With the season's signature GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes leading the way with an all-time high purse of $1.25 million, the stakes schedule for Keeneland's Spring Meet will be worth a record $9.4 million. The Blue Grass is one of 16 races on the 19-race stakes schedule to have purse increases for 2025. With an increase of $150,000, the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes is now worth $750,000, and an increase of $200,000 will make the GIII Transylvania Stakes a $600,000 race.
Contributing to the purses for the total of 19 stakes to be run during the 15-day Spring Meet is $2.25 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF), pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
“Keeneland's Spring Meet is the destination of many of Thoroughbred racing's biggest names,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “The racing world converges here because they know this is where the best jockeys, trainers and horses will be and they want to compete at the highest level. We are excited to continue to grow our racing program and eager to welcome horsemen and fans from around the world for Keeneland this spring.”
The 101st Toyota Blue Grass will be held Apr. 5 and the 88th Central Bank Ashland–the year's first Grade I event for fillies–will be run on the track's opening day, Apr. 4.
Both races are worth 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively, with the winners of each stakes earning 100 qualifying points to the respective Classic. The early nomination deadline for the two races is Feb. 15. Late nominations are due Mar. 19.
Joining the Ashland on the season's first day are two other stakes for 3-year-olds: the Transylvania and the Lafayette Stakes, which was upgraded to a listed race for 2025.
The Blue Grasss highlights five stakes on the Saturday card, which also includes the $650,000 GI Resolute Racing Madison Stakes; the $500,000 GII Appalachian Stakes, the $400,000 GII Valvoline Global Shakertown Stakes; and the $350,000 GIII Commonwealth Stakes.
Keeneland raised the purse of the Appalachian by $100,000 and added $50,000 each to the value of the Madison, the Shakertown and the Commonwealth.
Stakes action for 3-year-olds will continue Sunday of opening weekend with the $400,000 GII MiddleGround Capital Beaumont Stakes and the $300,000 Listed Palisades Stakes.
The Palisades purse has increased $50,000.
Keeneland's Spring Meet will be held from Apr. 4 through 25.
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