Fall Star weekend begins this Friday at Keeneland racecourse

Fall Star weekend begins this Friday at Keenland racecourse

By TREY SMALLWOOD Backpage Editor

Keeneland’s fall meet is upon us. This Friday Keeneland will open its gates for its October race meet. The meet opens this Friday, Oct. 5, and continues through Saturday, Oct. 27. There are no races on Mondays or Tuesdays. Each day the gates open at 11 a.m. with first post occuring at 1:05 p.m. The opening weekend of each fall meet is called the Fall Stars Weekend. The meet this weekend will feature ten stakes races and nine Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events.

This weekend will be the best of horse racing anywhere in the country. These nine Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” events are all races that give automatic bids to the Breeder’s Cup: An event that hosts two days worth of races all at the competition level of the Kentucky Derby. Whether you go to Keeneland to have a good time or watch world class racing, you are in for a treat.

Grade 1 stakes action on Fall Stars Weekend begins opening day with the 67th running of the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades for 2–year–old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. A “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), the Darley Alcibiades drew 44 nominations. A horse expected to lead the pack if entered is Serengeti Empress, trained by Tom Amoss. Serengeti Empress won the Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill Downs by 19½ lengths on Sept. 15 at the Darley Alcibiades distance. Prior to that, she won the Ellis Park Debutante by 13½ lengths.

The multiple graded stakes winner Whitmore is nominated to the 166th running of the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix, a “Win and You’re In” race for $2 million TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Promises Fulfilled and Limousine Liberal are among the 23 nominees to the 6–furlong dirt test. In past years, Limousine Liberal has ran in this race and done quite well. Promises Fulfilled, a past Kentucky derby contender, is expected to be Limousine Liberal’s new challenger.

The 105th running of the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2–year–olds at 1 1/16 miles on dirt attracted 56 nominations. The race is a “Win and You’re In” test for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

The third Grade 1 race on Oct. 6 is the 21st running of the $400,000 First Lady for fillies and mares going a mile on turf. Attracting 27 nominations, the First Lady is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1). Chad Brown trains four nominees, including Grade 1 winners A Raving Beauty (GER) and Off Limits (IRE) plus, Ballston Spa (G2) winner Quidura (GB) and multiple graded stakes winner, Rymska (FR).

Miss Sunset, trained by Jeff Bonde, tops a roster of 25 nominees to the 38th running of the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares going six furlongs on dirt. The race is a “Win and You’re In” dash for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).

The fifth Grade 1 event of Fall Stars Weekend is the 63rd running of the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 7, the Juddmonte Spinster is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). The Juddmonte Spinster drew 23 nominations headed by the nation’s top 3–year–old filly, Monomoy Girl, and Alabama (G1) winner, Eskimo Kisses.

Completing the Fall Stars Weekend lineup on Oct. 7 are two “Win and You’re In” races for 2–year–olds, the 28th running of the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) and the inaugural running of the $200,000 Indian Summer. The Dixiana Bourbon, which drew 54 nominations, is run at 1 1/16 miles on turf and is a “Win and You’re In” for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Heading the nominees is Opry, winner of the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga, undefeated Kentucky Downs Juvenile winner, Henley’s Joy, and Del Mar Juvenile Turf winner King of Speed.