Nitrogen scoring the Appalachian on the turf. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Keeneland Fall Meet Season Marks 40th Anniversary Of Turf Course
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – 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 from 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 (G1) 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 (G2), 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 on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
Three Win and You’re In events will be run Friday, Oct. 3: the $650,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) (NetJets Juvenile Fillies-G1), the $400,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) (Cygames Sprint-G1) and the $400,000 Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland Sales (John Deere Juvenile Fillies Turf-G1).
Saturday, Oct. 4 features five stakes, including these Win and You’re In races: the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) (FanDuel Mile-G1), the $650,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) (FanDuel Juvenile-G1) and the $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) (PNC Bank Filly and Mare Sprint-G1). Also being run are the $800,000 First Lady (G1) and the $400,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel.
Sunday of Fall Stars Weekend has two Win and You’re In races: the $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) (Distaff-G1) and the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) (Juvenile Turf-G1). The day’s third stakes is the $300,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select.
Stakes action for the second weekend of the Fall Meet kicks off with the aforementioned Sycamore on Friday, Oct. 10. The next day features the $800,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, an internationally recognized invitational for 3-year-old fillies racing 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The $400,000 Franklin (G2) will be run Sunday, Oct. 12.
Stakes on the third week are the $400,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) and the $350,000 Perryville (G3) on Saturday, Oct. 18 and the $350,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) on Sunday, Oct. 19.
Stakes action on the final week of the Fall Meet begins Friday, Oct. 24 with the $400,000 Bank of America Valley View (G2) and the $250,000 Dean Dorton Myrtlewood.
Three stakes will be run closing day: the $600,000 Bryan Station (G3) on the turf along with the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G3) and the $250,000 Bowman Mill, both on the dirt.
Public ticket sales for the Fall Meet will begin Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 9 a.m. ET. For more information, visit tickets.keeneland.com.
Keeneland 2025 Fall Meet Stakes Schedule: Oct. 3-25
| Date | Stakes | KTDF Contribution to Purse** | Division | Distance |
| Oct. 3 | $650,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1)* | $150,000 | 2YO Fillies | 1 1/16 Miles |
| Oct. 3 | $400,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2)* | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up | 6 Furlongs |
| Oct. 3 | $400,000 Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland Sales* | $100,000 | 2YO Fillies | 1 1/16 Miles (T) |
| Oct. 4 | $1.25 Million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1)* | $250,000 | 3YOs & Up | 1 Mile (T) |
| Oct. 4 | $650,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1)* | $150,000 | 2YOs | 1 1/16 Miles |
| Oct. 4 | $800,000 First Lady (G1) | $150,000 | 3YOs & Up, F&M | 1 Mile (T) |
| Oct. 4 | $400,000 Thoroughbred Clubof America (G2)* | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up, F&M | 6 Furlongs |
| Oct. 4 | $400,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up | 5½ Furlongs (T) |
| Oct. 5 | $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1)* | $150,000 | 3YOs & Up, F&M | 1 1/8 Miles |
| Oct. 5 | $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2)* | $100,000 | 2YOs | 1 1/16 Miles (T) |
| Oct. 5 | $300,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select | $100,000 | 2YOs | 5½ Furlongs (T) |
| Oct. 10 | $400,000 Sycamore (G2) | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up | 1½ Miles (T) |
| Oct. 11 | $800,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presentedby Dixiana | $150,000 | 3YO Fillies(Invitation Only) | 1 1/8 Miles (T) |
| Oct. 12 | $400,000 Franklin (G2) | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up, F&M | 5½ Furlongs (T) |
| Oct. 18 | $400,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) | $100,000 | 3YO Fillies | 7 Furlongs |
| Oct. 18 | $350,000 Perryville (G3) | $100,000 | 3YOs | 7 Furlongs |
| Oct. 19 | $350,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up, F&M | 1½ Miles (T) |
| Oct. 24 | $400,000 Bank of America Valley View (G2) | $100,000 | 3YO Fillies | 1 Mile (T) |
| Oct. 24 | $250,000 Dean Dorton Myrtlewood | $75,000 | 2YO Fillies | 6 Furlongs |
| Oct. 25 | $600,000 Bryan Station (G3) | $100,000 | 3YOs | 1 Mile (T) |
| Oct. 25 | $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G3) | $100,000 | 3YOs & Up | 1 1/8 Miles |
| Oct. 25 | $250,000 Bowman Mill | $75,000 | 2YOs | 6 Furlongs |
*Breeders’ Cup Challenge stakes.
**Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. All KTDF purse allotments are subject to approval of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
