Keeneland Barn Notes — Friday, April 10

Posted On 11 Apr 2026

By Amy Owens —-

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 — COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP DAY
PRESENTED BY LANE’S END

The Spring Meet runs through Friday, April 24.
First post every day is 1 p.m. ET.

Click here for Keeneland’s 2026 Media Guide.

Click here for the Spring Meet stakes schedule, which includes links to the lists
of nominees for upcoming stakes and their past performances.

Every race during the Spring Meet will be streamed live and at no charge
on Keeneland.com and broadcast live on FanDuel TV.

Complimentary digital programs with Equibase past performances
Powered by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF)
are available to download by clicking here.

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GIN GIN AIMS TO GO BACK TO BACK IN BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE
FAMILY TIES RUN DEEP FOR FINCHER’S KEENELAND STAKES HOPEFULS
GOLDEN TEMPO WORKS 5 FURLONGS TOWARD ANTICIPATED KENTUCKY DERBY START
PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES
SECOND WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS
SPRING MEET LEADERS

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GIN GIN AIMS TO GO BACK TO BACK IN BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE

Calumet Farm’s homebred Gin Gin will seek to become the first horse to win the Baird Doubledogdare (G2) in consecutive years when she takes on seven rivals April 17 in the 31st running of the $400,000 race.

Run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the Baird Doubledogdare will go as the afternoon’s ninth race at 5:16 p.m. ET. The 10-race program begins at 1 p.m.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Gin Gin is perfect in two Keeneland starts and showed her readiness for the Baird Doubledogdare by working a best-of-59 half-mile in :46.80 Friday morning.

She romped by 5¼ lengths in this race last year at odds of 38-1 and came back during the Fall Meet to win the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at odds of 18-1 over future Eclipse Award winner Nitrogen.

Luis Saez, who was aboard for the Juddmonte Spinster victory, has the mount Friday from post 4.

The only horse to win the Doubledogdare twice was Jeano in 1992 and 1994.

Chief among Gin Gin’s rivals is Full of Run Racing II and Madaket Stables’ Alpine Princess.

Trained by Brad Cox, Alpine Princess won the Falls City (G3) at Churchill Downs to close her 2025 campaign. She was second in the Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream Park in February to open 2026. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 1.

FAMILY TIES RUN DEEP FOR FINCHER’S KEENELAND STAKES HOPEFULS

Rose’s Desert, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Desert God, has been solid producer of stakes winners for Joe Peacock’s family and trainer Todd Fincher for the past decade. The story will continue here in the coming days when her 3-year-old, The Hell We Did (by Authentic) goes postward in Saturday’s Stonestreet Lexington (G3) and her 5-year-old, Aye Candy (by Candy Ride-ARG) runs in the April 17 Baird Doubledogdare (G2).

“They are all big, hardy, strong horses except for Runaway Ghost,” Fincher said of Rose’s Desert’s progeny.

Rose’s Desert compiled a 15-10-5-0 racing record that included seven stakes victories. At the top of her progeny is Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador (by Mineshaft), who earned nearly $13 million and now stands at nearby Lane’s End.

Runaway Ghost (by Ghostzapper) is a Grade 3 winner and earner of nearly $800,000. Rose’s Desert also produced Sheriff Brown (by Curlin), who won three stakes and bankrolled more than $600,000; Our Iris Rose (by Ghostzapper), a stakes winner who earned more than $300,000; and stakes winner Rose A (by Hard Spun).

Rose’s Desert’s youngest foals are a 2-year-old filly named Eight Rose’s, a daughter of Into Mischief sold for $550,000 during Book 1 of the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and a yearling colt by Uncle Mo. She is expecting a foal by Gun Runner this year.

The Hell We Did and Aye Candy both made their last starts at Sunland Park in New Mexico.

The Hell We Did, who has won two of three races, is coming off a 13-length allowance victory there. The Stonestreet Lexington will mark his graded stakes debut and first race going more than 6 furlongs.

“We need to get him a stakes win,” Fincher said. “I am not worried about the two turns. The only concern is that he hasn’t done it before, but I know he wants distance. The more the better.”

The Hell We Did will exit post 7 under Luis Saez.

Aye Candy, who also will be making her graded stakes debut, won the 1-mile Harry Henson Stakes and the 5½-furlong Bold Ego Stakes at Sunland. She worked 5 furlongs in 1:03 Friday morning at Keeneland.

“That was a normal work for her when she is by herself,” Fincher said. “Johnny (Velazquez) did a good job and her last quarter was probably :23.”

