Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Keeneland 2008 Spring Meet Features $4.3 Million in Stakes Purses
Posted on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
Eighteen stakes worth a record $4.3 million, and enhanced graded status for the Maker’s Mark Mile, Appalachian and Fifth Third Elkhorn stakes, highlight Keeneland’s 2008 spring race meeting, to be held April 4-25.
Sixteen of the 18 stakes carded for the spring are graded. Three of those stakes were recently upgraded for 2008 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The Maker’s Mark Mile, for four-year-olds and up, was elevated from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status; the Fifth Third Elkhorn, for four-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles on the turf, was promoted from Grade 3 to Grade 2; and the Appalachian, for three-year-old fillies at one mile on the grass, earned Grade 3 status.
Purse money for the Maker’s Mark Mile was increased from $250,000 to $300,000, while the Appalachian, Shakertown (G3), for three-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, and Doubledogdare (G3), for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, each increased from $100,000 to $125,000.
Three-year-olds will take center stage in the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, April 5, and the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, April 12, traditional preps for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1). James Tafel’s champion Street Sense made his final start before his Derby victory in last year’s Blue Grass, finishing second by a nose to Silverton Hills LLC’s Dominican.
Keeneland hosts an additional classic prep, the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (G2), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, on Saturday, April 19.
“Keeneland enjoys great support from its owners and trainers, which allows us to present some of the most competitive racing in North America,” said W. Rogers Beasley, Keeneland’s Director of Racing. “Such a rich and diverse stakes schedule offers exciting opportunities for our horsemen as well as our race fans.”
In other changes for the spring, the Appalachian and $150,000 Ben Ali (G3), for four-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, were each moved up one week on the stakes calendar to April 17 and April 20, respectively. The distance for the opening day Central Bank Transylvania (G3), for three-year-olds has been lengthened from one mile to 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Additionally this spring, Grey Goose Vodka will sponsor the $150,000 Grey Goose Bewitch (G3), for fillies and mares four-years-old and up at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.
2008 Keeneland Spring Stakes Schedule
- April 4 – Central Bank Transylvania (G3), $150,000, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
- April 5 – Ashland (G1), $500,000, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles
- April 6 – Lafayette (Listed), $100,000-added, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs
- April 9 – Vinery Madison (G2), $200,000, 4-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, 7 furlongs
- April 10 – Stonerside Beaumont (G2), $250,000, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs 184 ft
- April 11 – Maker’s Mark Mile (G1), $300,000, 4-year-olds & up, 1 mile (turf)
- April 12 – Toyota Blue Grass (G1), $750,000, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles
- April 12 – Commonwealth (G2), $400,000-added, 3-year-olds & up, 7 furlongs
- April 12 – Jenny Wiley (G2), $200,000, 4-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
- April 13 – Shakertown (G3), $125,000, 3-year-olds & up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)
- April 17 – Appalachian (G3), $125,000, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (turf)
- April 18 – Doubledogdare (G3), $125,000, 4-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, 1 1/16 miles
- April 19 – Coolmore Lexington (G2), $325,000, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
- April 19 – Giant’s Causeway (Listed), $100,000-added, 3-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)
- April 20 – Ben Ali (G3), $150,000, 4-year-olds & up, 1 1/8 miles
- April 23 – Grey Goose Bewitch (G3), $150,000, 4-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
- April 24 – Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings (NSA-1), $150,000, 4-year-olds & up, 2 1/2 miles (hurdles)
- April 25 – Fifth Third Elkhorn (G2), $200,000, 4-year-olds & up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
This post came from Keeneland’s official release.
"Keeneland 2008 Spring Meet Features $4.3 Million in Stakes Purses" was posted on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 at 9:00 pm and is filed under Keeneland, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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