Keeneland

DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid), winner of last Saturday's G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, is scheduled to return home this week, according to trainer Brendan Walsh. "He will quarantine in Chicago for 48 hours and then should be down [at Keeneland] Sunday or Monday," Walsh confirmed Thursday morning. An astute $75,000 claim by the current connections in January 2018, the 8-year-old gelding landed his first graded stakes score of his career in Dubai, as Walsh looked on flying from Miami to New Orleans. "I was trying to...

It's busy season for NBC's Eddie Olczyk. One of the few analysts on national television to dabble in multiple sports, the popular former hockey star is gearing up to broadcast the GI Kentucky Derby as well as the NHL playoffs this spring, and he joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland Tuesday afternoon to discuss it all. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Olczyk talked about his handicapping strategies, what horses he's eyeing for the first Saturday in May, his ordeal with...

World-class Thoroughbred racing returns to Central Kentucky for Keeneland's 2021 Spring Meet, which opens Friday, Apr. 2 and covers 15 days through Apr. 23. Keeneland is welcoming back a limited number of fans to the track this spring while offering multiple opportunities for people to enjoy the meet remotely through its Celebrate Keeneland Presented by Central Bank campaign. "There are many ways--big and small--for everyone to celebrate Keeneland and take part in the fanfare and traditions they love," Keeneland Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Christa Marrillia said. "We encourage...

John Battaglia Memorial S. hero Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), scratched out of Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks with this weekend's $800,000 GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in mind, worked five furlongs in :59.80 following the second renovation break at Keeneland Monday morning. With jockey Santiago Gonzalez in the irons, the New York-bred broke off about five lengths behind his unraced workmate Poseidon Wrath (Super Saver) and was eight lengths clear of his company at the wire. The work went in splits of :24.40 and :36.40, with a six-furlong...

This year, the annual release of a commemorative Maker's Mark Bourbon bottle in partnership with Keeneland will benefit LexArts, greater Lexington's premier cultural development, advocacy, and fundraising organization, to support its initiatives at the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden in Lexington. Murphy was a Hall of Fame jockey who remains the only rider to win the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Clark H. in the same year (1884). The Art Garden is the first park in the U.S. to honor African American jockeys, who were the earliest Black professional athletes....

Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), a scratch from Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks despite having won that event's local prep, could make his next start in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. next Saturday. "We hope to run in the Blue Grass," trainer Bill Morey said Sunday morning from Keeneland. "When we scratched, we brought him here yesterday afternoon." The $75,000 OBS April grad has won his last three starts, all on the Turfway Tapeta, including the John Battaglia Memorial S. Feb. 26.

Keeneland and Country Boy Brewing of Lexington have collaborated to create Keeneland Spring Lager, which debuts today around Kentucky and will be sold at the track. Sales of the beer will benefit Blue Grass Farms Charities (BGFC). For every case of beer they sell, Country Boy and beverage distributor Kentucky Eagle, each will donate $1 to BGFC. Sales of the Keeneland Spring Lager and of Country Boy's Keeneland Fall Ale will support BGFC's Back to School Backpack Program, which provides school supplies for nearly 1,000 children whose parents work in...

With smaller tracks gradually disappearing over time, it takes a concerted effort to build a fan customer base that can sustain your business in a non-marquee racing state. Minnesota's Canterbury Park is one of those outliers, a track whose management has put in the work to run a profitable enterprise while managing to attract novice fans and satisfy horseplayers alike, all without the buttressing revenue of slots. Wednesday morning, Canterbury's VP of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about the track's blueprint...

Trainer William Morey picked up three for his stable while shopping the 2-year-old sales in Ocala last spring. Two of them, led by the streaking GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks-bound Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), will compete on Saturday's loaded program at Turfway Park. "Two have won stakes, and, of course, the other filly hasn't made the races," Morey said. "We've had some bitter and sweet, but lots of sweet along the way." Hush of a Storm, a $75,000 OBS Spring purchase (:21 3/5; consigned by de Meric Sales) by...

A pair of broodmare prospects consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency brought co-topping final bids of $50,000 during Keeneland's March Digital Sale Tuesday. Bloodstock agent Andre Lynch purchased Shockingly (Nyquist) (hip 19), a 3-year-old half-sister to Japanese Group 1 winner Apollo Kentucky (Langfuhr) and to multiple stakes-placed Beau Ravelle (Tiz Wonderful). She was a late-closing second in her lone start to date at Fair Grounds Feb. 20. Motown Girl (Uncle Mo) (hip 18), a 4-year-old full-sister to Grade III winner Name Changer, sold to Randy Coker. The filly is out...

Keeneland has unveiled a catalog of 23 horse for its March Digital Sale, to be held Tuesday, Mar. 23 as part of Keeneland's Digital Sales Ring Platform. The catalog may be viewed at Keenelanddigital.com. Buyers are encouraged to register for an account in the Digital Sales Ring prior to the day of the sale. The Keeneland Sales Portal may be used to register or log in to an existing account. Buyers have two options for bidding on the day of the sale. Direct bidding allows bidding to take place as...

Lane's End Farm's William "Bill" Farish, who serves on the boards of numerous Thoroughbred industry and Central Kentucky organizations, has been appointed a Keeneland Trustee. Farish succeeds Claiborne Farm co-owner Seth Hancock, who is retiring as a Keeneland Trustee after having served since 2015. "I am thankful for the opportunity to have served as a Keeneland Trustee for the past several years," said Hancock, "and I know that Keeneland is in very capable hands." Hancock will remain on Keeneland's Board of Directors. "On behalf of Keeneland, I want to extend...