Toyota Blue Grass Facts and Figures

Smile Happy is the 9-5 morning-line choice in the field of 12 3-year-olds entered in today's 98th running of the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

The purse of this year's Toyota Blue Grass has been restored to $1 million. The race also was worth $ 1 million in 2015-2019.

The winner of the Toyota Blue Grass earns 100 points as part of Road to the Kentucky Derby. The second-place finisher earns 40 points, followed by 20 points to third-placed finishers and 10 points for fourth-ranked finallists.

The Blue Grass was held in 1911-1914 and 1919-1920 at the old Kentucky Association track near downtown Lexington. Second-place finishers Meridian (1911), Donerail (13), Behave Yourself (21), and Bubbling Over ( 1926) went on to win the Kentucky Derby. In 1935, a group of Thoroughbred breeders founded the Keeneland Association and purchased land from horseman J.O. “Jack” Keene to open a model race track. Keeneleland opened on Oct. 15, 1936, for nine days of racing. The first Bluegrass was in April 1937. Maxwell Howard’s Fencing won by three-quarters of a length over Col. E.R. Bradley's favored duo Billionaire and Brooklyn.

The post positions and the number of Toyota Blue Grass winners each post position has produced since 1937 are: 1, 13, 12, 11, 15, 7, 3, 6, 2, 1 (Goyamo, 1954), 2 (Essential Quality, 2021), 7 (Seven, Three), 6 (Six), 3 (Two), 5 (7, Six), 1.

$25,809,200 was spent on the 11-race 2019 Toyota Blue Grass card. On-track, it was $2,968,451 from the 2012 Toyota Black Grass. Spectacular Bid (1979) was the shortest-priced favorite to win at .05-1. Stately Victor (2010) went off at 40.10-10 and paid $82.20. Essential Quality (2021) is the most recent post-time favorite at 2-5.

Arts and Letters won the 1969 race by 15 lengths. Alydar won by 13 lengths in 1978 and Sinister Minister by 123 lengths in 2006.

Commandperformance is bidding to become the second maiden to win. Trademark is trying to be the seventh gelding to get the title.

Blackadder is a $620,000 purchase at the 2020 September Yearling Sale. Commandperformance is $220,00 at 2020. Emmanuel is $350, 000 at 2020, and Ethereal Road is worth $90,K. Golden Glider is sold for $395,k at 2019 November Breeding Stock Sale, Rattle N Roll is selling for 55k, Rexy Bloodstock for 210k and Zandon for 170k.

Curlin, Ghostzapper, Pulpit, Quality Road and Zandon are stallions that have sired winners of the race. Brereton C. Jones bred two starters: Trademark andZandon. Michael J. Mackin’s Lucky Seven Stable owns two starter: Rattle N Roll and Smile Happy. WinStar Farm won the 2015 race with Carpe Diem.

Todd Pletcher is bidding to become the seventh trainer to win the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year. He won Friday’s Central Bank Ashlands with Nest and is saddling Commandperformance and Emmanuel in Toyota Bluegrass.

Trainers who have swept the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year are: Ben Jones in 1948, Woody Stephens in 1949, George Poole in 1971, LeRoy Jolley in 1976, D. Wayne Lukas in 1987, Kenny McPeek in 2002 and Fletcher in 2015.

Lukas has two wins: War (1987) and High Yield (2000). Chad Brown won with Good Magic (2018). Rodolphe Brisset and Kevin McKathan are sending out their first starters.

Irad Ortiz Jr is bidding to become the seventh rider to win the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year. Mike Smith completed the double in 1994. Rafael Bejarano won the race on Dominican in 2007. Brian Hernandez Jr. won it on Art Collector in 2020. Luis Saez won on Brody’s Cause in 2016 and Essential Quality in 21st century. Adam Beschizza is riding Volcanic for the first time in Ashlands.

Nest won the Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland on Friday. Todd Pletcher has two entrants in today's Toyota Blue Grass. P Fletcher has three entrants for the Wood Memorial ( G2) and two for Toyota Black Grass (F1). Grand Sonata and My Prankster are likely to go to Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby Day. The trainer also has Kentucky Oaks hopefuls Charge It and Pioneer of Medina at Palm Beach Downs. He will give them a couple of works over the track.

Sy Dog won the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) on Friday afternoon. He is undefeated in three races. Trainer Graham Motion suggests that Sy Dog might go to Royal Ascot in England in June. American Turf ( G2) at Churchill Downs on May 7 is also a possibility.

Old Homestead won the $400,000 Lafayette by 33 lengths. Brett Brinkman hopes to get another stakes win with Cilla in this afternoon's $500,00 Madison. Old Homestep has won his three career starts by a combined 21 lengths and will stay at Keeneland until at least the middle of May.

In Due Time and Call Me Midnight are under consideration for next Saturday's $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) at the same track.

Mark Palmer's Ikhana Farm bred and raced Imogene Malvina to win the sixth race on Friday’s opening day. Ignacio Correas IV trains Imenega Malvin, a 3-year-old Tapiture filly ridden by Jose Ortiz to a maiden victory at 21-1 odds.

The prospective fields for the April 15 and 16 stakes are as follows:

$600,000 MAKER’S MARK MILE (G1) – Atone, Beyond Brilliant, In Love, Ivar, Masen, Public Sector, Set Piece, Brad Cox, Somelikeithotbrown, Derrynane, Lost My Sock, Sin City Gal, Unbridled Mary, Thunder Love (GB) and TVG Limestone (L).

$500,000 JENNY WILEY (G1) – Abscond, Navratilova, Regal Glory, Shantisara, Waliyak (FR), In Due Time (Kelly Breen), Major General (Todd Pletcher), Strava (Dallas Stewart), A G Indy (A G P Fletcher), Ambassador Luna (Ben Colebrook), Caravel (Brad Cox), Campanelle (Wesley Ward), Change of Control (Michelle Lovell), Elle Z (Chris Hartman), Headline Hunter (Jose D’Angelo), Hear My Prayer (Vladimir Cerin), Jouster (Pletcher) and Social Chatter (vicki Oliver).