Day by day of the yr is a part of Kentucky Derby season for horse racing followers within the Bluegrass State, however anticipation for the game’s greatest occasion actually picks up every spring when Keeneland Race Course in Lexington kicks off its April meet with a gap weekend highlighted by the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
This yr, the thrill is increased than ordinary because the Blue Grass, a key prep race for 3-year-olds in pursuit of the Triple Crown, celebrates its 100th operating.
The Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes awards qualifying factors for the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve on a 100-50-25-15-10 foundation to the highest 5 finishers. Twenty-three horses popping out of the Blue Grass have gained the Derby, together with such champions as Whirlaway, Chateaugay, Northern Dancer, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid, Alysheba, Unbridled, and Thunder Gulch. Road Sense in 2007 was the final horse to run within the Blue Grass Stakes after which win the Kentucky Derby, ending second at Keeneland earlier than carrying the garland of roses at Churchill Downs.
Held at 1 1/8 miles, the 2024 Blue Grass drew a aggressive 11-horse area headlined by two gifted colts, Dornoch and Sierra Leone, that first competed final fall as 2-year-olds within the Remsen Stakes (with Dornoch profitable by a nostril) and have subsequently educated on to turn out to be top-rated contenders for the 150th Kentucky Derby Could 4.
The Blue Grass Stakes has a scheduled submit time of 5:52 p.m. ET. It is going to be televised dwell on FanDuel TV and shall be replayed and analyzed by NBC Sports activities’ horse racing staff throughout a present beginning at 7 p.m. ET, airing on CNBC and streaming on Peacock.
Learn on for details about all the Blue Grass Stakes starters.
1. Prime Conor (15-1 morning-line odds)
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Coach: Chad Brown
Proprietor: Flanagan Racing
Profession file: 1 begin – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $42,000
Earnings per begin: $42,000
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 79
Kentucky Derby factors: 0
Pedigree: Twirling Sweet – Divine Daybreak, by Divine Park
Colour: Grey or roan
Working fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: The primary of three Blue Grass entrants educated by Chad Brown is ambitiously positioned at this Grade 1 stage coming off of only one profession begin. A $ 1 million buy final yr at age 2, Prime Conor didn’t make his first look on the racetrack till Feb. 17, when he gained a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park. In that race, he stalked the tempo whereas fourth via the primary half-mile in an 11-horse area after which took over in midstretch to attain by two lengths. Prime Conor drifted out, then in, throughout his rally which actually is no surprise for a colt in his first outing, and earned a 79 Equibase Pace Determine for his last time of 1:38.22. These credentials make Prime Conor a longshot in a renewal of the Blue Grass Stakes the place his graded stakes-winning stablemate Sierra Leone is tabbed the morning-line favourite. He’s acquired a pedigree that means one-mile races may very well be his choice going ahead, and clearly he has a lot potential to be fulfilled in future races, however it could be a shock to see him make a quantum leap on Saturday and hit the board within the Blue Grass. Prime Conor retains the companies of prime jockey Jose Ortiz within the saddle after Ortiz rode him in his maiden win. Ortiz gained the 2018 Blue Grass for Chad Brown on Good Magic, and Brown additionally gained the 2022 version with Zandon.
2. Be You (8-1)
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Coach: Todd Pletcher
Proprietor: Repole Steady
Profession file: 6 begins – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third
Profession earnings: $121,300
Earnings per begin: $20,217
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 99
Kentucky Derby factors: 3
Pedigree: Curlin – Jacaranda, by Congrats
Colour: Chestnut
Working fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Proprietor Mike Repole has not less than one Kentucky Derby contender already certified and primed for the race in Fierceness, dominant winner of final week’s Curlin Florida Derby Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa. This well-bred colt truly joined Fierceness and a handful of different 2-year-olds as horses to observe throughout final summer season’s Saratoga meet when he completed second in his debut going six furlongs in August after which fourth within the seven-furlong Hopeful Stakes in September. In his first race, Be You misplaced to Simply Metal, who’s educated on to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Within the Hopeful, he checked in behind one other completed colt, runner-up Timberlake, after enduring a tough journey. Be You continued to compete in opposition to top-caliber horses in his third begin, delivery west and ending third behind current Arkansas Derby winner Muth within the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park in October, however then declined in kind over the winter, ending a well-beaten fifth twice in begins at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park. On March 3 at Gulfstream, Be You broke via together with his first win in profession begin quantity six, rallying from a stalking place to win a seven-furlong race by 2 ½ lengths. With time practically having run out, Be You’s pointed towards one last attempt at securing a Kentucky Derby spot, and he’ll want to complete first or second within the Blue Grass to take action. He’s bred to run lengthy however has not threatened in his two prior route races, and based mostly on his operating fashion will want a quick early tempo to develop with a purpose to have any likelihood at filling out the exacta. On the optimistic aspect, Be You will get Irad Ortiz Jr. again within the saddle after the reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey was aboard for his breakthrough win final month. Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher grew to become the all-time chief in wins for this race final yr when Tapit Trice gave him a fourth victory as a coach; his prior ones got here with Bandini (2005), Monba (2008), and Carpe Diem (2015).
