Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Notes:
Multiple stakes winner and 2012 Canadian Horse of the Year candidate Uncaptured headlines Keeneland s G1 event, which offers 170 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the first four finishers. The Mark Casse trainee opened as the earliest Derby favorite last August at AllHorseRacing.ag and proved worthy while racking up a 6-1-0 record in 8 starts. His only stumble came in the G3 Grey S. at Woodbine last October when a disappointing 5 th -place finish derailed plans for the Breeders Cup Juvenile. He rebounded with back-to-back graded stakes victories under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs then had his 3-year-old season delayed with foot issues. When he finally returned Turfway Park s G3 Spiral S. on 3/23, he ran a terrific race in his first effort at 1 1/8m to finish 2 nd and should only improve off of that. He ll be joined in the gate by stablemate Dynamic Sky, a dual stakes hero and multiple stakes-placed colt who finished 2 nd over this course in the Breeders Futurity last October. He was a non-threatening 4 th behind Verrazano in the G3 Tampa Bay Derby last out. Java s War was 5 lengths in front of Dynamic Sky and only 3 lengths behind the winner when running 2 nd at Tampa, but he was 3 rd behind Dynamic Sky in the Breeders Futurity. Rydilluc, winner of the grassy G3 Palm Beach S. at Gulfstream Park on 3/3, joins Java s War as the 4/1 co-2 nd choice in the morning line behind Uncaptured s 7/2. He ll be going for his 4 th straight win as he switches from grass to synthetic. Charming Kitten was 2 nd behind Rydilluc as the Palm Beach favorite and won the Kitten s Joy S., named for his sire, on turf before that. Despite a next-to-last run in the G3 Spiral S. on Turfway Park s Polytrack last month, Balance the Books subs for stablemate Noble Tune here after training better over Keeneland s synthetic. He has 2 graded stakes grass wins and a 3 rd in the G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf. Fear the Kitten was gaining late in the Spiral but came up short in 5 th . He was claimed after winning his debut over this track last October. Palace Malice s connections try a Hail Mary to get their colt into the Run for the Roses after a troubled trip cost him all chance in the G2 Louisiana Derby two weeks ago. Undrafted is a graded stakes-placed sprinter who was made a late Triple Crown nominee by owner and NFL standout Wes Welker. My Name Is Michael failed as the favorite in the Spiral S. and loses pilot Joel Rosario to Dynamic Sky. Tesseron was a promising 2 nd in Uncaptured s Grey S. flop but was a dull 4 th in both starts since. West Hills Giant has only beaten fellow New York breds but is a stakes victor and ran 2 nd in the G3 Gotham S. at Aqueduct on 3/2. Channel Isle was sent to post at 32/1 in the Spiral and basically ran to his odds with a 7 th -place finish. He did show some late acceleration once clear of traffic. Maiden winner Footbridge ships in from California to try to punch his ticket to Louisville. AE Divine Ambition needs defections to get into the gate and is cross-entered in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade I horse race for 3-year-old thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. The horses participating have to cover a distance of 9 furlongs on the Polytrack. This grade I racing event is open to three year old American bred racing horses. It currently offers a purse value of US 750,000. It was named after Bluegrass region of Kentucky, characterized by grass having bluish-green shades, 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 race for the Kentucky Derby. At the Association track, the Blue Grass was staged from 1911 through 1914 and from 1919 through 1926. The race was revived at Keeneland in the spring of 1937. In 1943-1944, the Blue Grass was renewed as a part of the Keeneland-at-Churchill Downs meeting. In 1945, the Blue Grass was run as a part of the Churchill Downs meeting. Today it is part of the Keeneland program.

Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Past Winners

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Owner	Time
2013	Javas War	Kenneth McPeek	Julien Leparoux	Charles E. Fipke	1:50.27
2012	Dullahan	Dale Romans	Kent Desormeaux	Donegal Racing	1:47.94
2011	Brilliant Speed	Tom Albertrani	Joel Rosario	Live Oak Plantation	1:50.92
2010	Stately Victor	Michael J. Maker	Alan Garcia	F. Thomas & Jack Conway	01:48.7
2009	General Quarters	Thomas R. McCarthy	Eibar Coa	Thomas R. McCarthy	01:49.3
2008	Monba	Todd A. Pletcher	Edgar Prado	Starlight Stables et al	1:49.71
2007	Dominican	Darrin Miller	Rafael Bejarano	Silverton Hill LLC	01:51.3
2006	Sinister Minister	Bob Baffert	Garrett Gomez	Mercedes Stable et al.	01:48.9
2005	Bandini	Todd A. Pletcher	John R. Velazquez	Michael Tabor	01:48.9
2004	The Cliffs Edge	Nick Zito	Shane Sellers	Robert V. LaPenta	01:49.4
2003	Peace Rules	Robert J. Frankel	Edgar Prado	Edmund A. Gann	01:51.7
2002	Harlans Holiday	Ken McPeek	Edgar Prado	Starlight Stable	01:51.5
2001	Millennium Wind	David Hofmans	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	D & J Heerensperger	01:48.3
2000	High Yield	D. Wayne Lukas	Pat Day	Tabor/Lewis/Magnier	01:48.6
1999	Menifee	W. Elliott Walden	Pat Day	Hancock / Stone	01:48.6
1998	Halory Hunter	Nick Zito	Gary Stevens	Celtic Pride Stable	01:47.8
1997	Pulpit	Frank L. Brothers	Shane Sellers	Claiborne Farm	01:49.8
1996	Skip Away	Sonny Hine	Shane Sellers	Carolyn Hine	01:47.2
1995	Wild Syn	Thomas K. Arnemann	Randy Romero	Jurgen K. Arnemann	01:49.2
1994	Holy Bull	Warren A. Croll, Jr.	Mike E. Smith	Warren A. Croll, Jr.	01:50.0
1993	Prairie Bayou	Tom Bohannan	Mike E. Smith	Loblolly Stable	01:49.6
1992	Pistols and Roses	George Gianos	Jacinto Vasquez	Willis Family Stables	01:49.0
1991	Strike the Gold	Nick Zito	Chris Antley	BCC Stable	01:48.4
1990	Summer Squall	Neil J. Howard	Pat Day	Dogwood Stable	01:48.6
1989	Western Playboy	Harvey L. Vanier	Randy Romero	N. Vanier/R. Roncari	01:51.2
1988	Granacus	Pat Collins	Jacinto Vasquez	Steve A. Stavro	01:52.2
1987	War	D. Wayne Lukas	Herb McCauley	Tom Gentry	01:48.4
1986	Bachelor Beau	Philip Hauswald	Larry Melancon	R. A. Waterfield/J. B. Tafel	01:51.2
1985	Chiefs Crown	Roger Laurin	Don MacBeth	Star Crown Stable	01:47.6
1984	Taylors Special	William I. Mott	Pat Day	William F. Lucas	01:52.2
1983	Play Fellow	Harvey L. Vanier	Jean Cruguet	Vanier/Lauer/Victor	01:49.4
1982	Linkage	Henry S. Clark	Bill Shoemaker	Christiana Stable	01:48.0
1981	Proud Appeal	Stanley M. Hough	Jeffrey Fell	Gainesway Farm et al.	01:51.4
1980	Rockhill Native	Herbert K. Stevens	John Oldham	Harry A. Oak	01:50.0
1979	Spectacular Bid	Bud Delp	Ronnie Franklin	Hawksworth Farm	01:50.0
1978	Alydar	John M. Veitch	Jorge Velasquez	Calumet Farm	01:49.6
1977	For the Moment	LeRoy Jolley	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Gerald Robins	01:50.2
