The Blue Grass Stakes, currently the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes due to sponsorship by the
Toyota Motor Corporation
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
, is a
horse race for 3-year-old
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
s held annually in April at
Keeneland Racecourse in
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...
. The race is run at miles on the dirt and currently offers a purse of $1,000,000. The Blue Grass Stakes was a Grade I event from 1974 (when grading was first introduced) through 1989 and again from 1999 to 2016.
It was a Grade II event from 2017 to 2021, and returned to a Grade I in 2022.
It was named for the
Bluegrass region of
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
, characterized by grass having bluish-green culms, which is known as the "heart" of the thoroughbred racing industry.
First run at the
Kentucky Association track in Lexington in 1911, the Blue Grass has, from its inception, served as an important prep for the
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...
. At the Lexington Association track, the Blue Grass was staged from 1911 through 1914 and from 1919 through 1926.
''Daily Racing Form'', 1945-06-02, Lexington Association's Blue Grass Stakes history
/ref> The race was revived at Keeneland
Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for ...
in the spring of 1937. In 1943–1944, the Blue Grass was renewed as a part of the Keeneland-at-Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...
meeting. In 1945, the Blue Grass was run as part of the Churchill Downs meeting. Today it is part of the Keeneland program.
From 2007 to 2014, the race was held on a synthetic "all-weather" surface. Otherwise, it has been run on a dirt surface.
Records (Keeneland)
Fastest Time: (at Current Distance of miles)
* 1:47.20 – Skip Away (1996)
Most wins by an owner
* 6 – Calumet Farm (1938, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1968, 1978)
Most wins by a jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
* 6 – Bill Shoemaker (1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1982)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 4 – Todd A. Pletcher (2005, 2008, 2015, 2023)
Winners
* 1951 – The race was made up of two heats. Sonic won the second heat but was disqualified and placed fourth.
Winners of the Lexington Association Blue Grass Stakes
See also
* Blue Grass Stakes "top three finishers" and starters
* Road to the Kentucky Derby
References
{{reflist
External links
Toyota Blue Grass Stakes official website
Keeneland official website
NTRA entry on Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
Keeneland horse races
Flat horse races for three-year-olds
Triple Crown Prep Races
Grade 2 stakes races in the United States
Graded stakes races in the United States
Recurring sporting events established in 1911
1911 establishments in Kentucky