Stakes purses boosted for Keeneland spring meet; Blue Grass back at $1 million
All stakes at the 2022 spring meet at Keeneland Race Course have undergone purse increases and will be worth a record $7.7 million, including the Blue Grass Stakes being worth $1 million again, officials at the Lexington, Ky., track announced Thursday.
The Grade 2 Blue Grass, to be run April 9, was worth $600,000 in 2020 and $800,000 in 2021 after being a $1 million event from 2015-19. The Blue Grass is one of five stakes on April 9.
In all, 19 stakes will be run at a 15-day spring meet that runs April 8-29.
Several stakes had their purses doubled, most notably the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile going from $300,000 to $600,000, the Grade 3 Lexington from $200,000 to $400,000, and the Grade 3 Ben Ali from $150,000 to $300,000.
The Grade 1 Ashland Stakes is now worth an all-time high of $600,000 as one of three opening-day stakes for 3-year-olds, along with the $400,000 Transylvania and $400,000 Lafayette. There are minimal scheduling revisions aside from the Lafayette getting a new spot on the calendar.
“Keeneland is coming off a record-breaking 2021 in terms of wagering, which we are reinvesting in purse money to further elevate our racing program,” track president Shannon Arvin said in a press release.
Contributing to the purse increases is $1.5 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Keeneland also announced Thursday that Coolmore is the new sponsor of its signature fall-meet race, a Grade 1 turf mile that previously has been run under different names and also is having its purse restored to $1 million. It will be run Oct. 8 as the Coolmore Turf Mile.
Keeneland will host the 2022 Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 4 and 5.