The condition and stakes books for the Keeneland fall meet are now available online.
Overnight purses this fall will match last year’s levels, with maiden races offering up to $100,000 and first-level allowance races potentially worth $110,000, thanks to supplements from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. These purse levels place Keeneland among the leading North American tracks, although slightly below Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs, which benefit from historical horse racing gaming operations that significantly boost purses.
This season’s 17-day Keeneland meet, running from October 4-26, will feature a record $9.6 million in stakes purses. Four stakes races have received increased funding, with the biggest boost going to the closing-day Bryan Station Stakes (G3T), which now offers $600,000, up from $300,000. This one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds is one of the highlights of the fall meet. In total, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund is contributing $1.35 million to Keeneland’s fall purses.
Keeneland’s turf races, already popular, are expected to draw even more interest this fall, as Churchill Downs cancelled turf races during its September meet due to ongoing issues with its turf course. Churchill Downs runs from September 12-29 following Kentucky Downs’ seven-day all-turf meet from August 29-September 11.
Keeneland’s first Saturday card on October 5 will feature four turf races, headlined by the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1T).