3. Seize the Gray (20-1)
Jockey: Nik Juarez
Coach: D. Wayne Lukas
Proprietor: MyRacehorse
Profession file: 7 begins – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $259,138
Earnings per begin: $37,020
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 93
Kentucky Derby factors: 27
Pedigree: Arrogate – Good Procuring, by Good Strike
Colour: Grey or roan
Working fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Corridor of Fame coach D. Wayne Lukas has already secured one spot within the 150th Kentucky Derby barring any coaching setback with Simply Metal, who completed second in final week’s Arkansas Derby. “The Coach” has not had a Derby starter since Bravazo in 2018, and Simply Metal may give him his 50th all-time … however why cease at one starter? This colt is wheeling again two weeks after ending an excellent third within the Jeff Ruby Steaks for one last attempt in a Derby factors prep. Seize the Gray has improved in his two begins at age 3 after a good however unspectacular file via 5 begins final yr as a juvenile. He made his sophomore debut Feb. 24 in a 1 1/16-mile, two-turn allowance-optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park and gained by a size, after which transferred that kind properly to the all-weather monitor at Turfway Park the place, as famous, he completed third within the Jeff Ruby. He was 4 lengths behind runaway winner Endlessly (a a number of stakes winner on turf and all-weather) however was a part of a four-horse photograph for second and was a head behind the runner-up West Saratoga. Seize the Gray will return to a dust monitor Saturday, which he most likely prefers based mostly on his profession file, and though his Equibase Pace Figures have topped out about 10-15 factors under what is going to very possible be wanted to win this Grade 1 race, his improvement thus far in 2024 has been encouraging. Taking one other step on that path may assist this longshot safe second or third – the previous would punch his ticket to Louisville, whereas the latter would put him on the borderline of getting in. Lukas has two prior wins within the Blue Grass on his résumé: Conflict in 1987 and Excessive Yield in 2000.
4. Dornoch (3-1)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Coach: Danny Gargan
House owners: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Steady, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables
Profession file: 5 begins – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $505,400
Earnings per begin: $101,080
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 102
Kentucky Derby factors: 60
Pedigree: Good Magic – Puca, by Huge Brown
Colour: Bay
Working fashion: Pacesetter/press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Dornoch has saved his standing as one of many handful of main contenders for the Kentucky Derby since December’s Remsen Stakes, and he’ll most likely vie for post-time favoritism within the Blue Grass with the horse he defeated by a nostril in that race, Sierra Leone. This colt, who’s a full brother (similar sire [father] and dam [mother]) to final yr’s Kentucky Derby winner Mage, relies in Florida however made his first 4 begins final yr at completely different tracks away from the Sunshine State. Actually, he notched his first profession win again in October at Keeneland in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race, which preceded his sport stakes victory over Sierra Leone within the Remsen at Aqueduct. After spending the winter at Palm Meadows Coaching Middle in Florida, Dornoch returned for his 3-year-old bow at close by Gulfstream Park within the March 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes held at 1 1/16 miles and simply defeated 4 opponents, profitable by 1 ¾ lengths. As a substitute of staying house for the Curlin Florida Derby Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm at Xalapa, Dornoch’s connections selected to ship him again to Keeneland and use the Blue Grass as his last prep. That call seems to be like the precise one based mostly on Fierceness’ dominant win within the Florida Derby, though Dornoch will nonetheless face a troublesome area on Saturday. He didn’t defeat any extremely rated Kentucky Derby prospects within the Fountain of Youth (three horses have been scratched, together with major opponent Locked), and in reality all 4 of his vanquished foes didn’t make an impression of their subsequent Derby preps. Nonetheless, Dornoch has each proper to enhance in his second begin of the season and on a monitor he’s aware of. Dornoch additionally initiatives to contest the early tempo within the Blue Grass, with attainable stress from Epic Trip, Only a Contact, and Good Cash, and this colt has already proven he won’t again down from a problem within the stretch. Jockey Luis Saez has ridden Dornoch in his previous three races, beginning with the win final fall at Keeneland, and he’s gained the Blue Grass 3 times aboard Brody’s Trigger (2016), Important High quality (2021), and Tapit Trice final yr.
