Keeneland opens its Spring Meet on Friday, April 4 to launch 15 days of remarkable Thoroughbred racing together with a slate of widespread particular occasions for followers of all ages and thrilling wagering motion for all talent ranges of handicappers.
The primary Saturday of the meet is Toyota Blue Grass Day, historically the largest racing day of the yr at Keeneland, with an 11-race card that includes 5 stakes price a mixed $3.15 million and led by the one hundred and first working of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1). The season general will current 19 stakes price a Spring Meet report $9.4 million.Â
“We won’t wait to usher in spring within the Bluegrass with racing that may showcase budding stars and completed veterans alike who characterize probably the most profitable homeowners, trainers and jockeys in Thoroughbred racing—all whereas providing hospitality that’s second to none,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin mentioned. “Our Keeneland staff is attentive to each element to make sure the very best expertise for our horsemen, followers, handicappers, company companions and others who take part on this beloved Central Kentucky custom.”Â
With a $250,000 purse improve this yr, the 1 1/8-mile Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds joins the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) as Keeneland’s two $1.25 million races, that are the richest in observe historical past. The Coolmore Turf Mile reached that quantity through the 2024 Fall Meet.
The Toyota Blue Grass and the 88th working of the Central Financial institution Ashland on opening day, which options an elevated purse of $750,000 and is the yr’s first Grade 1 occasion for fillies, are key springtime races on the filth for 3-year-olds. Each stakes are price 200 factors on the Street to the Kentucky Derby and Street to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively, with the winners of every stakes incomes 100 qualifying factors to the respective traditional.Join BloodHorse Day by day
In all, the Spring Meet will provide 5 Grade 1 stakes: the aforementioned Central Financial institution Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass in addition to the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison on April 5, the $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile on April 11 and the $650,000 Jenny Wiley on April 12.
Racing through the Spring Meet shall be performed Wednesdays by Sundays, however Keeneland shall be closed for racing on Easter, April 20. Put up time for the primary race is 1 p.m. ET every day, besides April 25 when the primary race is at 12:30 p.m. to accommodate the 10-race card that may conclude in time for that night’s April Chosen Horses of Racing Age Sale. The public sale is scheduled to start at roughly 6:30 p.m.
The Spring Meet will mark the ultimate Keeneland season that the three-level Paddock Constructing, which extends all the size of the Saddling Paddock and Strolling Ring, shall be underneath building. Scheduled to open this fall, the Paddock Constructing will present new ticketed experiences for greater than 1,000 followers throughout race meets, together with conventional sit-down eating, new bar ideas and entry to a brand new Paddock Garden on the north facet of the Saddling Paddock. New Jockeys Quarters within the constructing will give patrons a novel expertise when riders stroll instantly by one of many eating venues earlier than and after every race. The bottom ground of the Paddock Constructing will comprise the saddling stalls to offer the most secure surroundings doable for equine and human individuals and provides followers an unmatched view of pre-race pageantry.Â
For the newest details about attending the races through the Spring Meet, confer with the Patron Expertise Information at Keeneland.com/welcome.
Advance ticket gross sales required
In a continuation of Keeneland coverage, all tickets have to be bought upfront by way of the observe’s Official On-line Ticket Workplace at tickets.Keeneland.com/racing. Money and walk-up purchases are usually not accepted on the important gates on race days. Season passes, which provide Common Admission all through the meet, can be found for buy previous to opening day. Â
Keeneland affords a return coverage of as much as 48 hours upfront of race day. As a result of ticket stock is up to date robotically and obtainable for buy at tickets.Keeneland.com/racing, followers ought to examine this website often and signal as much as be notified when tickets change into obtainable.
Parking for the races
For the Spring Meet, all paved parking rows shall be for allow parking and free accessible parking solely. No reservation required for accessible parking. Free public parking shall be obtainable on The Hill and The Meadow.Â
Free parking: Out there on The Hill and The Meadow with no reservation required. Patrons can have entry to complimentary shuttles to Shuttle Depot. Customer support representatives shall be at every shuttle cease to assist with questions.
Free accessible parking: Complimentary accessible parking is obtainable in Rows 21-25. From 6 a.m. to 60 minutes after the ultimate race, golf cart shuttles will take patrons to and from the parking zone to the Grandstand South entrance. No reservation or allow is required.
Inexperienced Lot parking (for automobiles solely): Click on right here to buy a Inexperienced Lot move to order a spot in paved parking rows. To achieve Inexperienced Lot parking, which is able to open at 8 a.m. and be obtainable till 60 minutes after the ultimate race, enter Gate 2 and observe signage to the correct. Pre-purchased parking has a 48-hour refund coverage.Â
Trip Share: Uber/Lyft/taxis, private pickups/drop-offs and personal automotive companies (sedans and SUVs) shall be directed to Trip Share, which is situated adjoining to the Shuttle Depot. Solicitation is strictly prohibited on Keeneland grounds. There may be NO vehicular entry to the Grandstand North or South entrances for pickup/drop-off.
