Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith’s Sierra Leone is the 2-1 morning line favorite among the 10 3-year-olds set to run in today’s 100^th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1). Post time for the race is 5:52 p.m.

Here is additional information about the Toyota Blue Grass to aid in your coverage:

TV and online coverage: Thanks to the Keeneland Livestream, fans can watch all Spring Meet races live and at no charge on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Race Day App, Keeneland Select and Keeneland’s YouTube channel. 

FanDuel TV begins live coverage of every Keeneland race day at noon. Today, FanDuel TV will have live exclusive coverage of the Toyota Blue Grass.

$1 million purse: The Toyota Blue Grass has been worth $1 million in 2015-2019 and since 2022.

Kentucky Derby points: The winner of the Toyota Blue Grass earns 100 points as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, a points-based system with a series of key races offering escalating points to determine which horses will compete in the 150^th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 4. 

The second-place finisher in the Toyota Blue Grass earns 50 points, followed by 25 points to the third-place finisher, 15 points to fourth-place finisher and 10 points to the fifth-place finisher.

History: The Blue Grass was named for the famous Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky and held in 1911-1914 and 1919-1926 at the old Kentucky Association track near downtown Lexington. Second-place finishers Meridian (1911), Donerail (1913) and Behave Yourself(1921) went on to win the Kentucky Derby. The 1926 winner, Bubbling Over, became the first horse to win the Blue Grass and the Kentucky Derby. 

With the closure of the Kentucky Association track, a group of prominent area Thoroughbred breeders went to work to return racing to Lexington. In 1935, they founded the Keeneland Association, purchased land from horseman J.O. “Jack” Keene and set out to open a model race track. Keeneland opened on Oct. 15, 1936, for nine days of racing. In April 1937, Keeneland held its inaugural Spring Meet of 11 days and ran the Blue Grass for the first time.

The winner of the first Blue Grass at Keeneland was Maxwell Howard’s Fencing, who won by three-quarters of a length over Col. E.R. Bradley’s favored duo of Billionaire and Brooklyn, who finished noses apart for second. Nine days later at Churchill Downs, Fencingand Billionaire raced back in the Kentucky Derby, inaugurating a pattern that future Derby hopefuls would follow.

Blue Grass-Kentucky Derby connection: Ten winners of the Blue Grass at Keeneland have won the Kentucky Derby. Nineteen horses who ran in the race at Keeneland returned to win the Derby.

Post positions: Here are the post positions and the number of Toyota Blue Grass winners each post position has produced since 1937 (the race was run in two divisions in 1951):

Post     No. of Winners
1          14 (Tapit Trice, 2023)
2          12 
3          11 
4          16 
5          11 
6          7

7          3

8          6
9          2
10        3 

11        2
12        0
13        1 (Goyamo, 1954)
14        0

Wagering records on Toyota Blue Grass Day: 
All-sources: $28,137,728 on the 11-race 2022 Toyota Blue Grass card. (All-time Keeneland record.)

On-track: $2,968,451 from the 2012 Toyota Blue Grass. (All-time record for the Spring Meet.)

Odds
Shortest-priced favorite to win: Spectacular Bid (1979), who went off at .05-1 (1-20). He paid $2.10.

Longest shot to win: Stately Victor (2010), who went off at 40.10-1. He paid $82.20.

Most recent post-time favorite to win: Tapit Trice, who won in 2023 at 8-5. 

Largest margin of victory: The largest margin of victory was turned in by Arts and Letters, who won the 1969 race by 15 lengths. He was followed by Alydar (13-length winner in 1978) and Sinister Minister (12¾-length winner in 2006). 

Track record for 1 1/8 miles: 1:47.75 set by 5-year-old Noble Bird when he won the Hagyard Fayette (G2) on Oct. 29, 2016.  

Keeneland sales graduates: Seven of the 11 entrants are alumni of Keeneland sales.

Be You, a $320,000 purchase at the 2022 September Yearling Sale. Consignor: Mill Ridge Sales, agent. Buyer: West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable.

