“The wonderful experiences that I have had really create multiple avenues for continuing this fortunate journey that I have been a part of,” Elliston told the Blood-Horse.

Elliston was previously employed as the executive vice president and chief operations officer of Breeders' Cup Ltd. from 2012-2016, and as the president of Turfway Park from 1999-2012.

Read more at bloodhorse.com.

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“On behalf of Keeneland, our sincerest thanks to our fans across the country and around the world, and our racing participants, sponsors, industry and community partners and employees who enabled us to hold a safe, competitive Fall Meet during these unprecedented times,” said Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason, who presided over his final race meet before his retirement on Dec. 31. “The silver lining of this pandemic has been the collaboration and creativity of various constituencies in their steadfast support of Thoroughbred racing and our philanthropic mission. There is a true spirit of coming together for the good of all.”

Though the Fall Meet was closed to the general public due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fans enthusiastically wagered more than $148 million on the 17 days of racing from Oct. 2-24.

“We continue to be humbled by the tremendous support of our fans; their passion for Keeneland is inspiring,” Keeneland President-Elect Shannon Arvin said. “This track was created for people to enjoy the grounds and the thrill of racing in person. I know I speak for the entire Keeneland team and our horsemen when I say we can't wait to welcome our fans back to the track.”

All-sources wagering on live racing during the Fall Meet totaled $148,229,708, for an average daily handle of $8,719,395, down 7.5% from 2019. Last fall, all-sources wagering was a Keeneland record $160,207,916 for the 17-day Fall Meet.

Keeneland established a record Fall Meet Pick 5 handle of $868,303 on Fall Stars Saturday, Oct. 3, besting the previous record of $794,689 set on opening Saturday in 2019.

The Fall Meet was conducted with only a limited number of participants and essential personnel in attendance, resulting in total on-track handle of $2,477,890, for average daily on-track handle of $145,758. In comparison, on-track handle totaled $17,320,852 for the 2019 Fall Meet.

“Historically, Keeneland ranks among the top tracks in North America in terms of average daily attendance and enjoys some of the highest on-track handle figures,”Keeneland Vice President of Racing Bob Elliston said. “The difference in all-sources wagering this fall versus last comes down to the loss in on-track wagering.” 

Fall Meet racing highlights
Keeneland purses remained among the richest in North America this fall, averaging $682,324 per day. Average starters per race was 8.1 compared to 9.5 during the 2019 Fall Meet. Field size was impacted this fall by pandemic-related travel restrictions and limitations on horses shipping in from other major racing jurisdictions.

Ten horses secured berths in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland with victories in Win & You're In stakes this fall. Among the Grade 1 victors were Darley Alcibiades winner Simply Ravishing (Juvenile Fillies-G1); Shadwell Turf Mile winner Ivar (BRZ) (Mile-G1); First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare winner Uni (GB) (Filly and Mare Turf-G1); Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Essential Quality (Juvenile-G1) and Juddmonte Spinster winner Valiance (Distaff-G1).

In other racing highlights:

• Harvey's Lil Goil grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and then held off challengers to win the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, the sixth Grade 1 event of the Fall Meet.
• Stoll Keenon Ogden, Keeneland's only legal counsel since its founding in the 1930s, celebrated its 10-year milestone sponsorship of the Phoenix (G2), won by Diamond Oops. With the victory, Diamond Oops earned a berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
• Aunt Pearl (IRE) took the lead at the break and cruised to a 2½-length victory in stakes-record time to win the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) and win a fees-paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

“We appreciate the strong support of our owners, trainers and jockeys; their desire to participate at the highest levels of racing is what makes Keeneland so special,” Elliston said. “We look forward to cheering on many of our Fall Meet contenders at the Breeders' Cup here in two weeks.”

Fall Meet leaders
The Fall Meet featured a battle for the title of leading trainer and leading owner, while Tyler Gaffalione was the clear winner for leading jockey honors.

The race for leading trainer among Brad Cox, Mike Maker and Steve Asmussen was decided on the final day.

Cox won two races on closing day to increase his total to 15 and earn his second title, joining Spring 2018. His wins during the season included the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity with Essential Quality and JPMorgan Chase Jessamine with Aunt Pearl (IRE), two horses expected to return in the Breeders' Cup. Cox also had a three-win day on Oct. 18.

