Some of the best things about Fall in Kentucky are the bright colored leaves, bonfires, tailgating, orchards, festivals, pumpkin spice everything and the return of live racing at Keeneland race course. I am crazy for October racing at Keeneland, in Lexington, KY! If you love thoroughbred racing, you will truly be enamored by the 2024 Fall Meet.
Share This:Sesquicentennial Stakes: The Kentucky Derby
The 150th Kentucky Derby races Saturday, May 5th, 2024! The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports reflects centuries of breeding and training. Only twenty select thoroughbreds qualify annually to race in the Kentucky Derby. Be sure to watch this classic, champion horse race and check out this easy to read and organized post for the necessary details.
Share This:One Hundred Fiftieth Oaks: Kentucky Oaks Overview
The $1.5 million dollar Kentucky Oaks celebrates 1.5 hundred years of racing the finest of fillies. Friday, May 3, 2024 will showcase the best 3-year old thoroughbred fillies racing on dirt. The 2024 Longines Kentucky Oaks prep races began at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY in September. These fillies have worked hard to gather points in these preps to qualify to race at Churchill, this first Friday of May! The Kentucky Oaks features fun, fashion, food, fortunes and fillies! The filly fourteen are as follows:
Share This:Best For Last: Lexington Stakes
Naturally, saving the best for last, we find ourselves at the end of The Road To The Kentucky Derby! Thank you to all of the faithful or new fans that read along from September, or before, as we finally finalize our last 150th Kentucky Derby contenders. Kentucky Derby lovers, this is our last KY Derby prep, the Lexington Stakes!
Share This:Spring Set List: Keeneland’s Spring Stakes Schedule
Ready, set, go! Check out the set list for Keeneland’s Spring Meet Stakes. Nineteen thoroughbred stake races are scheduled this month at Keeneland in Lexington, KY. Be sure to follow the sixteen days of live racing from April 5th through 26th, 2024. Read on for the full stakes schedule and check back often for regular updates.
Share This:A (LA)t at Steak in these Kentucky Derby Preps
There are a lot of Kentucky Derby prep points at stake this weekend in the Jeff Ruby Steaks and the Louisiana Derby. Each of these American graded stakes had a dozen plus entries competing to earn the 400 points that these races offer. On Saturday, March 23, 2024, racing is on in LA and KY!
Share This:Keeneland Chronologically: Fall Meet 2023
Prepare yourself for a racing schedule like no other. Keeneland is out to break records with their stakes racing this October, 2023. This track is starting with the highest purse for their meet ever, at over nine million dollars. Keeneland has 22 stakes on their calendar. Included is a concise list of the stakes schedule, so you don’t miss out on any of the action.
Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY is live this October 6th through 28th. Seventeen live days will feature full cards. Overall, ten stakes are dirt races while twelve will be held on the turf. The first three days of Keeneland is Fall Stars Weekend, featuring eleven stakes, valued at over five and a half million dollars. Eight stakes are “Win And You’re In” races for an automatic berth into the 40th Breeders’ Cup. The Breeders’ Cup is hosted by Santa Anita this November 3rd and 4th.
Here is Keeneland’s stakes schedule by race (grade)/date/race #/time/distance/age and gender/purse/and BC berth and/or Road to the KY Derby/Oaks (as applicable)/winner (updates will become available as the meet progresses):
- 171st Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (GII)/Oct. 6th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/6 furlongs/dirt/3 year-olds and older/$350,000/BC Qatar Racing Sprint/Hoist the Gold
- 33rd JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (GII)/Oct. 6th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/turf/2 year-old fillies/$350,000/BC Juvenile Fillies Turf/Buchu
- 72nd Darley Alcibiades Stakes (GI)/Oct. 6th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/dirt/2 year-old fillies/600,000/BC Juvenile Fillies/Road To The KY Oaks/Candied
- 27th Woodford Stakes (GII)/Oct. 7th/race 6/3:40 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/turf/3 year-olds and older/$350,000/Arzak
