First post is 1 p.m. ET except for April 25, when the first race is at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate the Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale after the races.
On Tuesday, April 1, post positions will be drawn for the 101st running of the $1.25 million
Toyota Blue Grass (G1) to be held Saturday, April 5. Keeneland will produce an early flash press release with a list of entries followed by a full advance release.
Keeneland social media also will report the field of horses after the draw.
Click here for Keeneland’s 2025 Media Guide.
Click here for the Spring Meet stakes schedule, which includes links to the lists
of nominees for upcoming weekend stakes and their past performances.
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- KEENELAND SPRING MEET TO OPEN WITH STANDOUTS NOMINATED TO STAKES PROSPECTIVE STAKES FIELDS
- WORK TAB
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KEENELAND SPRING MEET TO OPEN WITH STANDOUTS
NOMINATED TO STAKES
Keeneland’s 2025 Spring Meet opens Friday, April 4 and begins three days of outstanding Thoroughbred racing led by a total of 10 stakes worth $5.6 million. The weekend includes the 88th running of the $750,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) on opening day and the 101st running of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on Saturday, April 5.
The Spring Meet will cover a total of 15 days through Friday, April 25 with no racing Mondays, Tuesdays and Easter (April 20). The first race is at 1 p.m. ET with the exception of closing day, Friday, April 25 when the first post is 12:30 p.m. to accommodate the 10-race card that will conclude in time for that evening’s Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale.
FanDuel TV will present extensive live coverage of every Keeneland race beginning at noon and will have the exclusive live broadcast of the Toyota Blue Grass (5:52 p.m. post) on April 5.
In addition, all races will be livestreamed at no charge on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Selectand Keeneland’s YouTube channel.
Click here for the 2025 Spring Meet stakes schedule, which includes links to the lists of nominees for each race and their past performances.
Opening day features Central Bank Ashland
The year’s first Grade 1 event for 3-year-old fillies and an important springtime target for the division’s most talent runners, the $750,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) will headline three stakes for 3-year-olds on Keeneland’s 10-race opening-day card. The distance of the Central Bank Ashland is 1 1/16 miles.
A total of 98 fillies, including Shadwell Stable’s Grade 2 winner Muhimma and Tracy Farmer’s Grade 3 winner La Cara, were nominated to the Central Bank Ashland. The race offers 200 qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the respective first- through fifth-place finishers toward the 151st running of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Brad Cox conditions Muhimma, and Mark Casse trains La Cara.
Other opening-day stakes are the 37th running of the $600,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf and the 77th running of the $400,000 Lafayette (L) at 7 furlongs on the main track.
A total of 32 horses were nominated to the Transylvania Presented by Keeneland Select. Headlining the nominations is Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso’s graded stakes winner Zulu Kingdom (IRE). Trained by Chad Brown, Zulu Kingdom has won four of five races with three coming in stakes.
Also nominated is Gary Barber’s Mi Bago, a three-time stakes winner for Casse over the winner at Gulfstream Park.
Donegal Racing’s Gate to Wire, daylight winner of the Swale (L) in his dirt debut for trainer Todd Pletcher, tops a list of 31 nominees for the Lafayette.
Other nominees of note include the 1-2 finishers in the recent Hutcheson at Gulfstream: St. George Stable’s Rolando, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, and Pin Oak Stud’s Multiverse, trained by Riley Mott.
Entries for opening day will be taken Monday, March 31.
Toyota Blue Grass leads five Saturday stakes
Opening Saturday of the Spring Meet will present 11 races, including five stakes worth a combined $3.15 million. Joining the Toyota Blue Grass are the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1), the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association, the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2) and the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3).
A total of 138 3-year-olds were nominated to the 1 1/8-mile Toyota Blue Grass, including Godolphin’s East Avenue, runaway winner of last fall’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland for trainer Brendan Walsh; Flanagan Racing’s two-time Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick for trainer Chad Brown; Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Holy Bull (G3) winner Burnham Square, trained by Ian Wilkes; and Flying Dutchmen’s Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty for trainer Brian Lynch.
