Defending Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IT) winner Daisy Devine is back to protect her title April 13 at Keeneland, but the 5-year-old daughter of Kafwain faces a steep question as she goes up against six stakes winners.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Keeneland Opening Day time lapse by photographer Mark Mahan.
After finishing second in his two starts this season, Brittlyn Stable's Gantry will try to nail down the fifth stakes victory of his career in the $175,000 Commonwealth Stakes (gr. III) April 13 at Keeneland.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
It was a crowded scene at the April 10 post-position draw for the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I), as the connections crossed their fingers and hoped for good post positions.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A daughter of Unbridled's Song brought the highest price at the Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale when she fetched $700,000 from Irish bloodstock agent John McCormack.
Monday, April 08, 2013
Jose Lezcano most likely will ride Wise Dan in the Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland April 12, trainer Charles LoPresti said.
Monday, April 08, 2013
Trainer Chad Brown told Keeneland officials April 8 he will enter Balance the Books instead of Noble Tune in the April 13 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Monday, April 08, 2013
Six seasons after One Hot Wish blazed 4 1/2 furlongs in :48.87 at Keeneland, establishing a track record for the distance that still stands, her first foal has followed in her footsteps.
Monday, April 08, 2013
Charlie LoPresti talks about Wise Dan and Successful Dan at Keeneland on 4/2/2013.
Claire Novak catches up with the connections of Wise Dan, Richard's Kid, Ramsey Farm, and Daisy Devine.
Jockey Leandro Goncalves was transported to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for X-rays April 7 after he was unseated at the start of the first race at Keeneland.
Sunday, April 07, 2013
Java's War, a contender for the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I), and Falling Sky, headed for the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), posted bullet moves April 7 in preparation for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) preps.
Sunday, April 07, 2013
Juddmonte Farms homebred Emollient established a clear lead early and then opened up on her dozen rivals in the stretch to register an easy victory in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) April 6 at Keeneland.
Saturday, April 06, 2013Howe Great, the 2012 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) victor whose last win came in the July 21 Jersey Derby at Monmouth, took a strong Keeneland allowance race April 6 in which 2011 Woodbine Mile winner Turallure ran sixth.
Saturday, April 06, 2013
Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) contenders Rydilluc, Uncaptured, Undrafted, and Dewey Square all turned in pre-race works April 5 at Keeneland. Also working were Dynamic Sky at Churchill and Fear the Kitten at Trackside.
Saturday, April 06, 2013
Gary Barber's Jack Milton came up from Florida to earn his first stakes score, holding off the late charge of Up With the Birds to win the $100,000 Transylvania Stakes (gr. IIIT) on opening day at Keeneland.
Friday, April 05, 2013Trainer Wesley Ward added to his reputation as a conditioner of young horses when Sweet Emma Rose sprinted clear early and rolled to a nine-length victory in the first of eight "baby races" scheduled for Keeneland spring.
Friday, April 05, 2013
For the fifth consecutive year, Keeneland, which begins its spring meet April 5, topped the 2013 racetrack ratings produced by the Horseplayers Association of North America.
Friday, April 05, 2013
A Dixie Union filly and a Thewayyouare colt registered the fastest times for their respective breeze distances April 4 at the Keeneland Preview Show in advance of the April 2-year-olds in training sale.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Trainer Charlie LoPresti has the somewhat enviable if daunting task of bringing several top-level horses back off the bench this spring at Keeneland, including 2011 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (gr. IT) winner Turallure.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Katie Mikolay Gensler joins Keeneland handicapper Mike Battaglia to provide live paddock commentary and selections at the spring meet.
Morton Fink's reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan muscled his way through five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 flat April 4 at Keeneland, setting himself up perfectly for a 2013 debut in the April 12 Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT).
Thursday, April 04, 2013Just one of the fun things about Keeneland spring is welcoming new 2-year-olds and the Lexington track will waste no time this year, offering a 4 1/2-furlong race for juvenile fillies on opening day April 5.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Tom LaMarra talks with Keeneland president Bill Thomason on the spring meet. Bill talks about how Keeneland is working to create lifetime fans and ways to engage the younger patrons.