Maker ranked second in the trainer standings with 12 wins, while Asmussen recorded 11 victories to finish third.

Among jockeys, Tyler Gaffalione won 24 races to secure his third leading rider title following Fall 2018 and Summer 2020. Gaffalione's victories included the Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3) on Got Stormy, another Breeders' Cup hopeful.

Finishing second and third, respectively, in the standings were Florent Geroux (16 wins) and Ricardo Santana Jr. (13 wins). The two riders each recorded three-win days: Geroux on Oct. 18 and Santana on Oct. 16 and Oct. 22.

Luis Saez won five of the 10 Fall Stars Weekend stakes: the opening-day Darley Alcibiades with Simply Ravishing; Saturday's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity on Essential Quality and Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select with Leinster; and Sunday's Juddmonte Spinster with Valiance and Bourbon (G3) with Mutasaabeq.

Earning its first title as leading owner was Mike Sisk's M and M Racing, which won five races with eight starters. Robertino Diodoro trained the M and M horses, and David Cohen was aboard every winner. Together, the trio won three races on Oct. 9.

Bonnie and Tommy Hamilton's Silverton Hill won four races during the meet. Five owners notched three wins apiece: Asmussen, Mohammed Al Maktoum et al's Godolphin, Ken and Sarah Ramsey,  Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm and Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm.

Nourish Lexington featured Fall Meet charity
Keeneland made it easy for fans no matter their location to watch and wager on the Fall Meet with Keeneland at Home Presented by UK HealthCare and Official Keeneland Watch Parties in Partnership with VisitLEX and the Bluegrass Hospitality Association.

Keeneland at Home fans and Keeneland Watch Party attendees had the opportunity to support Nourish Lexington, Keeneland's featured Fall Meet charity. By using the talents and resources of food service and hospitality employees displaced by the pandemic, Nourish Lexington has provided more than 160,000 scratch-made, nutritious meals for community members in need since April.

Partnerships with a philanthropic connection
True to its mission, Keeneland's commitment to support the community and the Thoroughbred industry remained unchanged as the track teamed with sponsors and racing-related partners to virtually conduct several popular Fall Meet special events and raise much-needed funds for worthwhile causes.

• A virtual edition of Make-A-Wish Day on Oct. 8 marked the 13th year that local Thoroughbred farms and organizations joined Keeneland to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. This year, Keeneland and TVG along with Airdrie Stud, Ashford Stud, Flaxman Holdings, Gainesway, Godolphin, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lane's End Farm, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and Spendthrift Farm participated. Keeneland donated $10,000 to Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
• Keeneland teamed with UPS and City Barbecue to honor front-line health care workers, first responders, members of the military, teachers and others on Heroes Day, Oct. 18. Keeneland fans nominated deserving community heroes online. Three Central Kentuckians – Letitia Roark from Versailles, Laura Stark of Lexington and Thomas Shaddix from Stamping Ground – were selected as grand prize winners to receive a Keeneland Heroes Day at Home Tailgate from City Barbecue, $1,000 Visa gift card provided by UPS and other goodies. Twelve other nominees received $250 Visa gift cards provided by UPS.
• College Scholarship Day went digital on Oct. 23, awarding more than $30,000 in scholarships and dozens of prizes to students in partnership with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Coca-Cola.
• Juddmonte, sponsor of the Juddmonte Spinster, and Keeneland made a combined donation of $10,000 to the Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) program, which provides hands-on internship opportunities for college students interested in careers in the horse industry. Many of the nearly 1,000 graduates of the KEMI program have found rewarding careers in diverse areas of the industry.
• Keeneland sponsor Kentucky Utilities challenged Keeneland fans with a matching campaign to support God's Pantry and Nourish Lexington with a $7,500 commitment. To support this initiative, please visit https://godspantry.org/donate/keeneland/
• With the help of its corporate partners, Keeneland thanked the hardworking community in the track's stable area on selected days during the Fall Meet with Nourish the Backstretch, an extension of Nourish Lexington. Participating partners include Anthem, Buffalo Trace, Claiborne Farm, Darley, Dixiana, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Juddmonte Farms, Lexus of Lexington, Pin Oak Stud, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, Shadwell Farm, Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC, TVG and UK HealthCare.
• Keeneland and Lexus of Lexington, sponsor of the Lexus Raven Run (G2), made a combined commitment of $5,000 to The MAP Foundation/Woodhill Community Center. Lexington Leadership Foundation (LLF) and The MAP Foundation have partnered to provide the children, teens and families involved in LLF's Urban Impact Initiative and throughout the Lexington community a place where they can realize their potential to grow, succeed and lead.

