Keeneland will award a seasonal record $8.05 million to 19 shares at its spring 2023 meeting, which will run for 15 days from April 7 to 28. Leading the schedule is $1 million. la Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and $600,000 Ashland Stakes (G1), both prime targets for the nation’s top 3-year-olds.
Keeneland has increased the purses of two top-tier shares for older women—Madison Stakes (G1) and Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1)—from $100,000 per share to $600,000 and has increased the purse strings of three listed shares—Thunderstone shares, Giant’s Causeway Shares, and Palisades Shares—from $50,000 each to $250,000. Fifteen shares are classified, with Beaumont Shares (G2) upgraded for 2023.
Contributing to the spring meet bet is a total of $1.5 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, pending approval by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Wallets in Kentucky have skyrocketed in recent years due in part to revenue generated from the historic horse racing game.
“Keeneland is said to have enjoyed its most successful racing year ever in 2022, thanks to a stellar line-up of racing stars and racing stables competing for record purses and races. Historical betting follows the spring and fall encounter, as well as the fame of hosting our third Breeder’s World Cup,” said Gatewood Bell, vice president of racing of Keeneland said. “We are grateful for the interest in the Keeneland race from our riders, riders and fans, and their enthusiasm will fuel the future. We’re excited to increase it. further enhanced the stake schedule to meet this spring, so the wallet for all tier 1 races is at a minimum of $600,000, while all tier 2 races are at a minimum of $350,000 dollars and all level 3 events a minimum of $300,000.”
SEE: The Keeneland Spring Meet Stake Schedule of 2023
The posting time for the first race of each day in the Spring Encounter is 1 p.m. ET. Keeneland will be closed for racing on Easter Sunday, April 9.
In addition to being key spring races for talented sophomores, both Blue Grass and Ashland are worth 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The winner of both stakes will earn 100 qualifying points for those respective races. The $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 mile, is the final preparatory step on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and will award a total of 40 qualifying points, to the winner. Winning gets 20 points. scheduled for April 15.
The Ashland, at 1 1/16 of a mile for the runners, booked the card for the opening day of the April 7 spring meet for the second year in a row and was the richest of the three stakes for sophomore on that day. Other stakes, valued at $400,000 each, are the Transylvania Stake (G3T), a 1/16-mile field race, and the Lafayette Stake, a seven-mile land race.
Because of Easter Sunday, Keeneland moved two 3-year-olds bets from that date to April 16. That’s a $400,000 Beaumont bet for 3-year-olds on the single Beard Course stretch. on the ground 7 feathers and 184 feet; and $250,000 Palisades Stakes at 5 1/2 on the pitch. Beaumont is worth 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, with the winner receiving 10 points.
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
