Three weeks of Keeneland cool begins Friday

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland is cool, and not just in the voguish sense. Weeks and weeks of unseasonably hot temperatures in central Kentucky were supposed to end overnight Thursday into Friday, dovetailing beautifully with the start of the 17-day fall meet.

A high of 76 is forecast for Friday in a marked departure from the mid-90s that have set local records in recent weeks. Blessed relief will coincide with the most important three days of the front-loaded meet, as 10 FallStars Weekend stakes will be run Friday through Sunday.

The two Friday stakes, the Grade 2 Phoenix and Grade 1 Alcibiades, go as races 8 and 9 on a 10-race card. Both drew deep and competitive fields of 11, setting a tone likely to repeat itself throughout a meet that ends Oct. 26.

“You lead one over at Keeneland, you better be tied on,” said trainer Dale Romans, who will saddle Promises Fulfilled as one of the Phoenix favorites. “Everybody wants to win in front of those great crowds. It’s pretty exciting walking out onto the turf course after you win a graded race.”

Indeed, it’s the ontrack experience that continues to distinguish Keeneland from all others. With meets of just three weeks in the spring and three in the fall, the track offers specialty food items such as burgoo and bread pudding amid a panorama of spectacular scenery and ambience.

Of course, it wouldn’t matter as much if not for the big money. Purses once again will rank among the best on the continent, with maiden-specials starting at $71,000 and allowances at $73,000. The stakes program, traditionally front loaded at both meets, hits an early peak Saturday with five races led by the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile and continues Sunday with the Grade 1 Spinster. In all, 18 stakes worth a record $5,675,000 are on the fall schedule.

All but one (the Woodford) of the 10 FallStars races are Win and You’re In events toward the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, and all but one (the Indian Summer on Sunday) are graded.

The jockey colony will be as strong as ever, with Kentucky regulars such as Corey Lanerie, Julien Leparoux, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione being joined on certain days by star riders from New York and California, including Jose Ortiz, Javier Castellano, Joel Rosario, Luis Saez, and Kent Desormeaux for the Friday opener.

As usual, TVG will provide extensive on-site coverage for the next three weeks, while Kurt Becker will be back in the announcer’s booth for his 46th straight meet.

First post daily is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.