Keeneland Fall Meet’s 22 Stakes Worth Record $10.85 Million

LEXINGTON, KY (July 10, 2025) – 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 40^th 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 42^nd 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.

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Public ticket sales for the Fall Meet will begin Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 9 a.m. ET. For more information, visit tickets.keeneland.com.

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Keeneland 2025 Fall Meet Stakes Schedule: Oct. 3-25

*Breeders’ Cup Challenge stakes.

**Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. All KTDF purse allotments are subject to approval of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.

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Since its first race meet 89 years ago, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts five on-site sales a year, in January, April, September and November. Graduates of Keeneland sales dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Keeneland will host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2026 for the fourth time, following 2015, 2020 and 2022. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research, and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institution with the mission of preserving information about the Thoroughbred industry. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.

For more information email Keeneland Communications Associate Amy Owens at aowens@keeneland.com