(Blue Grass Stakes saddle cloth / Photos by Coady Media)

From the Keeneland Media Team / Amy Owens:

Keeneland’s $1.25 Million Toyota Blue Grass Draws 91 Nominees Headlined by Paladin and Further Ado

LEXINGTON, KY (Feb. 23, 2026) — Keeneland has attracted Paladin, the leading point earner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and 20-length maiden winner Further Ado among the 91 3-year-olds nominated to the 102nd running of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on Saturday, April 4, the second day of the Spring Meet.

Click here for the list of Toyota Blue Grass nominees; click here for their past performances.

“The Toyota Blue Grass is a true spring tradition and a key stage for talented 3-year-olds,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “It sets the tone for the Spring Meet, and we’re grateful to the owners and trainers who consistently target this race. Their support is what makes it such a competitive kickoff to the season.”

On April 4, the Toyota Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt is the 11th and final race of the day, headlining five graded stakes worth a combined $3.15 million. First post is 1 p.m. ET for the card, which includes the 25th running of the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1) for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs on the dirt; the 38th running of the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies racing 1 mile on the turf; the 30th running of the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 5½ furlongs on the turf; and the 39th running of the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going 7 furlongs on the dirt.

Post time for the Toyota Blue Grass is 6:22 p.m.

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

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, 14 of the top 20 point earners toward the 152nd running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 2 are nominated to the Toyota Blue Grass.

Paladin, one of eight Toyota Blue Grass nominees trained by three-time race winner Chad Brown, is the top point earner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby by virtue of his victory in the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds in his 2026 debut. Paladin closed 2025 with a victory in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

Brown won the Toyota Blue Grass with Zandon in 2022 and future champion Sierra Leone in 2024; both colts used the Risen Star as the final prep before their Keeneland victories. Brown also won the 2018 Toyota Blue Grass with champion Good Magic.

Paladin is owned by the partnership of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith and breeder Summer Wind Equine.

Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado closed his 2025 campaign with a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs in November following a 20-length maiden victory at Keeneland in his two-turn debut. Brad Cox, who saddled champion Essential Quality to victory in the 2021 Toyota Blue Grass, trains Further Ado, one of six of his nominees to the race and a graduate of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale.

Other prominent Toyota Blue Grass nominees include Bob Baffert trainees Brant, winner of the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and third in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance; Buetane, who is three times graded stakes-placed; and Desert Gate, a two-time Grade 1 runner-up and winner of the Best Pal (G3). In total, Baffert has seven runners nominated to the Toyota Blue Grass.

Other nominees include Blackout Time, runner-up in last fall’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland; Great White, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial (L); Intrepido, winner of the American Pharoah (G1) Presented by DK Horse and runner-up in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) in his 2026 debut;Napoleon Solo, winner of the Champagne (G1); Nearly, winner of the Holy Bull (G3) in his most recent start with his past three victories coming by a combined 20 lengths; Pavlovian and Express Kid, the 1-2 finishers in the Feb. 15 Sunland Park Derby (L); Renegade, winner of the Sam F. Davis (L) in his 2026 debut and runner-up to Paladin in the Remsen; and Silent Tactic, winner of the Southwest (G3).

Trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time Toyota Blue Grass winner, leads with nine nominees to this year’s race.

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The late nomination deadline for the Toyota Blue Grass is Wednesday, March 18.

Post positions for the Toyota Blue Grass and all races on April 4 will be drawn Tuesday, March 31.