Keeneland will present the most lucrative stakes schedule for a racing season in track history when it awards $10.85 million for 22 stakes scheduled for the 17-day fall meet Oct. 3-25.
The meet's opening three days are the signature Fall Stars Weekend with 11 stakes led by the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) and featuring horses headed to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar. The fall meet also marks the 40th anniversary of the turf course at Keeneland, which in October 1985 became the first track in Kentucky to offer turf racing.
The Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund is contributing $2.55 million to Keeneland's fall meet stakes purses, pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
"Competition from Thoroughbred racing's leading horses and top jockeys, trainers and owners will put the focus of fans, handicappers and the industry on Keeneland's fall meet," Keeneland vice president of racing Gatewood Bell said. "We are excited to be able to add $100,000 to the purse of the Sycamore, which was upgraded for 2025, and to increase the value of another 18 stakes by $50,000 each. Our grade 1 races now are worth $650,000 to $1.25 million, while the purses of all grade 2 races are $400,000, all grade 3 races are worth $350,000, and the listed race is valued at $300,000."
Fall Stars Weekend kicks off the meet with $6.3 million in total purses for 11 stakes. Eight stakes are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, which will award the winners automatic starting positions and free entry into the 42nd Breeders' Cup Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
Three Challenge events will be run Oct. 3: the $650,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) (Juvenile Fillies, G1), the $400,000 Phoenix Stakes (G2) (Sprint, G1), and the $400,000 Jessamine Stakes (G2T) (Juvenile Fillies Turf, G1T).
Oct. 4 features five stakes, including these Challenge races: the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (Mile, G1T), the $650,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) (Juvenile, G1) and the $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) (Filly and Mare Sprint, G1). Also being run are the $800,000 First Lady Stakes (G1T) and the $400,000 Woodford Stakes (G2T).
Sunday of Fall Stars Weekend has two Challenge races: the $650,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) (Distaff, G1) and the $400,000 Bourbon Stakes (G2T) (Juvenile Turf, G1T). The day's third stakes is the $300,000 Indian Summer Stakes, a listed event.
Stakes action for the second weekend of the fall meet kicks off with the aforementioned Sycamore Stakes (G2T) Oct. 10. The next day features the $800,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1T), an internationally recognized invitational for 3-year-old fillies racing 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The $400,000 Franklin Stakes (G2T) will be run Oct. 12.
Stakes on the third week are the $400,000 Raven Run Stakes (G2) and the $350,000 Perryville Stakes (G3) Oct. 18 and the $350,000 Dowager Stakes (G3T) Oct. 19.
Stakes action on the final week of the fall meet begins Oct. 24, with the $400,000 Valley View Stakes (G2T) and the $250,000 Myrtlewood Stakes.
Three stakes will be run closing day: the $600,000 Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) on the turf along with the $350,000 Fayette Stakes (G3) and the $250,000 Bowman Mill Stakes, both on dirt.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