2020 Fall Meet at a Glance (Oct. 2-24)

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On Friday and Saturday, race nine will be the afternoon’s feature and will remain on the turf, weather permitting. Thursday’s race six allowance will also stay on the grass.

All other races originally carded for the turf will be contested over the main track.

“The turf course has performed very well and without incident during the Fall Meet, and these steps are taken to ensure we have the best possible conditions for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 6-7,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Bob Elliston said.

Here are changes to the remaining race cards:

Thursday

Race 2 will be conducted on the main track at 1 3/16 miles.

Race 9 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Friday

Race 4 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Race 7 will be conducted on the main track at 6 furlongs.

Saturday

Race 4 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Race 7 will be conducted on the main track at 6 furlongs.

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On both Friday and Saturday, Race 9 will serve as the feature and will remain on the turf, weather permitting. Additionally, Thursday's Race 6, an allowance race, will remain on the turf.

All other turf races carded for the final three days of the Fall Meet will move to the main track.

“The turf course has performed very well and without incident during the Fall Meet, and these steps are taken to ensure we have the best possible conditions for the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 6-7,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Bob Elliston said.

Here are changes to the remaining race cards:

Thursday

Race 2 will be conducted on the main track at 1 3/16 miles.

Race 9 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Friday

Race 4 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Race 7 will be conducted on the main track at 6 furlongs.

Saturday

Race 4 will be conducted on the main track at 1 1/16 miles.

Race 7 will be conducted on the main track at 6 furlongs.

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“Run-up” is the distance from where the gate is placed and the timing of the race begins – that is, the point at which the horses reach the published distance of the race. The Jessamine, and nearly every other race in North America, is not run over the distance listed in the program or past performances. So, when reporting the race was “1 1/16 miles” – that is really only the portion of the race which is timed, not the full distance run.

The actual distance the race covers, naturally, is the point from where the gate is placed to the finish, but depending on how far the gate is from the published distance of the race will dictate how much of ground at the start is covered before the horses reach the point which is 1 1/16 miles from the finish.

In the case of the Jessamine, the initial Equibase chart of the race reported 216 feet. Keeneland later informed Equibase that distance is closer to 100 feet, and the chart was amended.

The Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee covered the issue in the days after the race:

“Elliston said additional gaps for entry to the turf course have been added this fall 'in an attempt to try to preserve the surface by not placing the starting gate at the same position on the turf course at [often-run] distances. The gate can rough up the course through that kind of repetition.'

“For the Jessamine, the gate was 'placed the farthest back of all the gap options,' Elliston said. 'Obviously, this is the kind of thing handicappers have a right to know about beforehand, so we're making that information available on a regular basis.”

At the suggestion of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation (TIF), Elliston confirmed that Keeneland would begin updating the daily run-up information on the track's website, which can be found here on the “track conditions” page.

“We thank Keeneland for their attentiveness to the situation and getting the updated information to the public,” said Patrick Cummings, Executive Director of TIF.

“There needs to be an industry-wide discussion about accuracy in our sport. Every time entries are drawn for a new race, and they are published, our industry is misled into believing a race is being run over the distance that is listed. That is false – our sport reports about 30,000 falsehoods a year just in terms of the accurate distance of races run. We report the distance timed, not the distance run, and in so doing, disrespect everyone in the sport, but most especially the horseplayers and the horsemen.”

From the break of the gate to the finish in the 2020 Jessamine, Aunt Pearl ran for about 1:46. Last year in the same race, Sweet Melania ran for about 1:45.

