Keeneland race course is my home track. Located at one of the most beautiful places, The Horse Capital Of The World, Lexington, KY. Keeneland dates back to 1936. It will have hosted four of the KY Derby preps for this year’s Run For The Roses. The Breeders’ Futurity raced in October and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile took place in November. This weekend and the next, Keeneland will host the Blue Grass Stakes and the Lexington Stakes.
The Grade II Blue Grass Stakes was inaugurated in 1911. It was originally held at the former Kentucky Association Track. Keeneland hosted the Blue Grass for the fist time in 1937 and annually thereafter. Many winners of the Blue Grass have also found themselves in the winners circle at the KY Derby.
The 97th edition of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes is set to post 4/3/21 at 6:35 pm ET. The race will be 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The purse is $800,000. Limited seating at the track is sold out, Saturday. NBCSN will televise the race. One hundred seventy prep points will be awarded as follows, 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers, respectively. Nine prospective contenders drew in. They are listed here by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds/and prior KY Derby prep points:
- Hidden Stash/Rafael Bejarano/Victoria Oliver/BBN Racing, LLC./20-1/22 points(from 2 preps)
- Untreated/Joel Rosario/Todd Pletcher/Team Valor International/10-1/zero points
- Highly Motivated/Javier Castellano/Chad Brown/Klaravich Stables,NC./3-1/10 points
- Essential Quality/Luis Saez/Brad Cox/Godolphin, LLC./3-5/40 points(from 3 preps)
- Rombauer/Florent Geroux/Michael McCarthy/John and Dane Franklin/15-1/14 points(from 2 preps)
- Leblon/Albin Jimenez/Paulo Lobo/Bonne Chance Farm, LLC./50-1/zero points
- Hush of a Storm/Santiago Gonzalez/William Morey/Joseph P. Morey, Jr. Revocable Trust/15-1/10 points
- Sittin On Go/Corey Lanerie/Dale Romans/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC./30-1/10 points
- Keepmeinmind/David Cohen/Robertino Diodoro/Spendthrift Farm, LLC., Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold, Bennewith/8-1/18 points(from 3 preps)
Additionally, the Blue Grass Stakes is one of several stakes at Keeneland this Spring Meet. The meet will be held 4/2 through 4/23. Live racing will take place Wednesdays through Sundays within those dates, with the exception of Easter, 4/4. Racing posts each day at 1:05 pm ET. Opening day will feature 3 stakes, Blue Grass Stakes day will have 6 stakes and a total of 18 stakes will be raced throughout the meet. Eight stakes will race on dirt and 10 on the grass turf. The Lexington Stakes on 4/10 is a KY Derby prep. There will be $4.1 million dollars total in purses over the 15 days of live racing.
Before the weekend’s Kentucky Derby preps get underway, The European Road wraps up with the Cardinal Condition Stakes on 4/1 at Chelmsford City. It will offer 30-12-6-3 points.
Meanwhile, on The American Road, 4/3 will also be the date for not only the Blue Grass Stakes but two other KY Derby preps. The Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park will offer 100-40-20-10 points. The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct will reward the same point value.
Finally, thank you for your continued interest in Thoroughbred U and horse racing. I will be able to attend Keeneland in a limited fashion this meet. I will continue to provide updated KY Derby information and home track coverage too with more information on the Lexington Stakes. Keep on this joyride on The Road to the KY Derby.
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