Velazquez will ride Aye Candy in the Baird Doubledogdare and start from post 2.

GOLDEN TEMPO WORKS 5 FURLONGS
TOWARD ANTICIPATED KENTUCKY DERBY START

Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s homebred Golden Tempo continued his preparation for an expected start in the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve by working 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 over a fast track Friday morning at Keeneland.

(Click here for a video of the work.)

“I was very pleased with it,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said of the work in company with Double Entendre, a 3-year-old maiden. “It was a nice five-eighths — nice and relaxed.”

Owning a 4-2-0-2 record, Golden Tempo finished third in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 21 in his most recent start. He returned to the work tab here April 3 with a half-mile in :48.40.

DeVaux said Golden Tempo is scheduled to have his two final works for the Kentucky Derby at Keeneland before heading 75 miles west to Churchill Downs. All Kentucky Derby runners have to be at Churchill Downs by 11 a.m. ET April 25.

PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES

Entries taken Saturday. Races are Saturday, April 18

$400,000 VISITLEX ELKHORN (G2) – Burnham Square (trainer Ian Wilkes), Freedom’s Way (Eddie Kenneally), Layabout (Patrick Biancone), Tawny Port (Miguel Clement), Utah Beach (Brendan Walsh). Possible: Anegada (Mike Maker), Zverev (Maker).

$350,000 BEN ALI (G3) – Batten Down (Bill Mott), San Siro (Walsh), Stars and Stripes (Mott), Tappan Street (Brad Cox), Tennessee Lamb (Rusty Arnold).

Entries taken Sunday. Race is Sunday, April 19.

$300,000 PALISADES (L) – Bronze Bullet (Jose D’Angelo), Intricate Spirit (Clement), Monster (D’Angelo), Shipmate (Nolan Ramsey), Throckmorton (D’Angelo), Twilight Delight (Daniel Leitch), Walter the Mason (Greg Green). Possible: I C Light (Mark Casse), Reb Five (Casse).

SECOND WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Click here for availability and to purchase.

Keeneland Library is presenting the free exhibit Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing, a which highlights 100 trailblazing Latino men and women whose contributions have shaped Thoroughbred racing and breeding from the late 1800s to today.

The Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Enter Keeneland at Gate 1 on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center.

Spring Meet

The Keeneland Shop is open from 9 a.m. to 30 minutes following the final race and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On race days, Milliners Corner, Wagering Central and Finish Line locations will be open.

Milliners Corner near The Keeneland Shop will feature Hats Off by Helen (April 11).

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for tailgating on The Hill, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center and accessible via Gate 1 (at Man o’ War Blvd.) or Gate 4 (off Van Meter Road on the east side of Keeneland). The Hill is open from 8 a.m. to 60 minutes after the final race. Amenities are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friday

College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane’s End. Keeneland invites college students to enjoy a day of racing, prizes, scholarship giveaways, behind-the-scenes tours, reserved seating and more. Students must be on site to be eligible to win all prizes and scholarships. Activities will take place at the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

$400 Spring Challenge. Available only at Keeneland, this handicapping contest offers one berth to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) on Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland and as many as four spots to the 2027 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in Las Vegas.

Saturday

Sunrise Trackside. This free Saturday morning program from 8-10 a.m. is geared toward families and offers a unique view of Thoroughbreds during training hours. The John Deere Tractor Break will take place during the renovation period on the main track from 8:30-9 a.m. and include a drawing for a kids John Deere electric-powered truck with trailer from John Deere/Meade Tractor. Meanwhile, a meet and greet with a horse will be held in the Saddling Paddock from 8:30-9 a.m.

Keeneland Library Exhibit Companian Book Signing. On the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., meet some of the people featured in Keeneland Library’s current exhibit, Raices: The Making of Latino Legacies in Racing. Books are $10 each with all proceeds benefiting the Keeneland Library Foundation. (Cash only. Patrons are required to have a race meet ticket to attend the book signing.)

Grade 1 Gamble. Keeneland hosts this signature handicapping contest of the Spring Meet with the cooperation of XpressBet, NYRABets, 4NJ Bets, HPI and TVG on the day of the Jenny Wiley (G1) and the Stonestreet Lexington (G3). The contest will be held in the Dogwood Room in Keeneland’s new Paddock Building.

Sunday

Heroes Day. This event honors members of the military (active duty and veterans), first responders and community heroes with programming tied to Lexington Navy Week.

SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through April 9 (4 days of 15-day season)

Jockey

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

Jose Ortiz

$804,189

Luis Saez

$551,346