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Return of Illinois Derby Highlights Hawthorne Meet

The $200,000 Illinois Derby will return for Hawthorne's spring/summer Thoroughbred meet, which begins Saturday, Mar. 23. The racing season will extend six weeks longer in comparison to the 2023 year as racing concludes Sunday, Oct. 23.

The Illinois Derby, scheduled for Sunday, Apr. 21, will serve as an official prep for this year's GI Preakness S. Hawthorne Race Course will pay for the Illinois Derby winner's entry fee into the Preakness if they choose to run. The Illinois Derby, previously a Grade III, was most recently contested in 2017.

“We were able to learn from last year and made some adjustments to both the racing schedule as well as the races we are offering,” Hawthorne Director of Racing Jim Miller said. “This schedule provides a good circuit for those horsemen who race in warmer destinations during the winter to be able to have a summer location that fluidly fits their schedule. We have seen a large increase in stall applications and have noticed a rise in 2-year-olds on the stall applications. We have also added four starter series this meet that will have increasing purses throughout the series. Horsemen who want to protect a good claim will now have an option to race each month for four months straight. When our meet ended last September, our crew conducted all of their turf preparation work before the winter months. This will allow for an earlier grass start the first week of May as well as an additional six weeks of turf racing through the end of the meet compared to last season.”

Click here for more on Hawthorne's stakes schedule.

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Jose Ortiz to Ride in Kentucky this Spring

Edited Press Release

Jockey Jose Ortiz is named to ride eight races Saturday at Turfway Park and, after Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, fans in Kentucky will begin to see his name regularly in the program as he's slated to ride full-time this spring at Keeneland and Churchill Downs.

For many years the 2017 Eclipse Award-winning jockey has been a regular rider on the New York circuit during the spring and summer, but this will be the first time he'll remain in Kentucky. Agent Steve Rushing, who also take the calls for his Eclipse Award-winning brother Irad Ortiz, Jr., will continue to have his book in Kentucky. (In a text, Rushing said Jose Ortiz is moving permanently to Kentucky, but will ride at Saratoga in the summer before returning for Kentucky Downs, where he won the 2018 and 2019 titles.)

Among his many mounts Saturday is GIII Sam F. Davis S. runner-up Agate Road (Quality Road) in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Listed at 4-1 on the morning line odds, Agate Road was cross-entered in Saturday's GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds but Pletcher said that he's, “leaning towards” running the bay at Turfway. Other notable mounts for Ortiz Saturday at Turfway include Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) in the GIII TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic and Blue Eyed George (Flameaway) in the Rushaway S.

Ortiz will make a brief return to Florida following Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, but will be back to Kentucky when Keeneland's Spring Meet begins Friday, Apr. 5.

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Blue Grass Stakes Exhibit Opens at Keeneland Library in April

A Rite of Spring: the 100th Running of the Blue Grass Stakes will open at the Keeneland Library Apr. 1. The exhibit features photographs that capture race highlights over the decades, as well as memorabilia from notable jockeys Bill Shoemaker, Mike Manganello and Chris Antley and celebrated runners such as Whirlaway, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid and Strike the Gold. The exhibit's photographs, curated from Keeneland Library collections and public submissions from professional and amateur photographers, spotlight some of the greatest moments of the time-honored spring stakes.

“We are fortunate to have rich resources in the Library's collections to celebrate this historic running,” Keeneland Library Director Roda Ferraro said. “The exhibit features never-before-published photographs alongside iconic shots that capture some of racing's greatest equine athletes and their connections spanning more than 100 years. The public submission call for photographs was a welcomed boon to the exhibit's curation process, and we are pleased to spotlight the work of photographers in concert with images from the Library's collections.”

The free exhibit is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Library.

The 100th GI Toyota Blue Grass S. will be run Apr. 6.

Other Spring events at the Keeneland Library include tours titled, “From Keeneland to the Kentucky Derby” the week of Apr. 29. Each tour will include a visit to the track to watch racehorses train, spotlight Keeneland sales graduates who made their mark in the Kentucky Derby and provide an exclusive tour of Keeneland Library's latest exhibit.

Turf writer Tom Law will be at the library for a night of handicapping the 2024 Kentucky Derby May 1 and, beginning May 11, Starting Gate Storytime will combine a reading of a children's book centered on horses with a literacy, art, history, industry awareness or STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activity. Keeneland Kids Club mascot Buckles will be on hand to brush up on his reading and spend time with young racing fans and horse lovers. The series is ideal for learners ages four through eight.

For information on all the spring events at the Keeneland Library, visit keeneland.com/library.

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Blowen, Hatfield Team for Old Friends Legends Tour

Old Friends founder Michael Blowen and longtime Three Chimneys Farm stallion manager Sandy Hatfield will join together for a special tour of the Old Friends retirement facility in Georgetown Apr. 9. The tour, with a $150 per person cost, will be limited to 20 people.

“Old Friends is blessed with, not only legendary horses, but with legendary people within our family,” said John Nicholson, president and CEO of Old Friends. “Our founder Michael Blowen, and longtime Three Chimneys' stallion manager Sandy Hatfield are just such legends. I can't wait for their tour, which is a rare opportunity to have these legends take you on a special journey with many of the equine heroes at Old Friends.

“Old Friends is proud to be a part of Thoroughbred racing and these Legend Tours are just the latest way we celebrate the great horses and people in the sport we love,” continued Nicholson. “We look forward to introducing new and different ways, like these Legend Tours, of sharing the story and heritage of horse racing with, not only our sport's old friends, but sharing it with new friends as well.”

Blowen, who founded Old Friends in 2003, and recently stepped down as president of the farm, will tell visitors the stories of some of his favorite Thoroughbred retirees on the farm.

Hatfield, who has spent most of her life working with stallions, in particular, Kentucky Derby winner and Old Friends retiree, Silver Charm, will share her stories of some of her famous old friends.

To reserve a spot on the tour, call the Old Friends office at (502) 863-1775.

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