Craig Milkowski of TimeformUS confirmed from video timing software that the 2020 Jessamine field ran for about 5.31 seconds before timing began. He added that, based on this method of timing one mile dirt races at Santa Anita, which have a reported 160 feet of run-up, routine run-up times are around 4.95 seconds. At Del Mar over the same distance, run-up is reported at 200 feet and the time is about 5.75 seconds of untimed racing before the clock begins and horses reach the point one mile from the finish.

TIF published a report several weeks ago which highlighted gross inaccuracies in distances run at Saratoga, Gulfstream Park and Kentucky Downs. There have been few changes.

On the last day of racing at Gulfstream prior to their seasonal shift to Gulfstream West, Mo of the West won Race 9 carded at one mile on turf. The published final time was 1:36.44, but the horses actually ran for about 1:44.

“Aunt Pearl looks a very nice filly,” Cummings said, “but the raw information our sport presents to customers suggests she was potentially 12-14 lengths faster than any previous winner of the Jessamine.

“Even if Aunt Pearl is to be a future superstar, the next Zenyatta, it is almost impossible to believe she is that much faster than all previous winners of the race. What is not doubted is that she covered a longer course in the 2020 Jessamine, which seems to have had the longest run-up of any previous edition, and thus made the times faster given she got up to a higher speed once the clock started.

“This is just another reason that the sport's speed and pace figuremakers are valuable for racing, they serve as an incredibly valuable check-and-balance to the raw data the sport presents. Take nothing away from the horse, but the times can be very misleading to the public given that tracks are not putting the gate in the same place and races are not effectively run over the same distance, particularly on turf, from year-to-year. In a sport where the difference between a big win and total loss can be incredibly small, accuracy matters so much.”

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Featuring horses from the nation's leading owners, trainers and jockeys, Fall Stars Weekend comprises 10 stakes, nine of which are graded, worth $3.15 million. Five of those races are Grade 1 events, and nine of them are Breeders' Cup Challenge races that are “Win and You're In” contests that award the winners fees-paid berths into corresponding races for the 37th World Championships on Nov. 6-7.

“Fall Stars Weekend traditionally showcases many Breeders' Cup-bound horses, and this year these stakes take on even greater significance as we anticipate the World Championships at Keeneland,” Keeneland Director of Racing Bob Elliston said. “We value the enthusiastic support of our horsemen and our fans during this challenging time. No doubt, this Fall Meet and Breeders' Cup will look different from previous years, but we are committed to offering the same exceptional racing fans have come to expect from Keeneland.”

Click here for the list of horses nominated to Fall Stars Weekend stakes and their past performances. Here is a look at those nominations:

Opening day, Friday, Oct. 2 – Entries taken Sept. 29

Darley Alcibiades (G1): The 69th running of the $350,000 race for 2-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run Nov. 6.

The Darley Alcibiades attracted 32 nominees headlined by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's Vequist. Trained by Butch Reid, Vequist rebounded from a narrow defeat in her debut at Parx to win Saratoga's Spinaway (G1) by 9½ lengths.

Another runaway Saratoga stakes winner nominated to the Darley Alcibiades is the Heider Family Stables' Thoughtfully. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Thoughtfully won the Adirondack (G2) by 5 lengths and is unbeaten in two starts.

Also among the nominees are Albaugh Family Stables' Girl Daddy, trained by Dale Romans, and Phoenix Thoroughbred's Crazy Beautiful, trained by Kenny McPeek. They are the 1-2 finishers in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 3.

Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2): A total of 34 sprinters have been nominated to the 168th running of the $200,000 6-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up on the main track that serves as a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 7.

Topping the nominees is defending champion Engage, owned by Woodford Racing. Unraced since finishing fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, Engage is one of five Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix nominees trained by Steve Asmussen.

Two of the Asmussen nominees are Grade 1 winners at Saratoga this year: Phoenix Thoroughbred III and Three Chimneys Farm's Volatile (Alfred G. Vanderbilt) and L and N Racing's Echo Town (H. Allen Jerkens Presented by Runhappy). For Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Asmussen also trains the undefeated Yaupon, winner of the Amsterdam (G2) in his most recent start.

Four other Grade 1 winners are among the nominees, including 2017 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix winner Whitmore. The $3 million earner, who is owned by Robert LaPenta, trainer Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners, Whitmore claimed his Grade 1 victory in the 2018 Forego.