5. Good Cash (20-1)
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Coach: Chad Brown
Proprietor: Calumet Farm
Profession file: 2 begins – 1 win – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $36,060
Earnings per begin: $18,030
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 82
Kentucky Derby factors: 10
Pedigree: Good Magic – Cascading Money, by Distorted Humor
Colour: Bay
Working fashion: Press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: One other Chad Brown-trained Blue Grass starter, Good Cash is a longshot alongside Prime Conor and, like that colt, he’s proven promising expertise in his temporary profession. The son of Brown’s 2018 Blue Grass winner Good Magic made each prior begins at Tampa Bay Downs, profitable his debut at seven furlongs by a size on Jan. 26 after which testing deeper waters within the 1 1/16-mile Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby on March 9 and holding his personal with an in depth fourth-place end. Within the Tampa Bay Derby, Good Cash was aggressively ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and dueled for the lead with Sam F. Davis Stakes winner No Extra Time via the far flip. He didn’t throw within the towel in the course of the stretch however drained late to finish up three-quarters of a size behind Home Product, who proved finest in a three-horse photograph for first. Whereas Good Cash’s effort within the Tampa Bay Derby was admirable, fractions and last time for the race have been very sluggish, and he earned a modest 82 Equibase Pace Determine. A repeat of that efficiency won’t lower it within the Blue Grass Stakes, and general this colt – who comes from the household of Belmont Stakes winners Rags to Riches and Jazil – profiles as a contender for minor honors as he continues to mature with hopefully greater accomplishments forward. Corridor of Famer Javier Castellano takes the mount on Good Cash for the primary time Saturday; he gained the 2019 Blue Grass aboard Vekoma. Calumet Farm is the all-time main proprietor for wins within the Blue Grass Stakes with six, and all of these got here within the 20th century when the historic operation was owned by the Wright household versus present proprietor Brad Kelley.
6. Only a Contact (7-2)
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Coach: Brad Cox
House owners: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing, and Marc Detampel
Profession file: 2 begins – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $94,200
Earnings per begin: $47,100
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 100
Kentucky Derby factors: 25
Pedigree: Justify – Touching Magnificence, by Tapit
Colour: Bay
Working fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Sierra Leone and Dornoch are the headliners in Saturday’s 100th Blue Grass Stakes based mostly on their standing as graded stakes winners (and their budding rivalry), however this colt is true there with them as a win candidate, and his 7-2 morning-line odds mirror that. Only a Contact turned heads again on Jan. 27 when debuting in a six-furlong dash at Honest Grounds, routing seven opponents by 4 ¼ lengths whereas operating on a sloppy monitor. Coach Brad Cox then shipped him to Aqueduct and stretched him out to a mile (nonetheless round one flip) within the Gotham Stakes on March 2, and Only a Contact raced extensive all through after breaking from an out of doors submit place however nonetheless managed to run on within the stretch and rally for second, two lengths behind Deterministic. Primarily based on pedigree, this son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify ought to desire racing in two-turn routes, and he’ll get that chance within the Blue Grass Stakes together with a quick filth monitor for the primary time based mostly on the projected climate forecast as of April 2. His Equibase Pace Figures are already among the many finest on this area and he doesn’t must take an enormous leap in improvement to contend for prime honors with common rider Florent Geroux aboard, and drawing a greater submit place also needs to assist his possibilities. Search for Geroux to place Only a Contact throughout the prime two or three runners via the backstretch, and probably take the initiative even sooner than that and transfer to the lead if the chance arises. Cox gained the 2021 Blue Grass with Important High quality.
