On Saturday, Keeneland will be the focal point for the entire Thoroughbred racing world. No matter who hosts the Breeders’ Cup Championship races. No matter who may try to recruit the best horses to their respective tracks for whatever races they may wish to offer. No matter what.

Just as Royal Ascot may be the lynchpin of British racing; just as the Arc de’l Triomphe may be the highlight of the French racing season; just as the Irish pride themselves on the Irish Derby and Oaks; just as the ruling family of Dubai has made the World Cup there in the Spring an international spectacle; just as much as Frank Stronach and his racetracks in Florida, Maryland and California may want to compete with Kentucky racing and cannot; and just as much as Saratoga and Del Mar wrangle for the “front of mind” of American racing fans in the heat of summer, Keeneland is the the place to be in the Fall.

And, this weekend, Keeneland should be called the “King of Racing Land.” Over the next two days, the historic racetrack — which is built on the highest point in Fayette County for all of Central Kentucky and the world to see and emulate — will play host to 7 Graded Stakes races. Four of them are Grade 1 events. Two of them are Grade 2 Stakes. One is a Grade 3.

By virtue, Keeneland has attracted some of the best Thoroughbreds in training — in the world.  Here is a closer look at the two festive days:

Saturday /

 G1 Shadwell Turf Mile:

 

The Club Racing, Needle in a Haystack and Sagamore Farm’s Miss Temple City, who last year became the first filly to win the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) and Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), will attempt to become the third horse to repeat in the Shadwell when she faces 13 rivals in the 32ndrunning of the $1 million race.

The Shadwell Turf Mile is the centerpiece of a star-studded, 10-race program that features five graded stakes of which three are Grade 1s.

Other Grade 1 races are the 20th running of the $400,000 First Lady for fillies and mares going a mile on the grass and the 104th running of the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Saturday’s 10-race program begins at 1:05 p.m. ET.

The Shadwell Turf Mile, which goes as Saturday’s ninth race with a 5:45 p.m. post time, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

A three-time Grade 1 winner, Miss Temple City enters the Shadwell Turf Mile off a victory in the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9. Trained by Graham Motion, Miss Temple City will be ridden by Edgar Prado and break from post position eight.

The previous repeat winners of the Shadwell Turf Mile were Gio Ponti (2010-2011) and Dumaani (1995-1996).

Also shooting for a piece of Keeneland history in the race is WinStar Farm’s American Patriot.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, American Patriot will attempt to join Wise Dan (2014) and Miss Temple City (2016) as the only horses to win the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) and Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) in the same year.

Joe Bravo will ride American Patriot and break from post position 14.

Back to challenge Miss Temple City and American Patriot is Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart, runner-up in the Maker’s 46 Mile the past two years. A two-time Grade 2 winner and seven-time Grade 3 winner, Heart to Heart is trained by Brian Lynch and will be ridden by Florent Geroux and break from post position 10.

Other Grade 1 winners in the field are Gunpowder Farms’ Divisidero, a two-time victor of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, and Geoff and Sandra Turnbull’s Mondialiste (IRE), winner of the 2016 Arlington Million and fourth-place finisher in last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile.

Julien Leparoux will ride Divisidero from post two. Feargal Lynch has the mount on Mondialiste and break from post position seven.

The field for the Shadwell Turf Mile, with riders and weights, is: Tyler U (Robby Albarado, 123 pounds), Divisidero (Leparoux, 126), Suedois (FR) (Danny Tudhope, 126), Le Ken (ARG) (Corey Lanerie, 126),Dimension (GB) (Chris Landeros, 126), Ballagh Rocks (Jose Lezcano, 126), Mondialiste (IRE) (Lynch, 126), Miss Temple City (Prado, 123), Flatlined (Joe Rocco, 126), Heart to Heart (Geroux, 126), Christian C(Jose Valdivia Jr., 126), Offering Plan (Javier Castellano, 126), Applicator (Shaun Bridgmohan, 126) and American Patriot (Bravo, 126).

Gunpowder Farms’ Divisidero was reacquainted with Keeneland this past Thursday morning.

“This is our shot to make it to the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Buff Bradley said of the two-time Grade 1 winner, a 5-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy. “I just hope there will be some (fast) pace in the race.”