Another previous Keeneland winner among the nominees is Gatsas Stable and R.A. Hill Stable's Vekoma. Trained by George Weaver, Vekoma took the 2019 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and in his past two starts won the Runhappy Metropolitan (G1) and Runhappy Carter (G1).

Other Grade 1-winning nominees are Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole, winner of the Woody Stephens Presented by Claiborne Farm at Belmont for trainer Tom Amoss, and Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider and John Xitco's Collusion Illusion, winner of the Bing Crosby at Del Mar. He is trained by Mark Glatt.

Wagers: Guaranteed Pick 4 Presented by TVG that includes the two stakes.

Saturday, Oct. 3 – Entries taken Sept. 30

Shadwell Turf Mile (G1): The $750,000 test for 3-year-olds and up attracted 28 nominees for the “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1) to be run Nov. 7.

Topping the roster of nominees for the 35th running of the Shadwell Turf Mile are the past two winners of the race in Bowies Hero and Next Shares plus recent Fourstardave (G1) winner Halladay.

Agave Racing Stable, ERJ Racing, Madaket Stables and Rockin Robin Racing Stable's Bowies Hero is trained by Phil D'Amato. In the Shadwell Turf Mile, Bowies Hero would be cutting back to a mile for the first time since a runner-up effort in the American (G3) at Santa Anita in June.

Next Shares, owned by a partnership that includes trainer Richard Baltas, was fifth in the Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7 in his most recent start. Prior to that, Next Shares had troubled starts in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland and Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.

The respective winners of those two races, Gary Barber's War of Will and Peter Brant's Raging Bull (FR), also are nominated to the Shadwell as is Gary Barber's star mare Got Stormy, who also is nominated to the First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1) and the Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG.

Harrell Ventures' Halladay scored a front-running victory in the Fourstardave for trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the 2005 Shadwell with Host (CHI).

Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1): Grade 1 winners Jackie's Warrior and Dr. Schivel top a total of 30 nominees for the 107th running of the 1 1/16-mile dirt test for 2-year-olds. The $400,000 stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).

J. Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior has won all three of his starts for trainer Steve Asmussen. The colt debuted in June at Churchill and at Saratoga won the Saratoga Special (G2) and Runhappy Hopeful (G1) by daylight margins.

Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, William Branch and William Dean Reeves' Dr. Schivel delivered as the favorite in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) for his second victory in four starts. Dr. Schivel now is trained by Mark Glatt.

Also among the nominees is Albaugh Family Stables' Sittin On Go. Trained by Dale Romans, Sittin On Go is perfect in two starts and took the Iroquois Presented by Ford (G3) by 2½ lengths at Churchill on Sept. 5. His sire is Brody's Cause, one of the four Breeders' Futurity winners for Romans.

First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1): Robert LaPenta, Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners and Bethlehem Stables' Uni headlines the roster of 20 nominees for the 23rd running of the $350,000 race for fillies and mares to be contested over a mile on the Keeneland turf course. The stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 7.

Trained by Chad Brown, Uni could become the first runner to repeat in the First Lady. The champion turf female of 2019, Uni was third in her 2020 debut in the Just a Game (G1) behind other First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare nominees Newspaperofrecord (IRE) and Beau Recall (IRE) and then seventh as the favorite against males in the Fourstardave.

Got Stormy has finished in front of Uni in two of their three matchups with the one setback coming in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) that earned Uni the Eclipse Award. Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy recorded her first victory of 2020 in the Ladies Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12. In her lone Keeneland start, Got Stormy finished third in the 2019 Jenny Wiley (G1).

Also nominated is Jules Iavarone, Michael Iavarone and Jerry McLanahan's Lady Prancealot (IRE), who won last year's Pin Oak Valley View (G3) at Keeneland before taking the American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita.

Thoroughbred Club of America (G2): Grade 1 winners Mia Mischief and Bell's the One highlight a total of 17 fillies and mares nominated to the 40th running of the $200,000 dash run at 6 furlongs on the main track. The stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 7.

Stonestreet Stables' Mia Mischief, third in the TCA last year, won the 2019 Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill and most recently finished second in the Madison (G1) at Keeneland. The millionaire is trained by Steve Asmussen.

