Keeneland’s $1.25 Million Toyota Blue Grass Attracts Champion Citizen Bull among 133 Nominees

By Amy Owens —-

Keeneland’s $1.25 Million Toyota Blue Grass Attracts Champion Citizen Bull among 133 Nominees

LEXINGTON, KY (Feb. 20, 2025) — Keeneland’s 101st running of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on Saturday, April 5 has attracted 133 nominees – including champion Citizen Bull – to the iconic springtime fixture for 3-year-olds. With a $250,000 purse increase this year, the Toyota Blue Grass joins the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) as Keeneland’s two $1.25 million races, which are the richest in track history. The Coolmore Turf Mile reached that level during the 2024 Fall Meet.

“Keeneland is proud of the enhanced stature of the Toyota Blue Grass, and we thank the owners and trainers who have nominated another quality group of horses to the historic race,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “The Toyota Blue Grass has produced a long list of major winners, including 2024 winner Sierra Leone, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and become the champion 3-year-old male. We look forward to showcasing another exceptionally talented field of 3-year-olds for this year’s race.”

Run on the second day of Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet, the Toyota Blue Grass, held at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, is one of five graded stakes worth a combined $3.15 million on the 11-race card, which has a first post of 1 p.m. ET. Other stakes that day are the 24th running of the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1) for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs on the dirt; the 37th running of the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies racing 1 mile on the turf; the 29th running of the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 5½ furlongs on the turf; and the 38th running of the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going 7 furlongs on the dirt.

The Toyota Blue Grass is the 10th race with a tentative post time of 5:52 p.m. Every race during the Spring Meet will be streamed live and at no charge on Keeneland.com.

The winner of the Toyota Blue Grass will earn 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, while the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers receive 50, 25, 15 and 10 points, respectively.

In total, 18 of the top 20 point earners toward the 151st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 3 are nominated to the Toyota Blue Grass.

Citizen Bull, one of seven Toyota Blue Grass nominees trained by Bob Baffert, locked up his Eclipse Award with a front-running victory in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Topping the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, Citizen Bull opened his 2025 campaign with a victory in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 1.

A graduate of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale, Citizen Bull is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.

Baffert’s other nominees to the Toyota Blue Grass on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard include recent Sunland Park Derby (L) winner Getaway Car and Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Gaming. He also trains the undefeated nominee Barnes, winner of the San Vicente (G2) in his 2025 debut.

Additional Grade 1 winners among the Toyota Blue Grass nominees are East Avenue and Chancer McPatrick.

East Avenue, trained by Brendan Walsh, won the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland last fall. Chancer McPatrick, trained by three-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Chad Brown, took the Hopeful (G1) and the Champagne (G1) last year.

Other prominent Toyota Blue Grass nominees include Built, winner of the Gun Runner (L) and two times graded stakes-placed; Bullard, winner of the Bob Hope (G3) and third behind Barnes in the San Vicente; Burnham Square, winner of the Holy Bull (G3); Caldera, runner-up by a nose to Getaway Car in the Sunland Park Derby; Chunk of Gold, runner-up in the Risen Star (G2); Coal Battle, winner of the Remington Springboard Mile (L) and the Smarty Jones (L); Disco Time, winner of the Lecomte (G3); Ferocious, runner-up in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity; First Resort, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2); John Hancock, winner of the Sam F. Davis (L); Jonathan’s Way, winner of the Iroquois (G3) and runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club; Owen Almighty, runner-up in the Sam F. Davis and the Iroquois; Poster, winner of the Remsen (G2); Sandman, runner-up in the Southwest (G3); Sovereignty, winner of the Street Sense (G3); and Speed King, winner of the Southwest.

Brown, who won last year with Sierra Leone, and two-time winner Kenny McPeek are tied as the leading trainers by number of nominees to the Toyota Blue Grass with 12 each. They have one more than Brad Cox and Todd Pletcher and two more than D. Wayne Lukas.

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The late nomination deadline for the Toyota Blue Grass is Wednesday, March 19.

Post positions for the Toyota Blue Grass and all races on April 5 and April 6 will be drawn on Tuesday, April 1.

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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 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 hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 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.