The Toyota Blue Grass offers 200 points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the first- through fifth-place finishers toward the 151st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve to be run at Churchill Downs on May 4.
The 24th running of the Resolute Racing Madison, for fillies and mares going 7 furlongs on the main track, drew 26 nominations that include four Grade 1 winners: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bobby Flay’s Candied, George Krikorian’s champion Just F Y I, Spendthrift Farm’s Kopion and Whisper Hill Farm’s Leslie’s Rose.
Last year, Leslie’s Rose won the Central Bank Ashland at Keeneland.
Also nominated are Stonestreet Stable’s Emery, winner of the Lexus Raven Run (G2) last fall at Keeneland; Juddmonte’s multiple graded stakes winner and two-time Grade 1-placed Scylla; and C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms’ multiple graded stakes winner Mystic Lake.
KatieRich Stable’s May Day Ready, winner of the Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland Sales and runner-up in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), headlines the 38 fillies nominated to the Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. May Day Ready is trained by Joe Lee.
Also nominated to the Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association is D. J. Stable’s Nitrogen, who finished a length behind May Day Ready in third in the Breeders’ Cup. Trained by Mark Casse, Nitrogen has won both of her races in 2025, the Ginger Brew (L) and the Florida Oaks (G3).
Sonata Stable’s defending champion Arzak tops a roster of 36 nominations to the Valvoline Global Shakertown. Arzak has won two of three races at Keeneland for trainer Mike Trombetta.
Among the other nominees are Gatsas Stables, Steven Schoenfeld and trainer John Terranova’s Our Shot, who defeated Arzak in last fall’s Woodford (G2) Presented by Fan Duel, and Patricia’s Hope’s Nobals, winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) for trainer Larry Rivelli.
The Commonwealth, for 4-year-olds and up going 7 furlongs on the main track, attracted 35 nominations headed by Atlantic Six Racing’s Book’em Danno. Trained by Derek Ryan, Book’em Danno won the Woody Stephens (G1) last year and finished a close second in the Perryville (G3) last fall at Keeneland.
Among the other nominees are Grade 1 winners Saudi Crown, owned by FMQ Stables; Speed Boat Beach, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman; and Bell Gable Stable’s Nutella Fella. Also nominated are 2023 Commonwealth winner Here Mi Song, owned by Nathan Hayden; Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel’s Just a Touch, runner-up in last year’s Toyota Blue Grass; and Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Hoist the Gold, winner of the 2023 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland..
Entries for the April 5 program will be taken Tuesday, April 1.
MiddleGround Capital Beaumont, Palisades headline Sunday program
Two stakes for 3-year-olds top the 10-race program for Sunday, April 6.
The 40th running of the $400,000 MiddleGround Capital Beaumont (G2) for fillies drew 34 nominations for the race run over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet.
Topping the nominees is Stonestreet Stables’ Eclatant, a winner of three of four races including the Forward Gal (G3) in her most recent start. Also nominated is Vodka With a Twist, a two-time Grade 1 runner-up for the partnership of Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh, William Strauss, BlackRidge Stables and Schwing Thoroughbreds.
The 19th running of the $300,000 Palisades (L) at 5½ furlongs on the grass drew 31 nominations.
Heading the roster is Soldi Stable and Qatar Racing’s Gabaldon, who won his debut in a stakes and then traveled to Royal Ascot in England, where he finished second in a field of 27 in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
Entries for the April 6 program also will be taken Tuesday, April 1.
PROSPECTIVE STAKES FIELDS
Entries taken Monday; races Friday, April 4
$750,000 CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND (G1) – Five G (trainer George Weaver), La Cara (Mark Casse), Muhimma (Brad Cox), Running Away (Wesley Ward), Supa Speed (John Sadler).