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One gave trainer Neil Pessin his first Grade 1 victory when she won the Derby City Distaff Presented by Derby City Gaming at Churchill on Sept. 5. Bell's the One has two wins in four Keeneland starts, including the Lexus Raven Run (G2) last fall.

Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG: The top three finishers from July's Shakertown (G2) and the top two finishers from the TwinSpires Turf Sprint Presented by Sysco (G2) at Churchill on Sept. 4 top a roster of 33 turf sprinters nominated to the 24th running of the $150,000 race for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs over the Keeneland turf course.

Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster prevailed in a three-horse photo in the Shakertown over Susan and Jim Hill's Totally Boss and owner-trainer Wesley Ward's Bound for Nowhere. Rusty Arnold trains Leinster and Totally Boss.

Dunne also is a part owner of Diamond Oops, who edged Extravagant Kid by a neck in the TwinSpires Turf Sprint. Diamond Oops, who is also nominated to the Shadwell Turf Mile and Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix, is trained by Patrick Biancone and also owned by Diamond 100 Racing Club, D P Racing and Biancone.

Extravagant Kid, fifth and beaten 1¼ lengths in the Shakertown, is trained by Brendan Walsh for owner DARRS.

Wagers: $400,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 4 and $300,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 5.

Sunday, Oct. 4 – Entries taken Oct. 1

Juddmonte Spinster (G1): Champions Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou plus Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver, the 1-2 finishers in the recent Kentucky Oaks (G1), top a list of 24 fillies and mares nominated to the 65th running of the 1 1/8-mile main track test that carries a purse of $400,000. The stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) to be run Nov. 7. In 2019, Blue Prize (ARG) won both races.

Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables' Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, won that year's Central Bank Ashland (G1) in her lone Keeneland start. Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl has won all three of her 2020 races with the most recent coming in the La Troienne Presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming (G1) at Churchill on Sept. 4.

Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's Midnight Bisou, the champion older dirt female of 2019, already has earned a Breeders' Cup Distaff spot by virtue of her victory in the Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill in June. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou never has raced at Keeneland.

Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing Stables and Big Aut Farms' Shedaresthedevil has won her past three starts highlighted by a 1½-length victory over Swiss Skydiver in the Kentucky Oaks. Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil also would be making her Keeneland debut.

Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver finished second against males in the Toyota Blue Grass in her lone Keeneland start. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Swiss Skydiver has four graded stakes victories this year highlighted by the Alabama (G1).

Also among the nominees are Peter Brant's Dunbar Road, winner of the 2019 Alabama; Calumet Farm's Vexatious, who defeated Midnight Bisou in the Personal Ensign (G1) to earn a Breeders' Cup berth; and Paul and Karen Eggert's Ollie's Candy, winner of the 2019 Clement Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar.

Bourbon (G2): Three Diamonds Farm's Fire At Will, winner of the off-the-turf With Anticipation at Saratoga for trainer Mike Maker, tops a list of 40 nominees to the 30th running of the 1 1/16-mile grass test for 2-year-olds. The stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 6.

Also included in the nominees are the 1-2 finishers in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (L), Legacy Ranch's Big Fish, trained by David Hofmans, and Altamira Racing Stable, CYBT and Michael Nentwig's Ebeko (IRE), trained by Peter Miller.

Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select: Stonestreet Stables' undefeated Campanelle (IRE), already a two-time group winner in Europe, headlines the 27 nominees to the third running of the $150,000 race for 2-year-olds going 5½ furlongs on the grass. The Indian Summer is a “Win and You're In” race for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) to be run Nov. 6.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Campanelle debuted May 31 at Gulfstream Park and from there went on to win the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot in England and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France.

In total, Ward trains 11 Indian Summer nominees. Included in that group are Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal, winner of the Skidmore at Saratoga and runner-up in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot; Breeze Easy's Outadore, winner of the Juvenile Turf Sprint (L) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12; and Stonestreet's Wink, winner of the Colleen at Monmouth who was second in the Prix d'Arenberg (G3) at Longchamp in France on Sept. 3.

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The prestigious Fall Stars Weekend opens the 17-day season, which also features the repositioning of the Hagyard Fayette (G2) to join the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana on the second Saturday of the meet and serve as a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 7.

