Hooves are up and ready to race at Keeneland’s Fall Meet! I checked in on the action at Keeneland’s main track yesterday morning. There was an enormous feeling of anticipation as fans, staff, and connections gathered to watch Keeneland’s next contenders as they got in some prep work for the upcoming Fall Meet. There is a large amount of talent, purse money, stakes races and Breeders’ Cup berth races at Keeneland, over the next month. Racing begins Friday as Keeneland presents, Fall Stars Weekend.
Keeneland will host their annual Fall Meet from Friday, October 5th thru Saturday, October 27th. The meet boasts 18 stakes races and 10 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races. Keeneland will open its gates daily at 11 A.M. ET and the first race posts at 1:05 P.M. ET each day. On Mondays and Tuesdays there will be no racing each week.
Friday, October 5th is opening day and the first of Fall Stars Weekend. The first three-thousand adult guests will receive an umbrella courtesy of Darley. The weather is beautiful today so I hope the umbrella won’t be of use but truth is, it rains plenty in Kentucky. The 9th race is the $400K Darley Alcibades. It is a Grade 1 stakes with an automatic berth into the BC Juvenile Fillies stakes for the winner. The BC will be hosted at Churchill following the end of Keeneland’s meet on November 2nd and 3rd. Friday, 10/5 will also feature the $250K Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes. This Grade 2 leads to entry in the BC Sprint. The entries for Friday’s card are due this coming Tuesday so you can plan days ahead.
Saturday has 5 graded stakes with 4 BC prep races. The $1 million dollar Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), the $500K Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), the $400K First Lady Stakes (G1), the $250K Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) and the $200K Woodford Stakes (G2). The first 4 provide berths into the BC races respectively; the BC Mile, BC Juvenile, BC Filly and Mare Turf, BC Filly and Mare Sprint and the Woodford is not a BC berth race. Saturday’s entries will be finalized on Wednesday.
Fall Stars weekend ends with 3 more stakes on Sunday, October 7th. That day will hold the $500K Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for berth into the BC Distaff. The $250K Dixiana Bourbon (G3) will race for a spot in the BC Juvenile Turf. Finally, The $200K Indian Summer, while not graded, will provide the winner an entry into the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. The complete list of contenders for Sunday will be established on Thursday.
Live action at Keeneland will return to us quickly but thankfully it will stick around for the majority of a month. Watch carefully to see top Thoroughbreds, jockeys and trainers compete for local and national success. Keeneland is my home track so I hope to provide you with detailed insight as the meet evolves. I’m expecting an outstanding session.
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