Keeneland

The biggest news about the GI Kentucky Derby trail last week had nothing to do with the current crop of contenders, because with all of the points-awarding, nine-furlong preps having been run four weeks before America's most historic and important horse race, the lead-up to the Triple Crown season essentially goes into "sleep mode" for the middle part of April. But that could change for 2027. According to news first reported Apr. 7 by Mary Rampellini of Daily Racing Form (DRF), Oaklawn Park management is considering a schedule tweak that...

Have a spring meeting Ben Colebrook! Trendsetter (g, 3, Modernist--Suyapa, by Astrology) came rolling down the center of the stretch to win going away at 32-1 in Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland. The Hell We Did (Authentic) was second. Pacesetter Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro) was third. The victory adds to a huge beginning of the Keeneland meeting for Colebrook, who also saddled Percy's Bar (Upstart) to a win in last Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. "I wouldn't say I was surprised," Colebrook said. "I thought he...

In a photo finish that took the stewards several minutes to decipher, the GI Jenny Wiley at Keeneland Saturday finished in a thrilling dead-heat between Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope de Vega (Ire) and Segesta (Ghostzapper). The race dynamic changed hours before the race Saturday as a pair of early-morning favorite, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Destino d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro), both scratched. That opened the door for Juddmonte homebred Segesta to inherit the favorite's role in her first start since winning the GI Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar Nov....

OGMA Investments LLC, JR Ranch and High Step Racing LLC's The Puma (Essential Quality) tuned up for a scheduled start in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park during a maintenance-style half-mile breeze. "It was getting him back into his routine two weeks after a race. It was pretty easy. Maybe the exercise rider got a little too comfortable, but next week is when he'll have his important work," trainer Gustavo Delgado's son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr. said. "We're planning to do that Friday or...

8th-KEE, $120k, Msw, 3yo, 7f, post time: 4:44 p.m. ET A $900,000 Keeneland September yearling, ICONOCLAST (Into Mischief) faces the starter for the first time in this elongated sprint. The Feb. 3 foal is a daughter of Grade III winner Devil By Design (Medaglia d'Oro), whose four winners from five to the races includes Competitionofideas (Speightstown), who took the 2018 GI American Oaks on the turf before selling to Japanese interests for $1.3 million at Fasig-Tipton in November 2020. Symbol (Silver State) is set to become the latest runner for...

Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), fresh off an Eclipse Award-winning season in 2025, opened her 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Feb. 7 GIII Bayakoa Stakes--a victory trainer Mark Casse called "the best race she's ever run." Things didn't go quite as well when the filly faded to third in the Mar. 7 over a sloppy Oaklawn surface in the GII Azeri Stakes, but she will look to get back on track when she returns in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap Saturday at Oaklawn Park. She is the 9-5 morning-line favorite...

When the ground settled in the GIII FanDuel Limestone Stakes at Keeneland on Friday it was Slay the Day (f, 3, Into Mischief--Mind Out, by Tapit) who took home the win and set a new stakes record going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass. The Keeneland sales graduate broke her maiden over the dirt at Churchill Downs Nov. 16 for Flying Dutchmen, then was the runner-up facing optional claimers at Gulfstream Park Jan. 3. Given two months away from the races, the Brian Lynch trainee tried sprinting on the turf...

Bill and Donna Shively's connection with Lush Lips (GB) has come full circle at Keeneland. Six months after falling for the daughter of Ten Sovereigns (Ire) during last year's Fall Meet, the owners of Dixiana Farms are hoping the star filly can help deliver their first Grade I victory as owners in Saturday's GI Jenny Wiley Stakes. Dixiana Farm is a long-time sponsor of Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes. In the paddock ahead of last year's race, the Shivelys singled out Lush Lips as the physical standout...

2nd-GP, $68k, Msw, 3yo, f, 5fT, post time: 1:21 p.m. ET CODE (Tiz the Law) gets her career underway here for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm, who teamed to race her 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard half-brother Locked (Gun Runner) to six wins from 11 starts, including a blowout success in the 2025 GI Santa Anita Handicap. Unsold on a bid of $245,000 as a foal at Fasig-Tipton November in 2023, the Mar. 13 foal is out of a winning daughter of SW & GSP Gabriellina Giof (GB)...

Keeneland Race Course and Maker's Mark have partnered for the third bottle in the "Greats of the Gate" 10-year commemorative bottle series celebrating Thoroughbred racing's most iconic horses. Proceeds from each year's limited-edition bottle benefit nonprofits that support Kentucky's horse racing industry and vibrant culture of hospitality and the arts. The 2026 beneficiaries include Kentucky Classic Arts, Kentucky Harvest, Kentucky Arts Center of the Bluegrass and Blue Grass Farms Charities. The limited-edition bottles will arrive on shelves April 16. Available exclusively at select Kentucky retailers that sell Maker's Mark, the...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Heading (Starspangledbanner) at Keeneland. Starspangledbanner Colt Triumphs At Keeneland Gainesway homebred Heading trotted up a 4 1/2-length winner on Keeneland's opening day (video). The Starspangledbanner colt is trained by Graham Motion and was making his fourth start, second in America. The first foal out of South African champion three-year-old filly and older mare Celtic Sea (Captain Al), the former Andrew Balding-trained colt is...

East Jabip (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) belied debut odds of just over 9-1 to take a field of Gulfstream maidens gate to wire on one-mile debut Feb. 26 and was the 18-5 second choice stepping up to face winners for the first time in a first-level allowance at Keeneland on Thursday. Away alertly from gate four, the €36,000 Goffs Orby purchase prompted a strong early pace before easing into the box seat for the run down the back straight. Continuing to ride the rails into the turn, East Jabip came off...