Bus Lot: Click on right here to buy. Permitted automobiles embrace constitution buses, RVs (not permitted to remain in a single day), college buses, stretch limousines, sprinter vans (longer than 20 ft), vans with 12+ individuals occupancy, minibuses and trolleys.
Monitor Kitchen: Most parking is restricted to horsemen and barn workers. For these coming to eat on the Monitor Kitchen, there are restricted parking spots obtainable to the general public instantly in entrance of the constructing.
Click on right here for the grounds map with the parking choices.Â
Additionally go to Parking FAQ: Keeneland.com/racing/parking-frequently-asked-questions
Race Day Social on The Hill debuts
The Hill—open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the meet, climate allowing—is the place for tailgating at Keeneland. The world is accessible by way of Gate 1 (at Man o’ Battle Blvd.) or Gate 4 (off Van Meter Street on the east facet of Keeneland).Â
A number of ranges of lodging can be found:
1.   Free tailgating. No tickets or reservations are required for followers, who can watch Keeneland racing motion by way of a jumbo TV and place their bets in a wagering tent whereas they get pleasure from stay music introduced by The Burl, meals vehicles and handicapping help from BETologists. Complimentary shuttles to the observe are supplied. The Hill is open from 8 a.m. to 60 minutes after the final race. Facilities can be found from 11 a.m. to three p.m.Â
2.   Premium tailgating. Tailgate packages for teams of any dimension can be found from RevelXP, which is able to furnish a delegated tent, catering, facilities and extra. This service is obtainable each race day.
3.   New this season is Race Day Social at The Hill. Positioned within the RevelXP Village, this unique area affords friends an ideal mix of consolation and pleasure to get pleasure from their race day in fashion. Calm down underneath a lined tent with plush lounge seating, get pleasure from traditional yard video games and watch stay race protection whereas having a catered lunch that includes native delicacies. A full bar with signature cocktails and different alcoholic drinks is obtainable for buy. BETologists shall be readily available to offer wagering insights all through the day. Unique facilities embrace entry to non-public restroom trailers, comfy seating and a premium ambiance. The area has a capability of 250 friends per day.Â
Go to Keeneland.com/tailgating for full particulars. Â
Watch races on TV and on-line
Followers can watch all Spring Meet races stay and at no cost due to the Keeneland Livestream on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Choose and Keeneland’s YouTube channel.
Different protection of Keeneland racing consists of:
“At present at Keeneland,” a 30-minute race-day preview present with handicapping picks and dialogue of horses of curiosity. Racing analysts Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton will host this system, which streams stay on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Choose, Keeneland’s YouTube channel, WKYT.com and FanDuel TV+. Additionally airs stay on The CW Lexington and might been seen stay Saturdays and Sundays on FanDuel Racing.
FanDuel TV, which is able to current in depth stay protection of each race starting at midday.Â
Wagering motion for followers of all talent ranges
Handicappers will get pleasure from a wide range of wagering alternatives through the Spring Meet, together with:
The Day by day Double wager with a 15% takeout.
The favored Keeneland Turf Choose 3 on the ultimate three turf races every day. Requires a $3 minimal wager.
The Tremendous Excessive 5 on the ultimate race every day.
The $3 Massive 3 Choose 3 on opening Saturday, April 5, that includes Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass, the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the Wooden Memorial (G2) Offered by Resorts World On line casino from Aqueduct.
The New York Racing Affiliation’s Cross Nation wager on Saturdays will embrace Keeneland races.Â
On April 4, the Lafayette (L), the Transylvania (G3) Offered by Keeneland Choose and the Central Financial institution Ashland (G1) shall be included in late Choose 4 and late Choose 5 wagers. The Transylvania Offered by Keeneland Choose shall be a part of the Keeneland Turf Choose 3.Â
On April 5, the All-Stakes Choose 4 and All-Stakes Choose 5 will conclude with the Toyota Blue Grass.Â
The 2 stakes on April 6—the MiddleGround Capital Beamont (G2) and the Palisades (L)—shall be included in late Choose 4 and late Choose 5 wagers.
Extra handicapping occasions through the Spring Meet embrace:
Wednesday, April 9, 16, 23: WINS-Day Problem Offered by Malone’s. Enter for $10 at Wagering Central on the primary ground of the Grandstand and place a legendary $2 win and place wager—no precise cash is required— on Keeneland’s closing six races of the day. That is an affordable manner for newbie handicappers to present contests a strive.
