Riders up: What to know as the 2023 Spring Meet gets underway at Keeneland
It’s that time of year again.
As winter turns to spring and excitement builds toward the Kentucky Derby, it’s time for a Lexington tradition to return to the forefront.
Friday marks the start of the 2023 Spring Meet at Keeneland Race Course, which will run through April 28.
This year’s edition of the Spring Meet will include 15 days of racing and feature 19 stakes, headlined by the 99th running of the $1 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass and the 86th running of the $600,000, Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland.
The Ashland will be run Friday, and the Blue Grass on Saturday.
Aside from these two marquee races on opening weekend, there’s plenty more to know about the 2023 Spring Meet, including some of the top horses, owners and trainers set to take part in the action, as well as what to expect at the track this month.
Here’s what you need to know with the meet about to get underway:
Spring Meet to feature 19 stakes races
A total of 19 stakes races, including five Grade 1 races, will be run this April at Keeneland.
These 19 stakes will be worth a combined $8.05 million, a record for the Spring Meet (last year’s Spring Meet featured 19 stakes that awarded a then-record total of $7.7 million).
Of the 19 stakes races in the 2023 Spring Meet, 15 are graded.
The five Grade 1 stakes at this Spring Meet are: $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (Friday), $1 million Toyota Blue Grass and $600,000 Madison (Saturday), $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (April 14) and $600,000 Jenny Wiley (April 15).
On opening Friday and Saturday alone, eight stakes races will be run that are worth a combined $4.05 million.
The complete schedule of Keeneland’s 19 stakes races for the 2023 Spring Meet is below:
▪ April 7: $600,000, Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland — 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The Ashland is a key Kentucky Oaks prep race that awards Oaks qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers.
The top 14 point earners that pass the entry box will race in the Oaks.
▪ April 7: $400,000, Grade 3 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania — 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on turf.
▪ April 7: $400,000, Lafayette — 3-year-olds going 7 furlongs on dirt.
▪ April 8: $1 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass — 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
The Blue Grass is a key Kentucky Derby prep race that awards Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers.
The 20-horse Derby field features 18 spots reserved for North American-based horses, and one spot each for a Europe-based horse and a Japan-based horse.
▪ April 8: $600,000, Grade 1 Madison — 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, going 7 furlongs on dirt.
▪ April 8: $400,000, Grade 2 Appalachian presented by Japan Racing Association — 3-year-old fillies going 1 mile on turf.
▪ April 8: $350,000, Grade 2 Shakertown — 3-year-olds and up going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.
▪ April 8: $300,000, Grade 3 Commonwealth — 4-year-olds and up going 7 furlongs.
▪ April 14: $600,000, Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile — 4-year-olds and up going 1 mile on turf.
▪ April 14: $250,000, Listed FanDuel Limestone — 3-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.
▪ April 15: $600,000 Grade 1 Jenny Wiley — 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, going 1 1/16 miles on turf.
▪ April 15: $400,000 Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington — 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The Lexington is the final Kentucky Derby prep race and awards Derby qualifying points on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers.
▪ April 15: $250,000 Listed Giant’s Causeway — 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.
▪ April 16: $400,000 Grade 2 Beaumont presented by Keeneland Select — 3-year-old fillies going 7 furlongs, 184 feet, on dirt.
The Beaumont is the final Kentucky Oaks prep race and awards Oaks qualifying points on a 10-4-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers.
▪ April 16: $250,000 Listed Palisades — 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on turf.
▪ April 21: $300,000 Grade 3 Baird Doubledogdare — 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, going 1 1/16 miles on turf.
▪ April 22: $350,000 Grade 2 Elkhorn — 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on turf.
▪ April 22: $300,000 Grade 3 Ben Ali — 4-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles on dirt.
▪ April 28: $300,000 Grade 3 Bewitch — 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, going 1 1/2 miles on turf.
Last year, Wesley Ward claimed the trainer’s title (13 race wins), Tyler Gaffalione captured the jockey’s title (19) and Stonestreet Stables won the owner’s title (five) at the 2022 Keeneland Spring Meet.
Bluegrass, Ashland highlight opening weekend
The 2023 Keeneland Spring Meet will again be headlined by a pair of key prep races for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on opening weekend.
First up is the $600,000, Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland, which will be run Friday as a Kentucky Oaks prep race that awards Oaks qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers.
The race will feature 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The field for the Ashland, from the rail out and with trainers and jockeys, is as follows:
Pride of the Nile (Doug O’Neill, Frankie Dettori), Wonder Wheel (Mark Casse, Tyler Gaffalione), Guns n’ Graces (Chad Brown, Joel Rosario), Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez), Punchbowl (Brad Cox, Flavien Prat), Defining Purpose (Kenny McPeek, Brian Hernandez Jr.), Effortlesslyelgant (Norm Casse, Ricardo Santana Jr.).
