Keeneland Race Course in Lexington is moving the $300,000 Madison Stakes (gr. I) to Saturday, April 13, the same day the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes will be run.
Keeneland is slated to run 12 races on Blue Grass Day, including five stakes races—three of which are grade I—worth $1.625 million.
"Moving the Madison Stakes to Blue Grass Day makes a lot of sense for both the horsemen and the wagering public," said vice president of racing W. B. Rogers Beasley in a release. "This will make for a terrific day of racing—the strongest in the country on that day."
The Madison, for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track, was first run in 2002 and has had grade I designation since 2009. It was scheduled for April 11 when Keeneland released its spring stakes schedule last month.
The Keeneland meet runs from April 5-26.