Keeneland’s 2026 Spring Meet ended Friday, closing a season distinguished by milestone achievements and standout performances. Fueled by record purses and a stretch of beautiful spring weather, the meet drew the sport’s leading owners, trainers, jockeys and horses to Keeneland for 15 days of vibrant, highly competitive racing that delivered thrilling moments at every turn.

“Spring at Keeneland always carries a certain energy, and this meet captured that spirit in every way,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “From the quality of the racing to the enthusiasm of our fans, it was a season that reflected the very best of what makes this place so special.  

“We were especially excited to welcome guests into the new Paddock Building for the first time. This is an important project for us, signifying our commitment to our fans and confidence in the future. To see the project come to life during the meet and to hear positive feedback from our patrons have been incredibly rewarding. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us for the races and made this Spring Meet very memorable.”

All-sources wagering (excluding whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) totaled $209,351,173 this Spring — an 8.65% increase over the total of $192,676,486 wagered during the 2025 Spring Meet. Average daily purses for the season set a Keeneland record of $1,379,520 while races averaged 8.3 starters per race. 

Opening weekend April 3-4 saw all-sources wagering of $42.1 million. Opening Saturday’s 11-race card, featuring five graded stakes, drew $25.5 million in wagering. 

“The Spring Meet is always a reminder that it takes an entire community to make something like this feel special,” said Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell. “You see it in the horses who show up ready to run, in the care and preparation from our trainers and horsemen and in the skill and determination of the jockeys in the saddle. We’re grateful to every connection who chose to be part of it, and to all those working behind the scenes who keep things moving each day. It’s something we’re proud to share with our fans, and we don’t take any of it for granted.” 

Spanning April 3-24, the season also was marked by the debut of the new Paddock Building, the interiors of which were unveiled to fans and patrons for the first time. Offering five new dining experiences, the space represents the culmination of more than two years of planning and development and is part of the largest capital construction in track history. 

New publicly ticketed dining experiences in the Paddock Building are:

• 1936 Room: Commemorating the year Keeneland opened for racing, the 1936 Room is an all-inclusive hospitality experience located on the north side. It features lounge seating, high-top tables, passed heavy hors d’oeuvres and premium bar service in a reception-style setting. Guests also enjoy an up-close view as jockeys passed through the room on their way to the Saddling Paddock before each race. 
• Sycamore Room: Named in honor of the iconic Sycamore tree that has stood in Keeneland’s Paddock area since racing began at the track, the Sycamore Room is on the south end adjacent to the new Stakes Winner’s Circle and offers a more traditional dining setting. 
• Dogwood Room: Inspired by Kentucky’s native flowering Dogwood tree found throughout Keeneland’s park-like grounds, the Dogwood Room is a spacious, second-floor venue that overlooks the Saddling Paddock, providing an ideal vantage point for viewing the pre-race action. 
• Ivy Room: Named for the creeping ivy that adorns Keeneland’s iconic limestone facades, the Ivy Room is an ideal setting for groups seeking traditional Keeneland dining. Located on the second floor, this space complements the Dogwood Room atmosphere and offerings. This space is designed for private group gatherings and is not included in public ticket offerings.
• The Rooftop: Located on the third floor, The Rooftop features two distinct spaces with sweeping views of the Paddock and the entire Keeneland campus: a fully enclosed premium indoor dining room and a covered outdoor space anchored by a focal bar and elegantly appointed patio seating. 

Strong wagering performance highlights successful season

Other wagering high points achieved during the Spring Meet include: 

• All-sources wagering for opening Saturday, April 4, which featured five graded stakes, reached $25,530,134 to rank as the eighth highest single-day all-sources handle in track history.
• On April 4, a Pick 3 record of $599,724.64 was set in Race 9, the Resolute Racing Madison (G1). 

Spring Meet horses point to Triple Crown season

The Spring Meet featured total purses of $21.8 million including 19 stakes races worth a record $9.55 million. Anchoring opening weekend were the 102nd running of the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and the 89th running of the Central Bank Ashland (G1), two premier spring tests for 3-year-olds on dirt. Each race offered 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively, with 100 qualifying points awarded to the winners toward their respective classics.

Hat Creek Racing’s Percy’s Bar made an immediate statement on opening day April 3 with a decisive 2¼-length score in the Central Bank Ashland, positioning herself second on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) leaderboard for trainer Ben Colebrook.

Further Ado delivered one of the meet’s most dominant performances, drawing off to an emphatic 11-length victory in the Toyota Blue Grass on April 4. Trained by Brad Cox and owned by Spendthrift Farm, the colt scored his first career win at Keeneland in October, trouncing the field in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight by an attention-grabbing 20 lengths. He exits the meet ranked second on the Kentucky Derby (G1) points leaderboard.

Additional racing highlights from the Spring Meet included: 

• Zulu Kingdom (IRE) captured the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) on April 10, earning a Keeneland Milestone Tray for co-owner Michael Dubb while also delivering a landmark 3,000th career victory for trainer Chad Brown.
• The Jenny Wiley (G1) on April 11 produced one of the meet’s most memorable finishes, as Expensive Queen (IRE) and Segesta hit the finish together in a thrilling dead heat to mark the first dead heat in a Keeneland Grade 1 race since 2014 and just the sixth dead heat in stakes company in track history.
• Whitham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Burnham Square, winner of last year’s Toyota Blue Grass on dirt, turned in a commanding performance on April 18, surging to a 9¾-length victory in the VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2) on turf.
• Midway Racing’s Trendsetter added to the meet’s momentum with a win in the Stonestreet Lexington (G3) on April 11. He was later supplemented to the Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale on closing day, April 24. 
• Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners each earned a Milestone Tray, with Barber’s My Boy Prince capturing the Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2) on April 4 and Eclipse Thoroughbred’s Speed Shopper taking the Bewitch (G3) Presented by Keeneland Sales April 24.