“The Keeneland fall racing season is highly anticipated by horsemen and fans alike, but this one is even more exciting as it serves as a prelude for the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Bob Elliston said. “We expect to welcome many Breeders' Cup-bound stars, both human and equine, that will boost the racing competition and the handicapping fun during the Fall Meet and build momentum leading into the World Championships.”

Nine Fall Stars Weekend stakes are “Win and You're In” events, part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Presented by America's Best Racing that awards each winner an automatic and free entry into the World Championships: $350,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) (Juvenile Fillies-G1) and $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) (Sprint-G1) on Friday, Oct. 2; $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) (TVG Mile-G1), $400,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) (TVG Juvenile-G1), $350,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare (G1) (Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf-G1) and $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) (Filly and Mare Sprint-G1) on Saturday, Oct. 3; and $400,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) (Distaff-G1), $200,000 Bourbon (G2) (Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America-G1) and $150,000 Indian Summer (L) (Juvenile Turf Sprint-G2) on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The other graded stakes during Fall Stars Weekend, also being run Saturday, Oct. 3, is the $150,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG.

Last year, Fall Stars Weekend produced three Breeders' Cup winners. Darley Alcibiades winner British Idiom won the Juvenile Fillies; Juddmonte Spinster winner Blue Prize (ARG) took the Distaff and First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare winner Uni (GB) captured the Mile. British Idiom and Uni both were division champions.

Keeneland's 10th Breeders' Cup Challenge race, set for Wednesday, Oct. 7, is the $150,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2). The winner earns a spot in the starting gate for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

The Fall Meet's sixth Grade 1 stakes, the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, an invitational turf race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles, will be held Saturday, Oct. 10.

Keeneland 2020 Fall Meet Stakes Schedule: Oct. 2-24

*Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes

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Ben Huffman, director of racing at Churchill Downs, said, “We’re going to have two [MSW] purses. We’re going to supercharge [GI Kentucky] Derby week, like we’ve been doing. And that maiden purse Derby week is going to be $97,000. The remaining nine days are going to be $75,000.”

Churchill had closed out its spring/summer season at the $79,000 level for MSW races.

The MSW races for the 17-day Keeneland Race Course meet will be $70,000, the same level as the July mini-meet.

Bob Elliston, Keeneland’s vice president of racing, said that his track will “basically give away the same amount of money this fall as we did last fall” in terms of overall purses.

“As we sit today, there will be limited participation of owners or fans on-track, so at this hour we are not projecting significant daily earnings from on-track wagers. We hope that changes,” Elliston added.

Both tracks had their requests approved unanimously for KTDF funding, which means a recommendation from the advisory committee to release that money will be forwarded to the full Kentucky Horse Racing Commission board for final voting at its next meeting.

Kentucky Downs MSW purse levels were not discussed on Tuesday because the track had already requested funding for its September season back in June. At that time, a track official said the MSW level projected to be $90,000.

The KTDF is funded by three-quarters of 1% of all money wagered on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race (HHR) gaming, plus 2% of all money wagered on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down racing, the KTDF was not able to generate revenue via (HHR) gaming and on-track wagering between March and June. It has since been able to recoup some funding with the limited reopening of HHR.

“To give you a sense of how fragile this is…had the governor not taken the act that he did to permit historical racing to comeback online, for us it may be $200,000 to $300,000 a month in KTDF funds that wouldn’t be earned. So God forbid if we have a continuation of a problem or an escalation of a problem where we had to rescind the activity. It could really encroach upon the numbers that we had,” Elliston said.

Bill Landes III, the chairman of the fund’s advisory committee, who represents the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (KTOB), echoed that sentiment. “Our situation, as everybody knows, is in flux,” he said.

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Keeneland president-elect Shannon Arvin will serve as interim head of sales while a search is conducted this fall for a new vice president of sales. Arvin, who as a partner with Stoll Keenon Ogden (SKO) has served as corporate counsel to Keeneland since 2008 and as secretary and advisory member of Keeneland's Board of Directors since 2015, was named July 2 to succeed Bill Thomason as Keeneland President and CEO upon his retirement at the end of the year.

