keeneland spring meet | Horse Racing Free Tips

Keeneland Expands Public, Corporate Hospitality

Keeneland Hospitality announced a number of new offerings in its stable of unique experiences available to the public through its Keeneland Crafted brand along with expanded enhancements for corporate and private events designed to meet the goals of clients.

Keeneland Hospitality, under its Keeneland Crafted banner, will offer both new and returning ticketed events for the public May through August. These curated events include:

A Taste of Keeneland Tour (May-July). Guests will embark on a behind-the-scenes racing tour with a signature race-day cocktail and participate in a mock betting challenge. Tickets are $65 each.

The Exhibit Dinner (May 24 and July 19). A six-course specialty dining experience held at Keeneland Library, which is presenting an exhibit about African American horsemen and – women titled Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers. Tickets are $200 each.
The Chef's Secret Dinner Series (May 18, June 21, July 27, Aug. 23). Locally sourced cuisine, craft cocktails and live music in surprise unexpected locations throughout the Keeneland grounds. Tickets are $150 each.
Breakfast at the Track (June 17). Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children. Kids 3 and under get in free.

Tickets for these summer events go on sale beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 19. For more details, visit Keeneland.com/crafted.

Keeneland Hospitality will also offer corporate and private events. Included among the event enhancements available:

Master Class culinary experiences offering unique dining settings led by Chef Marc Therrien
Team-building elements for corporate retreats and conferences. Activities are led by professional consultants designed to foster workplace connections
“And They're Off.” Simulated handicapping activities – Bet-to-Win Challenge and Handicapper's Hustle.
Bourbon tastings and pairings
Keeneland Scavenger Hunt. Scavenger Hunts are customized for each group to hit the hots spots that relate to corporate missions, history and interests
Keeneland Tours – behind-the-scenes tours of Keeneland grounds or Bluegrass horse farms in conjunction with Horse Country Tours
“Call to the Post”
The Keeneland Shop

For more information on corporate events, click here.

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Keeneland to Offer Free Digital Programs

Keeneland will offer free digital race-day programs for download for its Spring Meet, which begins Apr. 7, in an initiative to increase access to data for horseplayers and fans.

“Keeneland believes that access to data is an important step in both educating and engaging our fans,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “We piloted a digital program during the pandemic that was incredibly well received when fans tuned into our racing product from afar.”

Complimentary race-day programs, which feature past performances from Equibase, will be available for download on Keeneland's website at www.Keeneland.com/program.

The program for opening day, which is headlined by the $600,000 GI Central Bank Ashland S. is expected to be available online for download on Wednesday, Apr. 5.

“We as an industry have a collective responsibility to create lifelong fans of the sport,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Equipping the public with the tools and information to be successful participants is key to creating active interest in Keeneland racing.”

The 15-day Spring Meet continues through Friday, Apr. 28.

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Forte, Angel of Empire Among 141 Blue Grass Noms; Wonder Wheel Heads Ashland

Keeneland's $1-million GI Toyota Blue Grass Apr. 8 has attracted 141 nominees led by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte (Violence) and recent GII Risen Star S. winner Angel of Empire (Classic Empire).

Click here for the list of the Toyota Blue Grass nominees; click here for their past performances.

“As Keeneland's signature race, the Toyota Blue Grass is the crown jewel in our Spring Meet stakes program,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “It's exciting to see so many of the nation's top sophomores and stables represented among the nominees, and we look forward to the outstanding competition on opening weekend. As always, we want to thank our horsemen for their strong support of Keeneland and the Toyota Blue Grass.”

The 1 1/8-mile Toyota Blue Grass is one of five graded stakes worth a combined $2.65 million to be run Apr. 8 on Keeneland's 11-race card, which has a first post time of 12:30 p.m. ET. Other stakes that day are the GI Madison S.; the GII Appalachian S.; the GII Shakertown S.; and the GIII Commonwealth S.

The Toyota Blue Grass is the ninth race with a 5:15 p.m. post. NBC will televise the race along with the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and another Keeneland stakes from 4:30-6 p.m. The post position draw will be held Wednesday, Apr. 5.

The winner of the Toyota Blue Grass will earn 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, while the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers receive 40 points, 30 points, 20 points and 10 points, respectively.

A total of 88 nominees to the Apr. 7 GI Central Bank Ashland S. is led by reigning juvenile champion filly D.J. Stable's Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) and last weekend's GII Rachel Alexandra winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief).

Click here for a list of Central Bank Ashland nominees; click here for their past performances.

The Central Bank Ashland awards 100 points to the winner on the Road to the May 5 GI Kentucky Oaks. The next four finishers receive 40 points, 30 points, 20 points and 10 points, respectively.

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Keeneland Announces Record Spring Stakes Schedule

Keeneland will award a season record $8.05 million for 19 stakes to be run during its 2023 Spring Meet, which will cover 15 days from Apr. 7-28.

Two focal points on the schedule will be the 99th running of the $1 million GI Toyota Blue Grass and 86th running of the $600,000 GI Central Bank Ashland, both major targets of the nation's top 3-year-olds.

Keeneland has increased the purses of two Grade I stakes for older females–the GI Madison and the GI Jenny Wiley–by $100,000 apiece to $600,000 and has raised the purses of three listed stakes–the FanDuel Limestone, the Giant's Causeway and the Palisades–by $50,000 each to $250,000. Fifteen stakes are graded, with the GII Beaumont Presented by Keeneland Select featuring an upgrade for 2023.

Contributing to the Spring Meet stakes purses is a total of $1.5 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF), pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

“Keeneland enjoyed arguably its most successful racing year ever in 2022, thanks to a stellar lineup of equine stars and racing stables competing for record purses and the historic wagering that followed at the Spring and Fall Meets and the popularity of hosting our third Breeders' Cup World Championships,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said.

“We are grateful for the interest in Keeneland racing from our horsemen, horseplayers and fans, and their enthusiasm creates momentum for the future. We are excited to further strengthen this year's Spring Meet stakes schedule so purses of all Grade I races are at least $600,000, while all Grade II races are a minimum of $350,000 and all Grade III events are a minimum of $300,000.”

For information on Keeneland's 2023 Spring Meet, click here.

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