The Keeneland fall meet kicks off in a big way on Friday with eight Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races on the menu over the first three days of the meeting.
The meet starts on Friday with three Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, with three more on Saturday and a pair on Sunday’s card.
Spendthrift Farm’s undefeated Tommy Jo, the impressive winner of the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga in her most recent start, headlines a field of six 2-year-old fillies for Friday’s 74th running of the $650,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1).
The Darley Alcibiades is one of three stakes on Friday’s 10-race program that kicks off the 17-day Fall Meet that runs through Saturday, Oct. 25. The winner earns an automatic starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
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The 173rd running of the $400,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) drew a field of six. The race features Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitri Hay’s Nakatomi, the $1.7 million earner who has been runner-up in the race the past two years.
The 35th running of the $400,000 Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland Sales drew a field of 12 plus two also-eligibles. The race is headed by Repole Stable’s undefeated Time to Dream, winner of the P.G. Johnson (L) at Saratoga in her most recent start.
The Jessamine winner stamps a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
Five Stakes Set for Fall Stars Saturday
Sam Sangster’s Group 1-winning Diego Velazquez (IRE) heads a field of 12 entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 40th running of the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1).
The Coolmore Turf Mile is one of five stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program with the first post at 1 p.m. ET.
In the other four Saturday stakes:
The 28th running of the $800,000 First Lady (G1) attracted a field of 12 plus four also-eligibles headlined by 2025 Jenny Wiley (G1) winner Rabbah Bloodstock’s Choisya (GB) plus Klaravich Stables’ Dynamic Pricing (IRE) and Juddmonte’s Segesta for trainer Chad Brown, who has saddled the First Lady winner the past seven years.
The 112th running of the $650,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) drew a field of seven and is headlined by undefeated Spendthrift Farm Hopeful (G1) winner Ted Noffey, owned by Spendthrift Farm.
The 45th running of the $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) features the return of 2024 race winner Zeitlos in a field of seven. Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel own Zeitlos who is trained by Steve Asmussen, who is 11 wins away from reaching 11,000 career victories.
The winner gets an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
The 29th running of the $400,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel attracted a field of nine headed by Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s two-time Group 1 winner Khaadem (IRE) and Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables’ multiple stakes-winning Governor Sam, who will be facing older runners for the first time in his career.
Thorpedo Anna Headlines Sunday’s Spinster
Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Magdalena Racing, Mark Edwards and Judy Hicks’ Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Horse of the Year, headlines a field of five for Sunday’s 70th running of the $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for fillies and mares.
Among those lined up to face Thorpedo Anna is D.J. Stable’s 3-year-old Nitrogen, winner of the Alabama (G1) Presented by Keeneland Sales, who will be making her first start against older horses.
The Juddmonte Spinster is one of three stakes on Sunday’s 10-race program that starts at 1 p.m. ET.
In the other two Sunday stakes:
The 35th running of the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) attracted a field of 12 headed by Repole Stable’s Final Score, winner of the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga.
The eighth running of the $300,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select drew a field of nine headed by Leland Ackerley Racing’s Obliteration, a graded stakes winner on dirt and runner-up in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes (L) in his grass debut.
