the track.
This year’s Fall Meet will span 17 days and run from Oct. 6 through Oct. 28, with no racing on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Gates will open at 11 a.m. each day during the Fall Meet, with first post scheduled for 1 p.m. each day.
Public tickets to the Fall Meet will go on sale at 9 a.m. Aug. 15.
Stakes races to offer spots in Breeders’ Cup in November
Of the 22 stakes races (12 of which will be run on turf and 10 of which will be run on dirt) set to occur this October at Keeneland, the richest will be the $1 million, Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile on Oct. 7, the opening Saturday of the meet.
That day will also feature the running of the $750,000, Grade 1 First Lady presented by UK HealthCare. Both races will cover a one-mile distance on Keeneland’s turf course.
Additionally, the Fall Meet will feature four races worth $600,000. Those races are the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades (Oct. 6), Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (Oct. 7), Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster (Oct. 8) and Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup presented by Dixiana (Oct. 14).
Thanks to several purse increases for Fall Meet stakes races, each level of graded stakes now has a minimum purse amount.
All six of the Grade 1 races set to be run in October will have a purse of at least $600,000. For the eight Grade 2 stakes races set to be run, each purse is at least $350,000.
For the four Grade 3 stakes races, all purses are worth at least $300,000. For the two listed stakes races, both purses are worth at least $250,000.
As usual, the most important stakes races during the Fall Meet will be run during opening weekend from Oct. 6 through Oct. 8, also known as Fall Stars Weekend.
On the card across those three days are eight stakes races that are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. Winners of those races will earn automatic starting positions and free entry into this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.
After being held at Keeneland last fall, this year the Breeders’ Cup shifts to Santa Anita Park in California.
Five of the stakes races during opening weekend will be shown live by NBC Sports.
On Oct. 7, CNBC and Peacock coverage from 4-6 p.m. will include the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, the Coolmore Turf Mile and the $350,000, Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America.
On Oct. 8, CNBC and Peacock coverage from 5-6 p.m. will include the Juddmonte Spinster and the $350,000, Grade 2 Castle & Key Bourbon.
Doubleheaders possible with Keeneland, UK sporting events
There will be several opportunities this October to take advantage of a “double-dip” involving both a day at Keeneland and a UK sporting event.
The Kentucky football team will play home games at Kroger Field against Missouri (Oct. 14) and Tennessee (Oct. 28) during the Fall Meet. Start times haven’t yet been announced for those games.
Last year, Big Blue Madness — the annual preseason kickoff event for the UK men’s and women’s basketball teams — also took place during the Fall Meet. A date has not yet been announced for Big Blue Madness this year, although it will likely again be in mid-October again.
Additionally, other UK sports like men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball will also be in season in October.
Keeneland already has most horse deaths since 2019
Discussion about equine safety has dominated the horse racing industry this year.
Horse deaths occurred on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, on Preakness Stakes day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and on Belmont Stakes day at Belmont Park just outside of New York City.
A significant number of horse deaths at Churchill Downs forced the remainder of its Spring Meet races to be moved to Ellis Park in Henderson.
Horse deaths also marred Keeneland’s Spring Meet in April.
During the 15-day Spring Meet, three horses died as the result of racing incidents at Keeneland.
According to the Equine Injury Database — a national database of horse racing injuries that was started by The Jockey Club in July 2008 — the Spring Meet has already accounted for the most horse deaths in one year at Keeneland since 2019.
“Keeneland is committed to the safety and welfare of all involved in this sport we love so much. Toward that goal, Keeneland has instituted some of the strongest safety and integrity protocols in North America,” read a statement provided by Keeneland officials to the Herald-Leader.
“Our equine medical teams and racing surface experts work tirelessly on a daily basis to ensure every measure is taken to provide our participants the safest racing environment possible. Doing what is in the best interest of the horse is at the core of everything we do at Keeneland, and that remains our No. 1 priority at all times.”
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