Keeneland Opens Friday
The prestigious meeting at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky gets underway on Friday to begin the three-week meet. A total of 15 graded races will be held through April 29, with the G1 $750,000 Bluegrass Stakes on April 16 the top draw. The G1 $300,000 Maker’s Mark Mile is the previous day, while the G3 $300,000 Vinery Madison Stakes is Thursday, April 14.
The opening weekend feature is the G1 $400,000 Ashland Stakes, and a serious group of three-year-old misses are expected. Grade 2 queen Dancinginherdreams has been second in a pair of graded tries at Gulfstream and returns to the oval where she broke her maiden so emphatically. The John Ward trainee has a long stride and should be poised for a top showing in her third start of the year.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies third Delightful Mary had a useful prep win at Ocala to ready for this test and should be a factor from the outset having won twice on Polytrack. Leading three-year-old filly Kathmanblu passed up a few other races to land in this spot for McPeek, and the daughter of Bluegrass Cat comes in off of three wins in her last four tries. She will be especially tough with her usual performance.