'Fallstars Weekend' Kicks Off Keeneland Fall Race Meeting with Seven Graded Stakes

Edited from Keeneland Association release
Keeneland kicks off its fall race meeting in Lexington, Ky. Oct. 8 with "Fallstars Weekend" featuring seven graded stakes serving as stepping stones to the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park.

"Opening weekend is three outstanding days of racing," said Rogers Beasley, Keeneland's director of racing. "The fall meet offers something for everyone in the racing world--dirt, turf, sprint, distance races."

Opening day will be highlighted by the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. II) for 2-year-old fillies and the $250,000 Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds and up.

On Oct. 9, 3-year-olds and up will meet on the turf in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT). The $500,000, Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) will test 2-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles, and the $150,000 Sycamore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) will feature 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

ESPN2 will televise the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity and Shadwell Turf Mile, along with the Champagne Stakes at Belmont at 4 p.m. (ET).

The Oct. 10 program features the $500,000 Overbrook Spinster (gr. I) for fillies and mares on the main track and the $500,000 WinStar Galaxy Stakes (gr. IIT) for fillies and mares on the turf. The Storm Cat Stakes, a one-mile race on the turf for 3-year-olds, also will be on the card that day.

Keeneland will run 11 more stakes races during the remainder of the meet, five of which are graded, including the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup gr. II) on Oct. 16. Some of this country's and Europe's best 3-year-old fillies are poised to meet on the turf in the QEII, which will be televised live at 4p.m. (ET) on ESPN2.

Purses for the 17-day meet total more than $10 million.

The fall meeting will continue through Oct. 30 with no racing on Mondays and Tuesdays. Post time will be 1:15 p.m. (ET) each day except for closing day, October 30, when Keeneland will run five live races starting at noon (ET). Keeneland also will simulcast the entire Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships from Lone Star Park beginning at 1:20 p.m. (ET) on closing day.