Keeneland announces spring stakes

Sixteen stakes worth a total of $3.725 million, boosted by purse increases

for the Beaumont and Elkhorn, headline Keeneland's 2014 spring race meet, to be

held April 4-25.

Fifteen of the 16 stakes are graded, with half contested on the turf. Five

Grade 1 stakes are slated for opening week, bookended by Keeneland's signature

classic preps, the $500,000 Ashland, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for three-year-old

fillies on April 5, and the $750,000 Blue Grass, a 1 1/8-mile event for

three-year-olds on April 12.

The Ashland and Blue Grass are worth 100 points each to the winners on the

Road to the Kentucky Oaks and Road to the Kentucky Derby, respectively.

Five graded stakes, including three Grade 1 events, worth a total of

$1,625,000 will rank Blue Grass Day as one of the nation's strongest race cards.

Anchored by the aforementioned Blue Grass, the undercard will feature the

$300,000 Madison, for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs; the $300,000

Jenny Wiley, for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf; the

$175,000 Commonwealth, for older horses at seven furlongs; and the $100,000

Shakertown, for older horses at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

This spring, purse money for both the Beaumont, for three-year-old fillies at

about seven furlongs on April 13, and for the closing-day Elkhorn, for older

horses at 1 1/2 miles on the turf, has been increased by $50,000, raising their

total value from $150,000 to $200,000 each.

"Our No. 1 goal is to provide the best racing program in the country," Vice

President of Racing W.B. Rogers Beasley said. "We are exceptionally proud of

this schedule and the exciting racing and wagering opportunities it offers our

horsemen and fans."

Because Easter Sunday falls on April 20 in 2014, three stakes will be held on

April 19: the $200,000 Lexington, for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles and a

second Keeneland prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby; the $100,000 Giant's

Causeway, for older fillies and mares going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass; and the

$150,000 Ben Ali, for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. The Ben Ali traditionally has

been contested on the Sunday following Lexington Day.

Keeneland's spring meet is one of the richest and most widely attended in

North America, and historically attracts the country's leading owners, trainers

and jockeys. Last spring, highlights included record attendance and wagering;

Horse of the Year Wise Dan's victory in the Maker's 46 Mile for his fifth graded

stakes win at Keeneland; and meet record-setting wins for owners Ken and Sarah

Ramsey, trainer Mikel Maker and jockey Joel Rosario.

The 15-day spring meeting will feature racing Wednesday through Sunday; no

racing will be conducted on Easter Sunday, April 20. Post time for the first

race each day is 1:05 p.m. (EDT).

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