Divisidero overcame a slow pace to win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day but has been off the board in his past two starts.

“There has been no pace the last three times he has run,” Bradley said. “He has run his race each time, but there was no pace. He is doing as well as ever and I have complete confidence in him. Julien (Leparoux) has worked him the last three times and said he is as good as ever.”

Divisidero ran here in the spring, finishing second beaten a nose in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in which there was a fast pace.

“That was a loaded race; a stakes race that passed for an allowance race,” Bradley said of the field that contained multiple stakes winners. “We got what we wanted out of that (for the Turf Classic). We know he likes the course and this should be a fun race for him.”

G1 First Lady Stakes:

 Godolphin LLC’s Dickinson , winner of this spring’s Jenny Wiley (G1) here, headlines a field of seven fillies and mares in the $400,000 First Lady to be run at a mile on the Keeneland Turf Course.

Run for the first time as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, the First Lady will award the winner a fees-paid trip to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Dickinson will attempt to join Never Retreat (2011) and Intercontinental(GB) (2005) as the only horses to sweep the Jenny Wiley and First Lady in the same year.

A winner of three graded stakes this year, Dickinson enters the First Lady off a runner-up finish in the Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga Aug. 26.

Paco Lopez has the mount on Dickinson and will break from post position six.

Among the top rivals to Dickinson are Dona Bruja (ARG), Roca Rojo (IRE) and Hawksmoor (IRE).

Dom Felipe LLC’s Dona Bruja never has been worse than second in 13 career starts. Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Dona Bruja finished second in the Beverly D. (G1) in her most recent start. Declan Cannon has the mount and will break from post position three.

Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables and Bradley Thoroughbreds’ Roca Rojo won the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs and in her most recent start finished third in the Ballston Spa, a neck behind Dickinson. Trained by Chad Brown, Roca Rojo will break from post position four and be ridden by Javier Castellano.

Lael Stables’ Hawksmoor returns to Keeneland where she finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Lane’s End (G1) last year in her U.S. debut. A two-time graded stakes winner this year for trainer Arnaud Delacour, Hawksmoor will break from post position seven and be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

The field for the First Lady, with riders and weights, is: One Liz (Jose Valdivia Jr., 124 pounds), Delectation(GB) (Eduardo Pedroza, 121), Dona Bruja (ARG) (Cannon, 124), Roca Rojo (IRE) (Castellano, 124),Zipessa (Joe Bravo, 124), Dickinson (Lopez, 124) and Hawksmoor (IRE) (Leparoux, 124).

Seth Hancock (right) with long-time partner Adele Dilschneider (left) after Champion BLAME’s victory in the 2010 Whitney Handicap. Photo courtesy of Claiborne Farm.

G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity:

 The third Grade 1 race on Saturday is the 104th running of the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The race will be the eighth of the afternoon with a 5:10 p.m. post time.

The Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Heading the field of 13 is Albaugh Family Stable’s Free Drop Billy. Trained by Dale Romans, Free Drop Billy finished second in the Hopeful (G1) in his most recent start and he will attempt to give his human connections a second victory in the race to go with the score by Brody’s Cause in 2015.

Robby Albarado, who has ridden Free Drop Billy in all three of his starts, has the mount Saturday and will break from post position nine.

Also coming out of the Hopeful for Saturday’s race is Valene Farms’ Givemeaminit who finished a head behind Free Drop Billy. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Givemeaminit will break from post position seven and be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

Another Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity entrant is Tommie Lewis and Magdalena Racing’s Ten City.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Ten City won the Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs in June and enters Saturday’s race off a third-place finish in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill. Ten City will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and break from post position four.

The field for the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, with riders, is: Lionite (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Ezmosh (Javier Castellano), Lone Sailor (Florent Geroux), Ten City (Lanerie), Bravazo (Jon Court), Lone Rock (Joe Bravo), Givemeaminit (Hernandez Jr.), Bourbon Resolution (Julien Leparoux), Free Drop Billy (Albarado), Crea’s Bklyn Law (Joe Rocco Jr.), Captivating Moon (Jose Valdivia, Jr.), Ready Prospector (Miguel Mena) and Enticed (Jose Lezcano). All starters will carry 121 pounds.