- 43rd Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (GII)/Oct. 7th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/6 furlongs/dirt/fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older/$350,000/BC PNC BankFilly and Mare Sprint/Yuugiri
- 26th The First Lady Stakes (GI)/Oct. 7th/race 8/4:43 PM ET/1 mile/turf/fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older/$750,000/Gina Romantica
- 110th Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (GI)/Oct. 7th/race 9/5:14 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/dirt/2 year-olds/$600,000/BC FanDuel Juvenile/Road To The KY Derby/Locked
- 38th Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (GI)/Oct. 7th/race 10/5:45 PM ET/1 mile/turf/3 year-olds and older/$1 Million/BC FanDuel Mile/Up to the Mark
- 6th Indian Summer Stakes (listed)/Oct. 8th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/turf/2 year-olds/$250,000/Committee of One
- 68th Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (GI)/Oct. 8th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/8 miles/dirt/fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older/$600,000/BC Distaff/Idiomatic
- 33rd Castle and Key Bourbon Stakes (GII)/Oct. 8th/race 10/5:48 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/turf/2 year-olds/$350,000/BC Juvenile Turf/Can Group
- 29th Sycamore Stakes (GIII)/Oct. 13th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/turf/3 year-olds and older/$300,000/Bold Act (IRE)
- 40th Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (GI) -invitational/Oct. 14th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/8 miles/turf/3 year-old fillies/$600,000/Mawj (IRE)
- 27th Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes (GII)/Oct. 15th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/turf/fillies and mares, 3 year-old and upwards/$350,000/Tony Ann
- 15th Perryville Stakes (listed)/Oct. 21st/race 6/3:40 PM ET/7 furlongs/dirt/3 year-olds/$250,000/Raise Cain
- 25th Lexus Raven Run (GII)/Oct. 21st/race 9/5:16 PM ET/7 furlongs/dirt/3 year-old fillies/$350,000/Vahva
- 32nd Rood and Riddle Dowager (GIII)/Oct. 22nd/race 7/4:12 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/turf/fillies and mares, 3 year-olds and older/$300,000/Romagna Mia (GB)
- 33rd Bank of America Valley View Stakes (GIII)/Oct. 27th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 mile/turf/3 year-old fillies/$300,000/Surge Capacity
- 3rd Myrtlewood Stakes/Oct. 27th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/6 furlongs/dirt/2 year-old fillies/$200,000/Youalmosthadme
- 3rd Bowman Mill Stakes/Oct. 28th/6 furlongs/race 6/3:40 PM ET/dirt/2 year-olds/$200,000/Glengarry
- 19th Bryan Station Stakes (GIII)/Oct. 28th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 mile/turf/3 year-olds/$300,000/Runaway Storm
- 66th Hagyard Fayette Stakes (GII)/Oct. 28th/race 9/5:48 PM ET/1 and 1/8 miles/dirt/3 year-olds and older/$350,000/O’Connor (CHI)
Thoroughbred U will be attending most dates of the meet live. Drop a comment if you plan to attend too. Meanwhile, if you are going to watch from television, tune into CNBC and Peacock from 4 PM to 6 PM ET on 10/7/23 and 5 PM to 6PM ET on 10/8/23. Otherwise, daily coverage is provided by FanDuel or streaming through YouTube. Thanks for reading. Please, use this as a quick reference and check back for updates.
Share This:Kentucky Derby Depictions
Saturday, May 6, 2023 will feature the 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby! Please, delight with a bit of information and my photographic depictions of The Derby entries.
The Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve is race 12 on a card of 14. This classic stakes for 3 year-old thoroughbreds carries a purse of $ 3 million dollars. It is a 1 and 1/4 mile dirt race, posting at 6:57 PM ET. The races will air from noon until 7:30 PM ET on NBC.
The field of 20 is as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/and morning-line odds: * (20 will race so the last 3 are Also- Eligible and race only if there are scratches) Practical Move has scratched and Cyclone Mischief has been drawn in to replace him. Lord Miles has scratched and Mandarin Hero will join the field. Continuar scratches and King Russell enters into the field. Skinner has scratched and there are no more eligible replacements. Forte has scratched without a replacement.
Congrats to Mage for the win!