$600,000 TRANSYLVANIA (G3) PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SELECT – Barricade (Todd Pletcher), Boy Boy (Ben Colebrook), Golden Afternoon (Nick Vaccarezza), Mi Bago (Casse), Reagan’s Wit (Cherie DeVaux), Test Score (Graham Motion), Tom’s Magic (Mike Stidham). Possible: Clock Tower (Ward).
$400,000 LAFAYETTE (L) – Itsmybirthday (Robertino Diodoro), Rolando (Fausto Gutierrez), Smoken Wicked (Dallas Stewart).
Entries taken Tuesday; races Saturday, April 5
$1,250,000 TOYOTA BLUE GRASS (G1) – Burnham Square (Ian Wilkes), Chancer McPatrick (Chad Brown), East Avenue (Brendan Walsh), Owen Almighty (Brian Lynch), Render Judgment (Kenny McPeek), River Thames (Pletcher). Possible: Caldera (D. Wayne Lukas).
$650,000 RESOLUTE RACING MADISON (G1) – Dazzling Move (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Justique (DeVaux), Mystic Lake (Joseph Jr.), Scylla (Bill Mott). Possible: Royal Spa (Rodolphe Brisset).
$500,000 APPALACHIAN (G2) PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION – Foxtastic (Josie Carroll), Nitrogen (Casse), Totally Justified (Rusty Arnold), Vixen (Casse). Possible: Good Temper (Will Walden), Presha (Walden), Ramsey Pond (Joseph Jr.).
$400,000 VALVOLINE GLOBAL SHAKERTOWN (G2) – Arzak (Mike Trombetta), Coppola (Dale Romans), Our Shot (John P. Terranova II), Rogue Lightning (IRE) (Tom Clover). Possible: Arrest Me Red (Ward), Mountain Bear (IRE) (Ward), Run Carson (Kelsey Danner), Shards (Danner).
$350,000 COMMONWEALTH (G3) – Best Actor (Ed Moger Jr.), Hoist the Gold (Stewart), Nutella Fella (Gary Contessa), Prince of Power (Jesus Esquivel).
Entries taken Tuesday; races Sunday, April 6
$400,000 MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT (G2) – G W’s Girl (Greg Compton), Verity (Eoin Harty). Possible: Eclatant (Cox).
$300,000 PALISADES (L) – Flat to Da Mat (Mike Maker), Makeit to Cheyenne (Joe Orseno), Out On Bail (Maker). Possible: Brie’s in Town (John Ennis), Warheart (Brisset).
WORK TAB
Two fillies turned in main track works Friday morning for the $750,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) on the April 4 opening day of the Spring Meet.
Shadwell Stable’s Muhimma, working in company with Unwavering Trust, a 3-year-old maiden, covered a half-mile in :47. Trained by Brad Cox, the winner of last fall’s Demoiselle (G2) produced splits of :12.20, :23.80, :47 and galloped out 5 furlongs in :59 and 6 furlongs in 1:13.
Stud TNT’s stakes winner Running Away worked 5 furlongs in :59.80 for trainer Wesley Ward.
Working toward next weekend’s $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1) was C R K Stable’s Justique. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Justique worked a half-mile in company with Vahva, last year’s Resolute Racing Madison runner-up, in :46.20 and galloped out 5 furlongs in :58.80. The half-mile works were the best of 48 over a fast track for the morning.
Working for DeVaux was Lael Stables’ She Feels Pretty. Winner of last fall’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, She Feels Pretty covered a half-mile in :49.
Also working a half-mile was Siena Farm and WinStar Farm’s Grade 1 winner Mullikin. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Mullikin covered the distance in :48.40. Mullikin closed his 2024 campaign with a third as the favorite in the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and a runner-up finish in the Cigar Mile (G2) Presented by Twinspires.com.
Media Contact:
Amy Owens
(859) 280-4723
aowens@keeneland.com