Dornoch, a $325,000 purchase at the 2022 September Yearling Sale. Consignor: Runnymede Farm, agent. Buyer: Oracle Bloodstock, agent.

Epic Ride, a $160,000 purchase at the 2022 September Yearling Sale. Consignor: Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Buyer: Frank Alosa, agent for Welch Racing.

Good Money, a graduate of two sales. Offered as a weanling at the 2021 November Breeding Stock Sale. $100,000 purchase at the 2022 September Yearling Sale. Consignor: Eaton Sales, agent. Buyer: Calumet Farm.

Just a Touch was offered at the 2022 September Yearling Sale.

Lat Long is a graduate of two sales. $160,000 purchase as a weanling at the 2021 November Breeding Stock Sale. Consignor: Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Buyer: Brookstone Farm. $130,000 purchase at the 2022 September Yearling Sale. Consignor: St George Sales, agent. Buyer: Kenneth McPeek, agent for Walking L Thoroughbreds.

Top Conor, a $200,000 purchase at the September Yearling Sale. Consignor: Gainesway, agent. Buyer: Quarter Pole Enterprises. 

Pedigrees:

Curlin (sire of Be You) sired 2018 winner Good Magic. Good Magic is the sire of Dornoch and Good Money.

Owners:

Raymond A. Hill III’s R. A. Hill Stable (co-owner of Dornoch) co-owned 2019 winner Vekoma.

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith (members of the partnership that owns Sierra Leone) have won the race. Magnier and Tabor were partners in the ownership of 2000 winner High Yield (2000). Tabor and Smith raced Bandini (2005).

Breeders:

Alpha Delta Stables (Be You) bred Vekoma (2019).

Jamm Ltd. co-bred Monba (2008).

Trainers:
Todd Pletcher is bidding to become the seventh trainer to twice win the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year. He won Friday’s Central Bank Ashland (G1) with Leslie’s Rose and is sending out Be You in the Toyota Blue Grass.

Pletcher has four Blue Grass wins: Bandini (2005), Monba (2008), Carpe Diem (2015) and Tapit Trice (2023).

Six trainers have won the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year:

• Ben Jones in 1948 (Coaltown and Bewitch)
• Woody Stephens in 1949 (Halt and Tall Weeds) 
• George Poole in 1971 (Impetuosity and You All) 
• LeRoy Jolley in 1976 (Honest Pleasure and Optimistic Gal)
• D. Wayne Lukas in 1987 (War and Chic Shirine)
• Kenny McPeek in 2002 (Harlan’s Holiday and Take Charge Lady) 

Chad Brown (Sierra Leone) has two wins: Good Magic (2018) and Zandon (2022).

McPeek (Lat Long) has two wins: Harlan’s Holiday (2002) and Java’s War (2013). 

Lukas (Seize the Grey) has two wins: War (1987), High Yield (2000).

Brad Cox (Just a Touch) has one win: Essential Quality (2021).

Sending out their first starters are Jeff Engler (Mugatu) and Danny Gargan (Dornoch).

Jockeys:
Irad Ortiz Jr. is bidding to become the seventh rider to win the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year. He won Friday’s Central Bank Ashland on Leslie’s Hope and is riding Be You in the Toyota Blue Grass. 

Six jockeys have won the Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year:

• Eddie Arcaro in 1942 (Shut Out and The Swallow)
• N.L. Pierson in 1948 (Coaltown and Bewitch) 
• Conn McCreary in 1949 (Halt and Tall Weeds) 
• Braulio Baeza in 1976 (Honest Pleasure and Optimistic Gal) 
• Bill Shoemaker in 1982 (Linkage and Blush With Pride) 
• Mike Smith in 1994 (Holy Bull and Inside Information)

Luis Saez (Dornoch) has three wins: Brody’s Cause (2016), Essential Quality (2021) and Tapit Trice (2023)

Javier Castellano (Good Money) won on Vekoma (2019).

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Lat Long) won on Art Collector (2020).

Jose Ortiz (Top Conor) won on Good Magic (2018).

Riding in the race for the first time is Nik Juarez (Seize the Grey).