1976	Honest Pleasure	LeRoy Jolley	Braulio Baeza	Bertram R. Firestone	01:49.4
1975	Master Derby	Smiley Adams	Darrel McHargue	Golden Chance Farm	01:49.0
1974	Judger	Woody Stephens	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Seth W. Hancock	01:49.2
1973	My Gallant	Lou Goldfine	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Arthur I. Appleton	01:49.6
1972	Riva Ridge	Lucien Laurin	Ron Turcotte	Meadow Stable	01:49.6
1971	Impetuosity	George Poole	Eric Guerin	W. P. Rosso	01:49.4
1970	Dust Commander	Don Combs	Mike Manganello	Robert E. Lehmann	01:51.2
1969	Arts and Letters	J. Elliott Burch	Bill Shoemaker	Rokeby Stable	01:47.8
1968	Forward Pass	Henry Forrest	Ismael Valenzuela	Calumet Farm	01:47.8
1967	Diplomat Way	John O. Meaux	Johnny Sellers	Harvey Peltier	01:49.6
1966	Abes Hope	Del W. Carroll	Bill Shoemaker	Grand Prix Stable	01:49.2
1965	Lucky Debonair	Frank Catrone	Bill Shoemaker	Ada L. Rice	01:49.0
1964	Northern Dancer	Horatio Luro	Bill Hartack	Windfields Farm	01:49.8
1963	Chateaugay	James P. Conway	Braulio Baeza	Darby Dan Farm	01:48.0
1962	Ridan	LeRoy Jolley	Manuel Ycaza	Jolley/Woods/Greer	01:47.6
1961	Sherluck	Harold Young	Braulio Baeza	Jacob Sher	01:48.6
1960	Tompion	Robert Wheeler	Bill Shoemaker	C. V. Whitney	01:48.6
1959	Tomy Lee	Frank Childs	Bill Shoemaker	Fred Turner, Jr.	01:48.6
1958	Plion	Tom Jolley	David Erb	Edward Potter, Jr.	01:52.8
1957	Round Table	William Molter	Ralph Neves	Kerr Stable	01:47.4
1956	Toby B.	R. E. Wingfield	Robert L. Baird	Van Deren & Deming	01:51.0
1955	Racing Fool	Loyd Gentry, Jr.	Henry Moreno	Cain Hoy Stable	01:51.8
1954	Goyamo	Woody Stephens	Eddie Arcaro	Woodvale Farm	01:50.6
1953	Correspondent	Wally Dunn	Eddie Arcaro	Mrs. Gordon Guiberson	01:49.0
1952	Gushing Oil	Whitey Jansen	Steve Brooks	Sam E. Wilson, Jr.	01:52.4
1951	Ruhe	Robert McGarvey	Job Dean Jessop	Mrs. Emil Denemark	01:54.2
1951	Mameluke	Sylvester Veitch	Raymond Adair	C. V. Whitney	01:54.4
1950	Mr. Trouble	Sylvester Veitch	Douglas Dodson	C. V. Whitney	01:50.4
1949	Halt	Woody Stephens	Conn McCreary	Woodvale Farm	01:52.6
1948	Coaltown	Ben A. Jones	Newbold L. Pierson	Calumet Farm	01:49.2
1947	Faultless	Ben A. Jones	Douglas Dodson	Calumet Farm	01:51.2
1946	Lord Boswell	James W. Smith	Eddie Arcaro	Maine Chance Farm	01:51.6
1945	Darby Dieppe	Charles Gentry	Melvin Calvert	Mrs. W. G. Lewis	01:53.4
1944	Skytracer	Frank J. Baker	Mike Cafferella	Manuel B. Goff	01:52.6
1943	Ocean Wave	Ben A. Jones	Wendell Eads	Calumet Farm	01:53.8
1942	Shut Out	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Eddie Arcaro	Greentree Stable	01:52.4
1941	Out Boots	Steve Judge	Conn McCreary	Woodvale Farm	01:51.2
1940	Bimelech	Bill Hurley	Fred A. Smith	Edward R. Bradley	01:51.0
1939	Heather Broom	Earl Sande	Basil James	John Hay Whitney	01:54.2
1938	Bull Lea	Frank J. Kearns	Irving Anderson	Calumet Farm	01:49.6
1937	Fencing	Earl Sande	Jack Westrope	Maxwell Howard	01:57.2

Toyota Blue Grass Stakes Video