Under the realignment, Bob Elliston will become Keeneland's vice president of racing. With more than two decades of industry leadership experience, Elliston will focus his attention on advancing Keeneland's racing product, industry-wide safety and integrity initiatives, preparations for the upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships and expanding Keeneland's mission to grow the sport.

“The demands of these two globally significant business lines require tremendous time and resources, especially as we navigate these unprecedented times and get ready for a fall season that includes two major sales, the Fall Meet and Breeders' Cup,” Keeneland president and CEO Bill Thomason said. “We understand the uncertainty and the extraordinary challenges our customers are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We want them to know that we are all in this together, and we are committed to providing the best opportunities for them to succeed in the sales ring and on the race track. This realignment enables Keeneland to deliver on this promise when our industry needs it most.”

Arvin and Elliston both bring a wealth of expertise and passion for Keeneland to their roles and they will provide a seamless transition for the Keeneland team and its customers. In her position as counsel, Arvin has worked alongside the Keeneland sales and executive staffs on operational plans for the September Yearling Sale, safety protocols, online bidding and beyond. Elliston has led racing operations since 2016, bolstering safety and welfare protocols, introducing the position of equine safety director and negotiating the return of the Breeders' Cup.

As the world's largest Thoroughbred auction company, Keeneland conducts four sales annually, which last year grossed more than $627 million and includes the prestigious September Yearling and November Breeding Stock Sales. Keeneland recently launched its online auction platform, Keeneland Digital Sales Ring.

“The Keeneland sales are an important economic engine for Keeneland and vital to the global Thoroughbred industry,” Arvin said. “Over these next few months, I look forward to working alongside Bill, listening to our customers, learning from our sales team and evaluating opportunities to further enhance Keeneland's premier sales.”

In addition to spring and fall race meet operations and the track's multimillion-dollar stakes program, Elliston will continue to oversee initiatives critical to the health of the sport such as safety and integrity innovations, elevating the racing experience for Keeneland customers and expanding outreach to grow the sport for future generations.

“As we saw during the recent Summer Meet, racing at Keeneland is second to none, and I am excited to be able to focus my attention on preparing for the Fall Meet and Breeders' Cup,” Elliston said. “I am proud of the great strides we have made, particularly in the areas of safety and fan development, and I look forward to building on the foundation we have put in place.”

Keeneland will hold its September Sale from Sept. 13-25 and Fall Meet from Oct. 2-24; Breeders' Cup returns Nov. 6-7, immediately followed by the November Sale, which begins Nov. 9.

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Shannon Arvin, who it was announced earlier this month will succeed Bill Thomason as the company’s President and CEO at the end of 2020, will serve as Interim Head of Sales while a search is conducted this fall to fill that role. While a partner at the Lexington law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden (SKO), Arvin has served as corporate counsel to Keeneland since 2008 and as Secretary and Advisory Member of Keeneland’s Board of Directors since 2015.

As part of the realignment, Bob Elliston–previously Vice President of Racing and Sales–will now focus his attention on Keeneland’s racing product as Vice President of Racing.

“The demands of these two globally significant business lines require tremendous time and resources, especially as we navigate these unprecedented times and get ready for a fall season that includes two major sales, the Fall Meet and Breeders’ Cup,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “We understand the uncertainty and the extraordinary challenges our customers are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We want them to know that we are all in this together, and we are committed to providing the best opportunities for them to succeed in the sales ring and on the race track. This realignment enables Keeneland to deliver on this promise when our industry needs it most.”

Keeneland will hold its September yearling sale from Sept. 13-25; its Fall Meet Oct. 2-24; will host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 6-7; and the November Breeding Stock sale beginning Nov. 9. It recently held a five-day, stakes-filled summer meet brought about by scheduling changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Keeneland sales are an important economic engine for Keeneland and vital to the global Thoroughbred industry,” Arvin said. “Over these next few months, I look forward to working alongside Bill, listening to our customers, learning from our sales team and evaluating opportunities to further enhance Keeneland’s premier sales.”

Elliston added, “As we saw during the recent Summer Meet, racing at Keeneland is second to none, and I am excited to be able to focus my attention on preparing for the Fall Meet and Breeders’ Cup. I am proud of the great strides we have made, particularly in the areas of safety and fan development, and I look forward to building on the foundation we have put in place.”

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