7. Lat Lengthy (30-1)
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Coach: Ken McPeek
Proprietor: Strolling L Thoroughbreds
Profession file: 6 begins – 1 win – 1 second – 4 thirds
Profession earnings: $143,750
Earnings per begin: $23,958
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 88
Kentucky Derby factors: 6
Pedigree: Liam’s Map – Amen Sista, by Road Cry
Colour: Darkish bay or brown
Working fashion: Stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: This Liam’s Map colt has not raced since ending third within the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte Stakes at Honest Grounds and incomes six qualifying factors for the Kentucky Derby. That was his first begin at age 3 after an energetic fall marketing campaign consisting of 5 begins. Lat Lengthy has not completed worse than third thus far, which is nice, and he improved on the finish of his 2-year-old season when stretching out to 2 turns by ending second to subsequent Lecomte winner Monitor Phantom after which profitable his maiden over eventual Insurgent Stakes runner-up Frequent Protection in 1 1/16-mile races at Churchill Downs. However he’s additionally earned Equibase Pace Figures between 85 and 88 in all of his begins, a plateau that’s far under (15-20 factors) what shall be required to win the Blue Grass Stakes. Because the Lecomte, Lat Lengthy educated at Honest Grounds after which shipped to Churchill Downs for one last exercise on March 31, a four-furlong drill in :46.40 that was quickest of 41 horses that day on the distance. Even when he’s match and able to enhance in his second begin of the yr, the Blue Grass is a really robust task, and based mostly on the proof at hand a minor award is his ceiling. His connections actually demand respect, as coach Ken McPeek has two Blue Grass wins to his credit score with Harlan’s Vacation in 2002 and Java’s Conflict in 2013; jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. gained this race aboard Artwork Collector in 2020.
8. Epic Trip (20-1)
Jockey: Adam Beschizza
Coach: John Ennis
Proprietor: Welch Racing
Profession file: 4 begins – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $159,416
Earnings per begin: $39,854
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 100
Kentucky Derby factors: 10
Pedigree: Blame – Choose a Time, by Gio Ponti
Colour: Bay
Working fashion: Pacesetter/press the tempo
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Epic Trip shall be making his first begin on a dust monitor within the Blue Grass Stakes after competing on Turfway Park’s all-weather Tapeta Footings monitor in his first 4 races. He completed second by a neck in a six-furlong dash final December after which turned heads as one of the crucial promising 3-year-olds stabled at Turfway throughout January and February with back-to-back open-length wins in one other six-furlong maiden after which the one-mile, two-turn Leonatus Stakes. Primarily based on these efforts, Epic Trip was favored at 1.16-1 odds within the 1 1/16-mile John Battaglia Memorial Stakes March 3 at Turfway, and after stalking the tempo he took the lead on the prime of the stretch solely to be overtaken by Encino rallying to his outdoors. The Blame colt didn’t give up, nonetheless, and ended up second by a size, and he has since moved south from Turfway for exercises on filth at Keeneland and the close by Thoroughbred Coaching Middle. Epic Trip is bred for stamina with stakes-winning kin in route races each on filth and turf, however he’ll must deal with the change to filth together with a considerably increased stage of competitors with a purpose to have a shot at pulling the upset Saturday.
9. Mugatu (30-1)
Jockey: Joe Talamo
Coach: Jeff Engler
House owners: Common Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells
Profession file: 11 begins – 1 win – 1 second – 3 thirds
Profession earnings: $56,663
Earnings per begin: $5,151
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 92
Kentucky Derby factors: 4
Pedigree: Blofeld – Union Approach, by Union Rags
Colour: Chestnut
Working fashion: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Mugatu has an excellent likelihood to hold the very best post-time odds within the Blue Grass Stakes coming into the Grade 1 check with a file of 1 win in 11 begins. He’s made 9 of these on both turf or all-weather surfaces, together with a late-running fourth within the 1 1/16-mile John Battaglia Memorial Stakes March 2 on Turfway Park’s Tapeta Footings monitor that netted him 4 Kentucky Derby qualifying factors. Mugatu completed effectively again of Battaglia winner Encino and runner-up Epic Trip at odds of 68.36-1, and adopted the Battaglia up with an eighth-place end within the March 23 Rushaway Stakes, additionally held at 1 1/16 miles on Turfway’s all-weather monitor. He did submit the 2 highest Equibase Pace Figures of his profession within the abovementioned Turfway stakes – 88 within the Battaglia, and 92 within the Rushaway – that are nonetheless distant from the 105-110 vary that the majority Blue Grass winners earn. In his two filth begins, each final yr, Mugatu has completed a mixed 26 lengths out of first. Add these credentials up, and even ending fifth on Saturday and including 10 extra Derby factors to his ledger appears far-fetched.