 G2 Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select:

 Mongolian Stable’s Mongolian Saturday tops a field of nine turf sprinters entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 21st running of the $200,000 Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select (G2).

The 5½-furlong race on the turf is the first of five graded stakes on Saturday’s 10-race program and will go as the afternoon’s fifth race with a 3:25 p.m. ET post time.Winner of the 2016 running, Mongolian Saturday will attempt to become the fourth horse to win the Woodford in consecutive years. The other back-to-back winners are Morluc (2000-2001), Sgt. Bert (2005-2006) and Silver Timber (2009-2010).

Trained by Enebish Ganbat, Mongolian Saturday also won the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) here. He comes into Saturday’s race off a runner-up effort in the Turf Monster (G3) at Parx on Sept. 4.

Javier Castellano has the mount on Mongolian Saturday and will break from post position six.

The field for the Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select, with riders and weights, is: Conquest Panthera (Robby Albarado, 124 pounds), Bucchero (Fernando De La Cruz, 120), Commend (Jose Lezcano, 120), Indy Hill (Jon Court, 118), Latent Revenge (Ricardo Santana Jr., 120), Mongolian Saturday (Castellano, 120), Balandeen (Corey Lanerie, 118), Hogy (Florent Geroux, 122) and Mongol Bull (Edgar Perez, 120).

Carl Moore Management LLC’s Finley’sluckycharm, winner of Churchill Downs’ Roxelana Overnight Stakes on April 29, bids for her first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Winning Colors (GIII). (Coady Photography, Churchll Downs)

G2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes:

 Carl R. Moore Management’s Finley’sluckycharm, who has emerged as one of the top female sprinters in the country, will make her Keeneland debut Saturday when she heads a field of eight fillies and mares for the 37th running of the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) going 6 furlongs on the dirt.

The Thoroughbred Club of America, one of five graded stakes on Saturday’s 10-race program, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Del Mar. Saturday’s race is the sixth of the afternoon with a 4 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Finley’sluckycharm has posted a 6-5-1-0 mark at the 6-furlong distance and claimed graded stakes victories in the Winning Colors (G3) and Chicago Handicap (G3) at Churchill Downs.

In her most recent start, Finley’sluckycharm finished second, beaten a neck by Paulassilverlining in the Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga. Paulassilverlining won the Madison (G1) here this spring.

Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Finley’sluckycharm and will break from post position four.

Looming as the prime challenger to Finley’sluckycharm is Kirk and Judy Robison’s Vertical Oak.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Vertical Oak comes into Saturday’s race off a 5¼-length victory in the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount and will break from post position two.

Returning for a second run in the race is Claiborne Farm’s Bendable. Trained by Richard Mandella, Bendable was third in last year’s running and comes into Saturday’s race off a third-place finish in the Rancho Bernardo (G3) at Del Mar.

Javier Castellano has the mount on Bendable and will break from post position one.

The field for the Thoroughbred Club of America, with riders and weights, is: Bendable (Castellano, 122 pounds), Vertical Oak (Santana Jr., 120), I’m a Looker (Corey Lanerie, 120), Finley’sluckycharm (Hernandez Jr., 122), Grace’s Treasure (Jesus Castanon, 120), Chalon (Paco Lopez, 118), True Romance (Joe Bravo, 120) and Ivy Bell (Shaun Bridgmohan, 120).

 Sunday /

 G3 Dixiana Bourbon:

 

Jerry Durant’s Budro Talking and Run For The Cross’ High Providence, the 1-2 finishers in last month’s Sunday Silence at Louisiana Downs, head a field of 14 2-year-olds and one also-eligible entered Thursday for Sunday’s 27th running of the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (G3).

The 1 1/16-mile grass race is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 3 at Del Mar. The Dixiana Bourbon will go as the eighth race on Sunday afternoon’s 10-race program with a 5:10 ET post time.

Trained by Danny Pish, Budro Talking won the Sunday Silence by 1¾ lengths in his grass debut. Joe Bravo will have the mount Sunday and break from post position six.

High Providence won his turf debut at Lone Star before his start in the Sunday Silence. Trained by Jason Meaux, High Providence will be ridden by Jon Court and break from post position five.

