A 3-year-old filly who sweeps the Ashland Stakes and Kentucky Oaks will earn her owner and trainer a lucrative bonus as will the winner of the Stonerside Beaumont and Test Stakes, Keeneland announced today.Keeneland will award $200,000 to the owner and $50,000 to the trainer of a horse who sweeps the $500,000-added, Grade I Ashland Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, April 7, and the $500,000-added, Grade I Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on Friday, May 4 at Churchill Downs.Similarly, a 3-year-old filly who wins a pair of sprints -- Keeneland's Stonerside Beaumont and Saratoga's Test Stakes -- will earn a bonus of $150,000 for her owner and $50,000 for her trainer."If you have a 3-year-old filly who prefers a distance or one that is best suited to sprints, you can position yourself to earn a lucrative bonus by first racing at Keeneland," said Keeneland president Nick Nicholson.The $250,000-added, Grade II Stonerside Beaumont will be run at seven furlongs and 184 feet on Sunday, April 22. It will be followed by the $250,000, Grade I Test Stakes at seven furlongs on Saturday, July 28.Last week, officials announced a bonus series, which includes prep races at Keeneland and Turfway Park, and the Kentucky Derby.
A 3-year-old first must win Turfway's Spiral Stakes. Then it must capture either the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes or Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. Finally, the horse must win the Kentucky Derby to earn bonuses of $800,000 for its owner and $200,000 for its trainer.
The Keeneland spring meeting begins on Friday, April 6, and continues through Friday, April 27 with no racing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Easter Sunday.