- Hit Show/Manuel Franco/Brad H. Cox/Gary and May West/30-1
- Verifying/Tyler Gaffalione/Brad H Cox/Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor/15-1
- Two Phil’s/Jareth Loveberry/Larry Rivelli/Patricia’s Hope, LLC, Philip Sagan and Madaket Stables, LLC/12-1
- Confidence Game/James Graham/J. Keith Desormeaux/Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Ocean Reef Racing/20-1
- Tapit Trice/Luis Saez/Todd A. Pletcher/Whisper Hill Farm, LLC and Gainesway Stable/5-1
- Kingsbarns/Jose L. Ortiz/Todd A. Pletcher/Spendthrift Farm, LLC/12-1
- Reincarnate/John R. Velazquez/Tim Yakteen/SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC and Robert Masterson, et al./50-1
- Mage/Javier Castellano/Gustavo Delgado/OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing, and CMNWLTH/15-1
- Skinner/Juan J. Hernandez/John A. Shirreffs/C R K Stable, LLC/20-1
- Practical Move/Ramon A. Vazquez/Tim Yakteen/Pierre Jean Amestoy, Jr., Leslie A. Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley/10-1
- Disarm/Joel Rosario/Steven M. Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC/30-1
- Jace’s Road/Florent Geroux/Brad H. Cox/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds, LLC/50-1
- Sun Thunder/Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr./Kenneth G McPeek/R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine/50-1
- Angel Of Empire/Flavien Prat/Brad H. Cox/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC/8-1
- Forte/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd A. Pletcher/Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable/3-1
- Raise Cain/Gerardo Corrales/Ben Colebrook/Andrew N. Warren and Rania Warren/50-1
- Derma Sotogake (JPN)/Christophe Lemaire/Hidetaka Otonashi/Hiroyuki Asanuma/10-1
- Rocket Can/Junior Alvarado/William I. Mott/Frank Fletcher Operations/30-1
- Lord Miles/Paco Lopez/Saffie A. Joseph, Jr./Vegso Racing Stables/30-1
- Continuar (JPN)/Ryusei Sakai/Yoshito Yahagi/Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd./50-1
- Cyclone Mischief/Joel Rosario/Dale L. Romans/Albaugh Family Stables, LLC and Castleton Lyons/30-1
- Mandarin Hero (JPN)/Kazushi Kimura/Terunobu Fujita/Hiroaki Arai/20-1
- King Russell/Rafael Bejarano/Ron Moquett/Brereton C. Jones and Naber Racing, LLC/50-1
As promised, here are my photos of many of the 149th Kentucky Derby contenders. Please, share this story and thank you for following Thoroughbred U!
Featured image caption: Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY is home to the Kentucky Derby!
Share This:Save The Lex For Last
The final Kentucky Derby prep race is the Lexington Stakes in Lexington, KY. Saturday, 4/15/23, Keeneland will host the 41st running of the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. It is the last chance to qualify for entry to the 149th Kentucky Derby.
The Lexington Stakes is race 9 and posts at 5:16 PM ET. It offers 20-8-6-4-2 KY Derby prep points to the respective winners. The race is 1 and 1/16miles.
Follow updates here for Keeneland’s stakes this Spring Meet:
- 75th running of the Lafayette Stakes/April 7th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/7 furlongs/3 YOs/dirt/$400,000/Corona Bolt
- 35th running of the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (GIII)/April 7th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YOs/turf/$400,000/Mo Stash
- 86th running of the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (GI)/April 7th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YO fillies/dirt/$600,000/worth 200 points on The Road To The Kentucky Oaks/Defining Purpose
- 36th running of the Commonwealth Stakes (GIII)/April 8th/race 5/2:50 PM ET/7 furlongs/4 YO and up/dirt/$300,000/Here Mi Song
- 35th running of the Appalachian Stakes (GII)/April 8th/race 6/3:25 PM ET/1 mile/3 YO fillies/turf/$400,000/Papilio
- 22nd running of the Madison Stakes (GI)/April 8th/race 7/4:00 PM ET/7 furlongs/4YO and up fillies and mares/dirt/$600,000/Goodnight Olive
- 27th running of the Shakertown Stakes (GII)/April 8th/race 8/4:35 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3YO and up/turf/$350,000/Caravel
- 99th running of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI)/April 8th/race 9/5:15 PM ET/1 and 1/8 miles/3 YOs/dirt/$1 million dollars/worth 200 points on The Road To The Kentucky Derby/ Tapit Trice
- 4th running of the FanDuel Limestone Stakes (listed)/April 14th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YO fillies/turf/$250,000/Love Reigns
- 35th running of the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (GI)/April 14th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 mile/4 YO and up/turf/$600,000/Chez Pierre
- 26th running of the Giant’s Causeway Stakes (listed)/April 15th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$250,000/Twilight Gleaming
- 41st running of the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (GIII)/April 15th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YOs/dirt/$400,000/worth 40 points on The Road To The Kentucky Derby/First Mission
- 35th running of the Jenny Wiley Stakes (GI)/April 15th/race 10/5:48 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$600,000/In Italian
- 4th running of the Palisades Stakes (listed)/April 16th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YOs/turf/$250,000/Gaslight Dancer
- 38th running of the Beaumont Stakes (GII)/April 16th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/7 furlongs/3 YO fillies/dirt/$400,000/worth 20 points on The Road To The Kentucky Oaks/Key of Life
- 28th running of the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (GIII)/April 21st/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/dirt/$300,000/Frost Point
- 38th running of the Elkhorn Stakes (GII)/April 22nd/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/4 YO and up/turf/$350,000/Verstappen
- 92nd running of the Ben Ali Stakes (GIII)/April 22nd/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 3/16miles/4 YO and up/dirt/$300,000/Rattle N Roll
- 61st running of the Bewitch Stakes (GIII)/April 28th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$300,000/War Like Goddess
Photo caption: Curly Larry and Mo has raced at Keeneland in Lexington, KY twice before. He is entered in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes.
