Stakes-rich Keeneland meet offers Breeders' Cup preview

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s a great time to be a sports fan in the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky football team is undefeated, the highly ranked UK basketball team is about to host Big Blue Madness, and perhaps best of all, Keeneland is flinging open its gates as autumn hits full stride.

It’s enough to make anyone load up the cooler and the wallet and get in on the action. The first such opportunity will come Friday as the 17-day fall meet opens with a terrific 10-race card.

The Friday features, the Grade 1 Alcibiades and Grade 2 Phoenix, kick off FallStars Weekend, wherein 10 stakes will be run during the opening three-day weekend. All but one, the Indian Summer on Sunday, are graded, and all but one, the Woodford on Saturday, are Win and You’re In events toward the Nov. 2-3 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.

Saturday brings the richest day of the meet with five stakes – the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, Grade 1 First Lady, Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America, and Grade 2 Woodford. FallStars ends Sunday with three more stakes – the Grade 1 Spinster, Grade 3 Bourbon, and Indian Summer.

The Phoenix (race 8) and Alcibiades (race 9) are part of a late pick four (races 7-10) with a guaranteed pool of $200,000. While the Phoenix drew just six older horses, the Alcibiades got an oversubscribed field of 2-year-old fillies and could have as many as 14 go postward.

Restless Rider, a romping winner of the Debutante at Churchill in June prior to finishing second in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga in her latest start, will be favored in the Alcibiades, although another half-dozen or so fillies will be given a decent shot at an upset, including Into Trouble, the unbeaten winner of the Arlington-Washington Lassie last month for Donamire Farm and trainer Ben Colebrook.

“She’s done nothing wrong so far,” Colebrook said.

Into Trouble will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, who intends to ride here throughout the meet and into the Breeders’ Cup. Ortiz, the 2017 Eclipse Award champion, leads all North American jockeys in mount earnings this year with more than $22.2 million.

After opening weekend, major events remaining on the calendar include the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Oct. 13, the Grade 2 Raven Run on Oct. 20, and the Grade 2 Fayette on closing day, Oct. 27.

Per-day purses are projected at a whopping $738,000, a Keeneland record partly attributable to historical-racing revenue from The Red Mile, the nearby harness racing and gaming facility.

NBC Sports will feature Keeneland racing on 90-minute broadcasts (4:30-6) Saturday and Sunday, while TVG will have a major presence, as always, throughout the meet.

The forecast for opening day calls for a chance of thundershowers and a high of 82. First post daily is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with Mondays and Tuesdays dark.