Earlier this month, I enjoyed a week in the Bluegrass State, seeing and photographing horses of all ages. In this post I’ll share my favorite racing photos from Keeneland. Click here to read my other posts about Keeneland.
Left to right: Trouble Calling, Oscar’s Hope and Carson Street battle down the stretch in the Lafayette Stakes, with the former prevailing.
Trouble Calling pulls ahead to win the Lafayette with Luis Sáez onboard.
A Bourbon For Toby, named for Steve Asmussen’s late assistant trainer Toby Sheets, wins an allowance race with Ricardo Santana, Jr. onboard.
Grade III Beaumont Stakes winner A Fine Chardonnay is walked around the paddock before the race.
A Fine Chardonnay takes the Beaumont with Brian Hernandez, Jr. onboard.
Grade III Transylvania Stakes winner Remember Mamba, with José Ortiz onboard, heads out to the track, with trainer Cherie DeVaux at right.
Remember Mamba heads to the post.
The field heads around the backstretch in the Transylvania.
Remember Mamba crosses the wire first in the Transylvania.
Grade I Ashland Stakes winner Percy’s Bar is led into the paddock before the race.
The field breaks from the gate in the Ashland. Winner Percy’s Bar breaks from post 2.
The field heads past the wire in the Ashland. By the time they reach this wire again, the race will be over, as it ends at the sixteenth pole.
Percy’s Bar punches her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks on May 1 with her decisive win.
Runner-up Zany, who galloped out ahead of the winner, is also headed to the Oaks.
Percy’s Bar heads to the test barn following her win.
Buttercream Babe wins an allowance race with John Velázquez onboard.
Grade III Commonwealth Stakes winner Saudi Crown is led into the paddock before the race.
Saudi Crown adds to his already impressive resume with a win in the Commonwealth with Flavien Prat onboard.
Saudi Crown returns with the pony.
Grade II Appalachian Stakes winner Storm’s Wake heads out to the track with Joel Rosario onboard.
The field heads around the first turn in the Appalachian, with winner Storm’s Wake seen at back center.
Storm’s Wake bests the field of 10 in the Appalachian.
Grade I Madison Stakes winner Eclatant is led into the paddock before the race.
Eclatant heads out to the track with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
The field turns for home in the Madison.
Eclatant (outside) gets the better of Grand Job in the Madison.
Grade II Shakertown Stakes winner My Boy Prince gets saddled for the race.
The field breaks from the gate in the Shakertown.
My Boy Prince notches his first graded victory in the Shakertown.
My Boy Prince returns with the pony.
Grade I Blue Grass Stakes winner Further Ado is led around the paddock before the race.
Further Ado heads out to the track with Irad Ortiz, Jr. onboard.
The field heads to the post for the Blue Grass.
The field breaks from the gate in the Blue Grass. Winner Further Ado breaks from post 6.
The field heads down the stretch for the first time in the Blue Grass.
Further Ado managed to capture the Blue Grass by 11 lengths, the largest winning margin in 20 years.
Further Ado is all alone at the wire.
Further Ado heads to the test barn following his win.
Breeders’ Cup winner Cy Fair gets a pet from her exercise rider Emma Nordin in the paddock before the Grade III Limestone Stakes, where she would finish third.
Slay the Day takes the Grade III Limestone Stakes with John Velázquez onboard.
The bulk of the Limestone field gallops back.
Slay the Day heads to the test barn following her win.
The field whizzes by in an allowance race.
Breeders’ Cup winner and champion Modern Games gets a pet in the paddock before the Grade I Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes, where he would finish fourth.
Maker’s Mark Mile winner Zulu Kingdom is walked around the paddock before the race.
Zulu Kingdom heads out to the track with Flavien Prat onboard.
Flavien Prat has a huge grin on his face as he crosses the wire first on Zulu Kingdom, giving trainer Chad Brown his milestone 3,000th win.
The field gallops out after the race.
Zulu Kingdom returns with the pony.
Zulu Kingdom heads to the test barn after the race.
To see more of my equine photography be sure to follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.
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