Share This:Back At My Hometrack : Keeneland Stakes Schedule
The Spring Meet is on at Keeneland! From April 7th through the 28th, 2023, live racing returns to my favorite racetrack, in Lexington, KY. Fifteen race dates will host 19 stakes, offering over eight million dollars in purse money. Save this post for your stakes reference, throughout the meet, for regular updates.
Here is the Keeneland stakes schedule by historical running/race name (grade)/date/race # on the card/post time/length/age and/or gender/surface/purse/and Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks points when applicable and winner :
- 75th running of the Lafayette Stakes/April 7th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/7 furlongs/3 YOs/dirt/$400,000/Corona Bolt
- 35th running of the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (GIII)/April 7th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YOs/turf/$400,000/Mo Stash
- 86th running of the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (GI)/April 7th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YO fillies/dirt/$600,000/worth 200 points on The Road To The Kentucky Oaks/Defining Purpose
- 36th running of the Commonwealth Stakes (GIII)/April 8th/race 5/2:50 PM ET/7 furlongs/4 YO and up/dirt/$300,000/Here Mi Song
- 35th running of the Appalachian Stakes (GII)/April 8th/race 6/3:25 PM ET/1 mile/3 YO fillies/turf/$400,000/Papilio
- 22nd running of the Madison Stakes (GI)/April 8th/race 7/4:00 PM ET/7 furlongs/4YO and up fillies and mares/dirt/$600,000/Goodnight Olive
- 27th running of the Shakertown Stakes (GII)/April 8th/race 8/4:35 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3YO and up/turf/$350,000/Caravel
- 99th running of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI)/April 8th/race 9/5:15 PM ET/1 and 1/8 miles/3 YOs/dirt/$1 million dollars/worth 200 points on The Road To The Kentucky Derby/ Tapit Trice
- 4th running of the FanDuel Limestone Stakes (listed)/April 14th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YO fillies/turf/$250,000/Love Reigns
- 35th running of the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (GI)/April 14th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 mile/4 YO and up/turf/$600,000/Chez Pierre
- 26th running of the Giant’s Causeway Stakes (listed)/April 15th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$250,000/Twilight Gleaming
- 41st running of the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (GIII)/April 15th/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/3 YOs/dirt/$400,000/worth 40 points on The Road To The Kentucky Derby/First Mission
- 35th running of the Jenny Wiley Stakes (GI)/April 15th/race 10/5:48 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$600,000/In Italian
- 4th running of the Palisades Stakes (listed)/April 16th/race 7/4:12 PM ET/5 and 1/2 furlongs/3 YOs/turf/$250,000/Gaslight Dancer
- 38th running of the Beaumont Stakes (GII)/April 16th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/7 furlongs/3 YO fillies/dirt/$400,000/worth 20 points on The Road To The Kentucky Oaks/Key of Life
- 28th running of the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (GIII)/April 21st/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 1/16 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/dirt/$300,000/Frost Point
- 38th running of the Elkhorn Stakes (GII)/April 22nd/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/4 YO and up/turf/$350,000/Verstappen
- 92nd running of the Ben Ali Stakes (GIII)/April 22nd/race 9/5:16 PM ET/1 and 3/16miles/4 YO and up/dirt/$300,000/Rattle N Roll
- 61st running of the Bewitch Stakes (GIII)/April 28th/race 8/4:44 PM ET/1 and 1/2 miles/4 YO and up fillies and mares/turf/$300,000/War Like Goddess
Photo caption: Verifying is seen entering the track for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. He returns to Keeneland in the Blue Grass Stakes. He will aim to get points in order to race in the 149th Kentucky Derby
Thank you for reading! If you or your friends are coming to Keeneland this Spring, please leave me a comment.
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