Other chief contenders figure to be John Tippmann and Arawak, the 2-3 finishers in last month’s Turf Showcase Juvenile Stakes at Kentucky Downs.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, John Tippmann broke his maiden at second asking on dirt at Ellis before making his grass debut at Kentucky Downs. Robby Albarado will have the mount and break from post position eight.

Arawak, who made his grass debut in the Coventry (G2) at Royal Ascot, finished fifth in the Best Pal (G2) on dirt at Del Mar before returning to the turf at Kentucky Downs. Trained by Wesley Ward, Arawak will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., and break from post position 14.

The field for the Dixiana Bourbon, with riders and weights, is: Tigers Rule (Miguel Mena, 118 pounds), Fred’stwirlincandy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Tap Daddy (Florent Geroux, 118), Wicked Trick (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), High Providence (Court, 118), Budro Talking (Bravo, 120), King Valero (Cesar Ordaz, 118), John Tippmann (Albarado, 118), Captivating Moon (Jose Valdivia Jr., 118), Trenton Traveler (Sophie Doyle, 118),Machtree (Corey Lanerie, 118), Flameaway (Julien Leparoux, 118), Admiralty Pier (Luis Saez, 118) and Arawak (Santana Jr., 118). Also-Eligible: Shared Value (Jack Gilligan, 118).

NBC Sports Network will broadcast the Dixiana Bourbon and $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) from 5-6 p.m. ET.

G1 Spinster Stakes:

 

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Lockdown will take on her elders for the first time when she headlines a field of 13 fillies and mares entered Thursday for Sunday’s 62nd running of the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1).

Run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, the Juddmonte Spinster is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) to be run Nov. 3 at Del Mar.

The Juddmonte Spinster goes as the ninth race on the 10-race program with a 5:45 p.m. ET post time. First post Sunday is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by two-time Juddmonte Spinster winner Bill Mott, Lockdown comes into Sunday’s race off a third-place finish in the Cotillion (G1) at Parx on Sept. 23. Winner of the Busanda in January at Aqueduct, Lockdown finished third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and was runner-up in the Gazelle (G2) and Mother Goose (G2).

Jose Lezcano has the mount on Lockdown and will break from post position six.

Chief rivals to Lockdown include Bar of Gold and the top four finishers from last month’s Locust Grove (G3) at Churchill Downs: Romantic Vision, Blue Prize (ARG), Tiger Moth and Mo d’Amour.

Mary and Chester Broman Sr.’s Bar of Gold comes into the Juddmonte Spinster off a runner-up finish in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G2) on Sept. 18. Trained by John Kimmel, Bar of Gold finished second in the 2015 Raven Run (G2) in her lone Keeneland start. Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position eight.

Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Romantic Vision, a winner of two races in three Keeneland starts, posted her first graded stakes win in the Locust Grove. Trained by Rusty Arnold, Romantic Vision will break from post position 11 and be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

Merriebelle Stable’s Blue Prize, a Group 1 winner in South America, never has been worse than second in eight career starts. Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Blue Prize will be ridden by James Graham and break from post 10.

John Gunther’s homebred Tiger Moth won the Groupie Doll (G3) at Ellis Park this summer prior to her run in the Locust Grove. Trained by Brad Cox, Tiger Moth will break from post position five under Corey Lanerie.

WinStar Farm’s multiple graded stakes-placed Mo d’Amour will be making her fourth start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Julien Leparoux has the call on Mo d’Amour and will break from post 13.

The field for the Juddmonte Spinster, with riders and weights, is: Martini Glass (Paco Lopez, 124 pounds), Katalust (Ricardo Feliciano, 124), You Know Too (Alex Cintron, 121), Duchess of Duke (Luis Colon, 124), Tiger Moth (Lanerie, 124), Lockdown (Lezcano, 121), Turkish Tabby (Robby Albarado, 124), Bar of Gold (Saez, 124), Factory of Faith (C.J. McMahon, 124), Blue Prize (ARG) (Graham, 124), Romantic Vision (Hernandez Jr., 124), A Place to Shine (Alex Jimenez, 124) and Mo d’Amour (Leparoux, 124).