2024 Keeneland Spring Meet gets underway as massive construction project continues

Under cloudy skies and low temperatures that weren’t forecast to rise above 50 degrees, the 2024 Spring Meet began Friday at a new-look Keeneland.

While the weather wasn’t very spring-like — cloudy skies persisted throughout the day and showers also passed over the track — the full 10-race card went on as scheduled over a fast main track and good turf course in front of a hearty crowd of patrons, many of whom were bundled up in coats.

Highlighted by a trio of stakes races, Friday’s opening day of the Spring Meet also came while a nearly $100 million renovation project continues at Keeneland.

Here are some of the highlights from opening day.

New-look Keeneland welcomes patrons for another Spring Meet

The Spring Meet at Keeneland is an annual highlight of the Central Kentucky sports and social calendar. But this year’s Spring Meet has a distinctly different look to it.

Keeneland is the site of an ongoing $93 million renovation project, which won’t be finished until the 2025 Fall Meet. The expansion project includes new permanent seating and dining areas, as well as a visitors center.

Additionally, Keeneland is constructing a new Paddock Building that will wrap around the Keeneland Paddock and Walking Ring, which will also come with more viewing and dining options for patrons.

This is the largest capital project undertaken since Keeneland opened in 1936 and the first major construction event since the Keeneland Library was built in 2002.

In addition to some aesthetic changes to the Keeneland scenery — a large, blocked-off construction area with heavy equipment and cranes is visible on the property and abuts the current Paddock, separated by a fence — changes to the parking setup at Keeneland are also in effect for the Spring Meet.

Parking in paved rows is by paid permit only.

According to the Keeneland website, a limited number of paved lot/row parking spaces are available each day. These spaces must be purchased online in advance.

Permits are $10 for Wednesdays or Thursdays and $20 for Fridays, Saturday or Sundays.

Parking in The Meadow and The Hill grass lots is still free. Shuttles run from those locations to bring patrons to the shuttle depot on Keeneland Boulevard.

Wagering change takes effect for Keeneland Spring Meet

During the Spring Meet, Keeneland will be reducing the takeout on a Daily Double wager from 22% to 15%.

This wager — which requires a handicapper to pick the winning horses in two consecutive races — is offered on all but the final race each meet day.

According to Keeneland’s director of wagering development, Jim Goodman, this new takeout helped result in $1,107,375 in handle on Friday alone.

Goodman posted on social media that this represented an increase of 27.5% compared to last year’s opening day amount of $868,387.

Irad Ortiz Jr. begins with big wins

The first race of the 2024 Spring Meet at Keeneland was won by Play Good Pay Good, a 3-year-old filly who won a starter allowance race in dominant fashion at 9-5 odds.

Trained by Rick Dutrow and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Play Good Pay Good is now 2-0-0 in five career starts. Friday’s race was her first at Keeneland.

Play Good Pay Good covered the Beard Course at Keeneland (7 furlongs and 184 feet on a fast main track) in 1:28.86.

That result also proved to be a sign of things to come on the day for Ortiz.

He ended up with wins in a pair of undercard races, as well as in the signature event of the day: the 87th running of Grade 1, $600,000 Central Bank Ashland.

Ortiz claimed the Ashland — a key Kentucky Oaks prep race — aboard Leslie’s Rose at 9-1 odds. That win gave trainer Todd Pletcher his third career Ashland Stakes title.

Ortiz, Pletcher take early lead for Spring Meet titles

Through 10 races of the Spring Meet, some early leaders have emerged in the race for the trainer and jockey titles.

Todd Pletcher was the only trainer to post multiple wins on opening day. He had two with Roman Grace (ridden by Tyler Gaffalione) in an undercard race, along with Leslie’s Rose in the Ashland.

Three jockeys posted multiple wins on the opening day of the Spring Meet, led by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and his three wins. Ortiz was aboard Leslie’s Rose in the Ashland, as well as Play Good Pay Good in the first race of the day and Sy B (trained by Cherie DeVaux) in the fifth race of the day.

Also posting multiple wins on opening day in the jockey room were Gaffalione and Luis Saez.

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