Friday, April 11: $400 Spring Problem. Out there solely on the observe, this handicapping contest affords one berth to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Problem (BCBC) on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Del Mar and as many as 4 spots to the 2026 Nationwide Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in Las Vegas. Gamers will wager a stay bankroll of $250 on Keeneland races. Click on right here to register and for extra data.Â
Saturday, April 12: Grade 1 Gamble. Keeneland hosts this signature handicapping contest of the Spring Meet with the cooperation of XpressBet, NYRABets, 4NJ Bets, HPI and TVG on the day of the Jenny Wiley (G1) and the Stonestreet Lexington (G3). Entry charge is $3,500 with $2,500 going to a stay bankroll and $1,000 to the prize fund. Contestants might play at Keeneland or on one of many aforementioned ADW platforms. Prizes embrace an estimated $70,000 for first place (based mostly on 300 entries), as many as six berths within the BCBC and 10 spots within the NHC. Click on right here to register and for extra data.
Additionally for the Spring Meet:
Keeneland will proceed to offer complimentary digital applications with Equibase previous performances obtainable for obtain and Powered by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Improvement Fund (KTDF). Click on right here to entry.
Keeneland once more will current morning exercise movies of horses coaching right here as a profit to horsemen and handicappers and a complement to the sources obtainable on the wagering part of Keeneland.com. The sortable database— made doable by the KTDF— shall be up to date each day at Keeneland.com/exercises.Â
Keeneland Choose, the observe’s advance-deposit wagering platform (ADW), is providing a sign-up bonus for brand new clients between March 31-April 25 who will obtain $100 again after they wager $200 on the Spring Meet. (Use promo code Spring2025). That is on high of Keeneland Choose’s profitable sign-up bonus that may earn new gamers $100 after they wager $300 within the first 30 days. As well as, all Keeneland Choose members will obtain free admission to the Spring Meet if they’ve wagered $500 or extra because the begin of 2024.
Go to Keeneland en Español and DRFenEspañol,com for details about Spanish protection of the Spring Meet. Roberto Rodriguez will present each day protection and evaluation for the season.Â
Particular occasions fulfill Keeneland philanthropic mission
Keeneland has been investing within the horse trade and the Central Kentucky group since opening in October 1936. All through the Spring Meet, these particular occasions and actions will proceed to profit worthwhile organizations and initiatives:Â
Saturday, April 5, 12, 19: Dawn Trackside. This free Saturday morning program from 8-10 a.m. is geared towards households and affords a novel view of Thoroughbreds throughout coaching hours. Followers can get pleasure from espresso and breakfast gadgets at a concession stand whereas watching horses practice. Kids’s actions on the primary ground of the Grandstand will embrace a go to with Keeneland mascot Buckles, face portray and video games. Mini excursions shall be obtainable on the Welcome Stand close to the Paddock.Â
Each Saturday, the John Deere Tractor Break will happen through the renovation interval on the principle observe from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and embrace a drawing for a youngsters merchandise from John Deere/Meade Tractor. In the meantime, a meet and greet with a horse shall be supplied within the Strolling Ring from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Dawn Trackside on April 19 shall be a particular Easter version and have the looks of the Easter Bunny.
Sunday, April 6: Keeneland Children Membership Household Day Offered by Kentucky Kids’s Hospital. The Keeneland Children Membership is the Official Children Membership for Keeneland followers 12 and youthful. Children Membership members and their households are invited to a big day on the races and can obtain free basic admission and entry to reserved Grandstand seating after they current their membership playing cards at admission entrances. Kids’s actions, which is able to happen within the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to three p.m., embrace face portray, a candy deal with and actions with such group companions as Amplify Horse Racing, Kentucky Kids’s Hospital, LexArts and LexLive. Join the Children Membership at Keeneland.com/kidsclub.
Friday, April 11: School Scholarship Day Offered by Lane’s Finish. Keeneland invitations school college students to get pleasure from a day of racing, prizes, scholarship giveaways, behind-the-scenes racing experiences, reserved seating and extra. By pre-registering, college students will obtain a free basic admission ticket good for April 11 and the chance to win considered one of 10 $2,000 scholarships supplied by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Affiliation and Keeneland. College students who attend the race day and have their tickets scanned day-of additionally shall be eligible to win considered one of two further $10,000 scholarships supplied by Lane’s Finish Farm, in addition to prize packages from native Kentucky companies. College students have to be on website to be eligible to win all prizes and scholarships. Actions will happen on the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to three p.m. Pre-register at www.Keeneland.com/csd.
