Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. celebrates his first Toyota Blue Grass Stakes win aboard Art Collector in 2020. Campaigned by Bruce Lunsford, Art Collector won multiple graded stakes before claiming the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes in 2023. He…
Jockey Bill Shoemaker pilots Arts and Letters to a commanding 15-length Blue Grass Stakes victory in 1969. Campaigned by Rokeby Stables, Arts and Letters gave Shoemaker his fifth Blue Grass win. The Hall of Fame jockey would claim a sixth victory in…
John Velazquez pilots Carpe Diem to victory in the 2015 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. The win gave the Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez his second victory in Keeneland's signature Spring Meet race. Velazquez rode Todd Pletcher trainee Bandini to the…
Chief's Crown and jockey Don MacBeth run in the 1985 Blue Grass Stakes. The son of Danzig later finished third behind Spend A Buck in the Kentucky Derby next out.
Future Hall of Famer Coaltown, N.L. Pierson up, at the finish of the 1948 Blue Grass Stakes. Named Horse of the Year in 1949, Coaltown posted a record of 12-3-0 from 15 starts.
Dust Commander, Mike Manganello up, after their 1970 Blue Grass Stakes win. Sent off at 35-1 odds on a sloppy track, Dust Commander edged out the competition to claim the Blue Grass in his third start at Keeneland that spring. The Derby was the…
Dust Commander, unknown exercise rider up, works at Keeneland ahead of 1970 Blue Grass Stakes. After his first place finish at the Blue Grass, Dust Commander would repeat with a first place finish at the Kentucky Derby.
This photograph captures a 1967 trophy presentation at Keeneland. On the far left is Thoroughbred trainer, E.L. Cotton. Second from the left is Alma Headley Haggin, wife of former Keeneland President Louis Lee Haggin II.