10. Sierra Leone (2-1)
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Coach: Chad Brown
House owners: Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook Smith
Profession file: 3 begins – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $336,750
Earnings per begin: $112,250
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 99
Kentucky Derby factors: 55
Pedigree: Gun Runner – Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon
Colour: Darkish bay or brown
Working fashion: Nearer
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: Via solely three begins, Sierra Leone has lived as much as excessive expectations courting again to his 2022 buy for $2.3 million as a yearling on the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of chosen yearlings. The well-bred Gun Runner colt gained his debut racing a mile final November, after which in his subsequent begin confirmed inexperience after taking the lead from Dornoch in midstretch of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes, easing up simply sufficient within the last strides to let that opponent re-rally and prevail by a nostril. Sierra Leone returned for his 3-year-old debut in a stacked renewal of the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star Stakes Feb. 17 at Honest Grounds, and needed to fan 10-wide on the prime of the stretch for a closing rally. Impressively, he made a sustained cost in the midst of a muddy monitor via Honest Grounds’ lengthy stretch and defeated pacesetter Monitor Phantom, who entered the Risen Star off of two stakes wins at Honest Grounds, by a half-length. The Risen Star has proved a productive Derby prep, as third-place finisher Catching Freedom and fifth-place Honor Marie each improved subsequent out within the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby to complete first and second, respectively. When assessing the tempo situation for the Blue Grass, this area has a combination of horses which might be able to being forwardly positioned nevertheless it lacks a full-out speedball. Due to this fact, it’s throughout the realm of risk that the general tempo Saturday may very well be modest, which is able to damage Sierra Leone’s win possibilities as a more in-depth. He’s removed from a lock because the morning-line favourite, however based mostly on his present kind it could be shocking to see this runner end worse than fourth Saturday … and with 55 Kentucky Derby factors already earned, ending fifth and including 10 factors ought to be ok to safe a spot within the Could 4 beginning gate. If he wins the Blue Grass, however, Sierra Leone most likely will head into Kentucky Derby week because the second betting favourite behind Fierceness.
11. Encino (12-1)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Coach: Brad Cox
Proprietor: Godolphin
Profession file: 3 begins – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Profession earnings: $142,715
Earnings per begin: $47,572
Prime Equibase Pace Determine: 100
Kentucky Derby factors: 20
Pedigree: Nyquist – Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini
Colour: Darkish bay or brown
Working fashion: Press the tempo/stalker
Notable achievements and attention-grabbing details: This Godolphin homebred faces the brand new floor query in Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes, and if he solutions within the affirmative he may turn out to be one of many main “wise-guy” horses for Kentucky Derby 150. He’s made all three profession begins on the all-weather Tapeta Footings floor at Turfway Park and is a neck shy of being undefeated. Encino’s loss got here in his debut Dec. 29 when he broke slowly and closed with a rush in a one-mile maiden race solely to return up simply brief. He returned in a 1 1/16-mile maiden Jan. 26 with a change in operating fashion and gained by a half-length after setting the tempo, after which reverted again to a stalking place in his stakes debut and impressively gained the 1 1/16-mile John Battaglia Stakes March 2 at Turfway by a size over fellow Turfway standout Epic Trip. Encino earned 20 qualifying factors for the Kentucky Derby within the Battaglia, so he’ll want to complete first or second within the Blue Grass to ensure that his connections to really feel safe about incomes a spot within the Kentucky Derby beginning gate. He’s actually bred to deal with filth as his dam is a half-sister (similar dam, completely different sire) to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Road Sense. Encino has made two posted exercises on Keeneland’s filth monitor for the reason that Battaglia to achieve expertise on the brand new footing and joins stablemate Only a Contact as two dwell contenders for coach Brad Cox to upset Dornoch and Sierra Leone in a well-matched race. Cox and Godolphin gained the 2021 Blue Grass with Important High quality. Flavien Prat rode 2022 Blue Grass winner Zandon.