Here is the full list of stakes winners from the Spring Meet: 

Grade 1: Central Bank Ashland winner Percy’s Bar; Toyota Blue Grass winner Further Ado; Resolute Racing Madison winner Eclatant; Maker’s Mark Mile winner Zulu Kingdom (IRE); Jenny Wiley (G1) winners Expensive Queen (IRE) and Segesta. 

Grade 2: MiddleGround Capital Beaumont winner A Fine Chardonnay; Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association winner Storm’s Wake; Valvoline Global Shakertown winner My Boy Prince; Giant’s Causeway Presented by Keeneland Select winner In Our Time; Baird Doubledogdare winner Alpine Princess; VisitLEX Elkhorn winner Burnham Square.

Grade 3: UK Healthcare Transylvania winner Remember Mamba; Commonwealth winner Saudi Crown; FanDuel Limestone winner Slay the Day; Stonestreet Lexington winner Trendsetter; Ben Ali winner Stars and Stripes; Bewitch winner Speed Shopper.

Listed: Lafayette winner Trouble Calling; Palisades winner Reb Five.

Spring Meet leaders

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., trainer Brad Cox and owner Godolphin topped their respective categories by victories.

Ortiz successfully defended his 2025 Fall Meet title, earning leading rider honors at Keeneland for the third time with 22 wins, including one four-win day and three additional days with three wins apiece. He captured three stakes: the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on Further Ado, the Resolute Racing Madison (G1) on Eclatant; and the Baird Doubledogdare (G2) on Alpine Princess. All were trained by Brad Cox.  

Ortiz had five more wins than Flavien Prat (17) in second. They were followed by Luis Saez (15) and Ortiz’s brother Jose Ortiz (15 wins), who tied for third. 

The leading trainer title went to Cox, who recorded 17 wins from 43 starts, securing his ninth title as leading trainer. 

Wesley Ward notched his 300th Keeneland victory late on the card on closing day, April 24, when Three Chimneys Farms’ Gun Range captured the ninth race. With the milestone, Ward moves into third place all-time in Keeneland wins behind Rusty Arnold (315) and Bill Mott (314). Ward ranked second for the meet overall with 10 victories from 38 starters. 

Godolphin secured their seventh owner title, notching four wins to outpace owners. Juddmonte, 

C R K Stable, Calumet Farm, David Jacobson, Three Diamonds Farm, Novogratz Racing Stables, Baron Racing Stables, Chiefswood Stables, Flying Dutchmen, Ten Broeck Farm and Blue Bird Stables all registered two wins. 

Celebrating community through fun and philanthropy

During the season, Keeneland teamed with corporate and horse industry partners to offer special events that reflected the track’s historic mission to support the Central Kentucky community and the sport.

Highlighting these philanthropic initiatives were:

• Keeneland and Maker’s Mark® offered the third bottle in their Greats of the Gate commemorative bottle series celebrating Thoroughbred racing’s most iconic horses. This year’s bottle honors Racing Hall of Famer Northern Dancer, winner of the 1964 Blue Grass here. Proceeds benefit the nonprofits Kentucky Classic Arts, Kentucky Harvest, Art Center of the Bluegrass and Blue Grass Farms Charities.
• A record 8,300 full-time students representing more than 115 colleges and universities attended College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane’s End held Friday, April 10. Students had the opportunity to win one of ten $2,000 scholarships provided by Keeneland and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association or one of two $10,000 scholarships offered by Lane’s End Farm.
• Keeneland hosted more than 2,600 members of the military, first responders, health care workers and their families for Heroes Day on Sunday, April 12. Heroes and their families received free General Admission, a complimentary lunch in partnership with Jimmy John’s and access to special activities throughout the afternoon, highlighted by a flag rollout on the main track. 

• Members of the Keeneland jockey colony teamed with retired riders for an autograph session on Saturday, April 18 that raised $5,552 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). On the same day, Keeneland partnered with Hall of Fame riders, leading active jockeys and racing personalities to raise over $548,000 during the eighth annual PDJF Telethon Presented by Lane’s End. 
• From the “Love, Tito’s” program and in conjunction with the sales of the Tito’s Trifecta cocktail featured during the race meet, Tito’s Handmade Vodka is donating $10,000 to the Secretariat Center. The Secretariat Center is a non-profit organization that works to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for successful second careers.
• Keeneland and Country Boy Brewing of Lexington again teamed to produce Keeneland Lager. Country Boy Brewing and Kentucky Eagle donated $1 per case to support Blue Grass Farms Charities.  

2026 Keeneland Spring Meet at a Glance (April 3-24)

	Spring 2026	Spring 2025	% Change
All-Sources Handle on Keeneland	$209,351,173	$192,676,486	8.65%
Avg. Daily All-Sources Handle on Keeneland	$13,956,745	$12,845,099	8.65%
Total On-Track Handle	$17,091,630	$13,290,263	28.6%
Avg. Daily On-Track Handle	$1,139,442	$886,018	28.6%