John Oxley's grade I winner Spring in the Air will face a full field of 13 rivals in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Keeneland April 6.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Joel Rosario returned to Gulfstream Park to ride the April 3 program, but the 28-year-old jockey hadn't really come back to earth after riding Animal Kingdom to victory in the Dubai World Cup March 30 at Meydan.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013Among the speakers for an April 9 seminar on exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage are three trainers, officials announced.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013Keeneland Race Course expects traffic issues at its upcoming spring meeting due to extensive construction along Versailles Road (U.S. 60), but the Lexington oval is doing the best it can to address the problem, officials say.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Juveniles cataloged for Keeneland's upcoming April 2-year-olds in training sale will be showcased under tack for potential buyers during preview day, Thursday, April 4, beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
John Oxley's Star Contender is highweighted at 123 pounds in a field of 11 for the $100,000 Transylvania Stakes (gr. IIIT), but SamSon Farms' Up With the Birds has beaten him and will likely be favored at Keeneland April 5.
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Tom LaMarra asks Keeneland director of racing Rogers Beasley how the Keeneland meet is looking. With emphasis on the Bluegrass Stakes and horse numbers for the Keeneland race card fields.
Keeneland is unveiling a host of enhancements for the upcoming spring meeting to help make betting easier and more enjoyable for fans including "betologists" who will answer questions about wagering.
Monday, April 01, 2013
When entries for the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-olds are taken April 10, Keeneland officials are expecting a full field of 14.
Monday, April 01, 2013
Steve Bass, who booked mounts for nine-time leading Keeneland rider Julien Leparoux for the past seven years, will have Rosie Napravnik and Alan Garcia when the meet opens April 5.
Friday, March 29, 2013
The $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) April 13 is one of 16 stakes that will highlight the 16-day Keeneland meet that begins April 5.
Friday, March 29, 2013Keeneland is adding handicapper and racing analyst Katie Mikolay Gensler to its race-day lineup this spring. She will work alongside longtime handicapper and oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Keeneland and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington have formed a new company that will hold its first sporting art auction in November of this year.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Keeneland has named Julie Cauthen as director of owner and client development. Cauthen will be tasked with expanding Keeneland's efforts domestically to draw new owners to the Thoroughbred industry.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Julie Balog, Keeneland's director of communications, will step down from her position following the 2013 spring meeting to become vice president of marketing and communications for the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will hold a Thoroughbred ownership seminar Friday, April 19, at Keeneland in Lexington.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
There was no moss growing on Centre Court, who made her 2013 debut a winning one by 1 3/4 lengths in the $150,000 Honey Fox Stakes (gr. IIT) March 16 at Gulfstream Park.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Cot Campbell tells the tale of Leslie Combs and Los Angeles socialite Dolly Green during a high-flying evening at the 1980 Keeneland July yearling sale.
Top consignors commented favorably about Keeneland's new format for a four-day 'Book 1' of its September yearling sale for 2013.
Thursday, March 14, 2013Declining handle is forcing the closure of the state's only freestanding OTB network.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Keeneland sales officials March 13 announced a redesign of the format for the 2013 September yearling sale, to be held Sept. 9-20.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
A total of 134 fillies, led by champion Beholder, have been nominated to Keeneland's $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I), scheduled for Saturday, April 6.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Champion Shanghai Bobby and fellow top Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders Orb and Verrazano lead the 189 nominees to this year's $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Monday, March 11, 2013
Haskell Invitational (gr. I) winner Paynter turned in his second work since making a comeback from severe illness and the subsequent surgery he underwent last year, breezing four furlongs in :50 1/5 at Santa Anita Park.
Tuesday, March 05, 2013The Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association has thrown its support behind Keeneland's plan to jointly purchase an eastern Kentucky harness track license and build a Quarter Horse racetrack.
Monday, March 04, 2013
Wise Dan, Morton Fink's 2012 Horse of the Year, turned in his second work of the season at Keeneland March 2, a four-furlong move in :49 1/5. Stablemates Turallure and Successful Dan are also training well.
Sunday, March 03, 2013