The top 14 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points earners that pass the entry box will race in the Oaks.
Wonder Wheel (currently 11th on the qualifying points leaderboard with 48 points) leads this group of participants.
She won the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last fall at Keeneland.
The $1 million, Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass will be run Saturday as a Kentucky Derby prep race that awards Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers.
The race will feature 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
The current projected entry list for the Blue Grass includes the following horse and trainer pairings: Blazing Sevens (Chad Brown), Classic Car Wash (Mark Casse), Hayes Strike (McPeek), Major Blue (D. Wayne Lukas), Mendelssohns March (McPeek), Raise Cain (Ben Colebrook), Sun Thunder (McPeek), Tapit Trice (Pletcher) and Verifying (Cox).
Scoobie Quando (Colebrook) is considered possible for the race. Entries were to be taken Wednesday.
The 20-horse Derby field features 18 spots reserved for North American-based horses, and one spot each for a Europe-based horse and a Japan-based horse.
Three horses that are likely to be in the Blue Grass currently rank in the top 20 of the North American Derby qualifying points leaderboard.
Raise Cain is ninth with 54 points, Tapit Trice is 11th with 50 points and Sun Thunder is 19th with 34 points.
McPeek is the most recent of six trainers to have won both the Ashland and the Blue Grass in the same year (2002).
Racing schedule
Races will occur at Keeneland on Wednesdays through Sundays, except for Easter Sunday (April 9). There is no racing on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Post time for the first race is 1 p.m. daily, except for Saturday, April 8. On that day, the first race will go off at 12:30 p.m.
Keeneland’s popular free tailgating area — The Hill — will now be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with weather permitting.
Fans on The Hill will be able to watch live racing from Keeneland on a large TV screen while also being able to place bets in a wagering tent. Live music presented by The Burl and food trucks will also be provided, along with complimentary shuttles to the track.
A new feature for Saturdays will be the Smoke Easy Mobile Cigar Lounge, which will have cigars available for purchase.
Racing fans interested in upgrading their tailgating experience can visit Keeneland.com/tailgating for full details.
Ticket information
All tickets to Keeneland for the 2023 Spring Meet must be purchased in advance via the track’s online ticket office at tickets.Keeneland.com/racing.
Follow the Spring Meet at home, online
Fans can watch all Keeneland 2023 Spring Meet races live and for free via the Keeneland Livestream on Keeneland.com, the Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Select and Keeneland’s YouTube channel.
Additional TV coverage of the Spring Meet will come via FanDuel TV, which will present live coverage of every race.
The signature event of the Spring Meet — the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday, April 8 — will be televised live by NBC, along with additional stakes races from Keeneland that day from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Spanish language coverage of the Spring Meet will also be offered on opening weekend. For more details, visit Keeneland en Español and DRFenEspañol,com.
Spring Meet to feature special events
Several special events for fans also populate the Spring Meet schedule at Keeneland, including:
▪ Friday, April 7: Jockey Autograph Signing. Fans will meet active and retired Keeneland riders and Hall of Famers in an event that benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Signings takes place outside the Walking Ring from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
▪ Saturday, April 8, 15, 22: Sunrise Trackside. This program is geared toward families and offers a view of horses during training hours. Children’s activities occur on the first floor of the Grandstand from 8-10 a.m.
Mini tours will also be available at the Welcome Stand near the Paddock, and a meet and greet with a horse will take place in the Walking Ring from 8:30-9 a.m.
▪ Friday, April 14: College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane’s End. College students will have the opportunity to win one of 10 $2,000 scholarships provided by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Keeneland. Students who attend the race day and have their tickets scanned day-of will also be eligible to win two additional $10,000 scholarships provided by Lane’s End Farm, as well as prize packages from local Kentucky businesses. Pre-registration for this day can be completed at www.Keeneland.com/csd.
▪ Sunday, April 16: Military Day at the Races Presented by UPS. All active duty, reserve, veterans and military families receive free general admission and reserved Grandstand seating with a military ID. Military guests and their families can enjoy complimentary food from the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott and Coca-Cola in the Military Family Zone in the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
▪ Sunday, April 23: Keeneland Kids Club Family Day Presented by Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Kids Club members and their families receive free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating when they present their membership cards at admission gates. Children’s activities will take place in the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
▪ Sunday, April 23: Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Telethon. The fundraising event will be held in the Limestone Café in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion.