Sunday, April 13: Heroes Day. Occasion honors members of the navy (energetic obligation and veterans), first responders, well being care employees and their households. Heroes and their households will obtain free basic admission, reserved Grandstand seating, entry to the Household Zone on the North Terrace and a complimentary meal supplied by Marriot Griffin Gate. The day can have particular programming on the observe, together with a flag rollout.
A POW-MIA Chair of Honor shall be displayed close to the Paddock to deliver consciousness to previous and present POW-MIA navy members by a partnership with The Rolling Thunder Kentucky Chapter 5.
Every hero is eligible to obtain as much as 4 complimentary tickets. Click on right here to order.
Saturday, April 19: Jockey Autograph Signing: Followers will meet energetic and retired Keeneland riders and Corridor of Famers in an occasion that advantages the Completely Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). Hats, posters, goggles and autograph books that may be signed shall be obtainable for buy; private gadgets could also be signed with a donation to PDJF. Occasion will happen within the North Terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Â
Saturday, April 19: PDJF Telethon. Racing Corridor of Fame riders, main energetic jockeys and racing personalities will participate within the seventh annual fundraiser, which is introduced by Lane’s Finish. Keeneland will maintain a name middle within the Limestone Café within the Gross sales Pavilion. The occasion shall be broadcast on each FanDuel TV and America’s Day on the Races on the Fox Sports activities household of networks and be streamed on tvg.com. Followers can take part by calling 1 844 884-7353 between 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. or by donating instantly at https://pdjf.org/donate/.
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Keeneland 2025 Spring Meet at a Look
Schedule: 15 days from April 4-25. No racing Mondays, Tuesdays and Easter (April 20)
Gates open: 11 a.m. Â Â
First race: 1 p.m. apart from April 25, when first put up is 12:30 p.m.
Tickets: tickets.Keeneland.com/racing
Parking FAQ: Keeneland.com/racing/parking-frequently-asked-questions
watch: Via the Keeneland Livestream, followers can watch all races stay and at no cost on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Choose and Keeneland’s YouTube channel. FanDuel TV will current stay in depth protection of each race.
Complimentary digital applications Powered by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Improvement Fund (KTDF): Together with Equibase previous performances, these shall be obtainable for obtain at
https://www.keeneland.com/complimentary-pps
Patron Expertise Information: Take advantage of your day on the races and confer with the newest details about parking and entry at Keeneland.com/welcome.
Keeneland Race Day App: Obtain this information to handicapping and having fun with a day of Keeneland racing.
Tailgating. The Hill, the favored free tailgating space accessible by by way of Gate 1 (at Man o’ Battle Blvd.) or Gate 4 (off Van Meter Street on the east facet of Keeneland), is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, climate allowing. No tickets or reservations are required for followers, who can watch the racing motion by way of a jumbo TV and place their bets in a wagering tent whereas they get pleasure from stay music introduced by The Burl, meals vehicles and handicapping help from BETologists. Complimentary shuttles to the observe are supplied. Â The Hill is open from 8 a.m. to 60 minutes after the final race. Facilities can be found from 11 a.m. to three p.m.Â
New this meet is the Race Day Social at The Hill situated within the RevelXP village.
Keeneland en Español: Go to Keeneland en Español and DRFenEspañol,com for details about Spanish protection of the Spring Meet.
Keeneland Publication: Join e mail updates of your areas of curiosity at Keeneland.com/e-newsletter.
Official Keeneland Excursions: Click on right here for availability and to buy.
The Keeneland Store: Positioned close to the Grandstand South entrance, The Keeneland Store shall be open from 9 a.m. to half-hour following the ultimate race and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to five p.m. On race days, Milliners Nook, Wagering Central and End Line areas shall be open.Â
Milliners Nook close to The Keeneland Store will characteristic Christine A. Moore (April 4-5) and Hats Off by Helen (April 12)
These distributors shall be situated on the North Terrace: My Darling & Co. (April 4), Oak & Moore (April 5), Onward Reserve (April 12), Stephanie Hillen Spring Meet print portray/stay jockey portray (April 19), Maintain Your Horses Hat Bar (April 25).
Keeneland Library: Positioned on Keeneland’s campus, Keeneland Library is presenting the free exhibit Of Turf and Stone: Keeneland Via the Ages to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of the Keeneland Affiliation. Take pleasure in images and memorabilia within the exhibit, which coincides with 250LEX celebrations of Lexington’s 250th anniversary this yr and runs by Aug. 15. The Library is open Monday by Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Enter Keeneland at Gate 1 on Keeneland Blvd. and take the primary proper on Leisure Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Leisure Middle.
Building updates: Keeneland.com/paddock constructing
Web site: Keeneland.com
Social: @keeneland on Fb and Instagram and @keenelandracing on Twitter. Use hashtag #KeenelandÂ
This press launch has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the group that produced the discharge.
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