Gatewood Bell

Purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to trend upward this spring at both Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs. Track executives disclosed the pre-condition book figures during Tuesday's Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. "The MSWs for older horses are going to be $100,000. And the [MSW races for] 2-year-olds are going to be $80,000," said Keeneland's vice president of racing, Gatewood Bell. At Keeneland's 2021 spring meet, the comparable MSW purse levels were $79,000 and $60,000. Mike Ziegler, the senior vice president and general...

Coolmore will sponsor the $1-million GI Turf Mile for 3-year-olds and up on Oct. 8, 2022 as part of the Keeneland Fall Meet's opening FallStars Weekend. The 2022 Coolmore Turf Mile will mark the 25th year that a Keeneland stakes race will be sponsored by the powerful international operation, which owns nearby Ashford Stud in Lexington. Coolmore sponsored the GIII Lexington S. from 1998-2015 and GI Jenny Wiley S. from 2016-2021. "Coolmore is a long and loyal supporter of Keeneland from the sales ring to the race track, and we...

Keeneland has announced a revamped stakes schedule for its 15-day 2022 Spring Meet, which will be held from Apr. 8-29. A total of 19 stakes will be run, and all have received purse increases for a total of $7.7 million in total stakes purses. Among notable changes are that the Apr. 9 GII Toyota Blue Grass S., Keeneland's main GI Kentucky Derby prep, will once again offer a $1-million purse (it was $800,000 last year); and the $600,000 GI Central Bank Ashland ($400,000 in 2021) will be contested on opening...

Horses offered at auction during the upcoming Keeneland September Yearling Sale will be eligible to run in a pair of $250,000 allowance races at the 2022 FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. Kentucky Downs will stage one $250,000 allowance race for 2-year-old fillies and one for 2-year-old colts and geldings restricted to horses that go through the sales ring at this year's Keeneland September Sale. Yearlings that are sold as well as those not reaching their reserve bid will be eligible for the lucrative allowance events the following September at Kentucky...

Averly Jane, whose half-brother Chattel (Giant Oak) belied 22-1 odds when he took this race in 2018, followed in big bro's hoofsteps while remaining unbeaten in her first start since April and beating the boys. An 8 3/4-length debut romper at Keeneland Apr. 5, the Fasig-Tipton October value buy returned just 13 days later to also best males in the Kentucky Juvenile S. during GI Kentucky Derby week Apr. 28. She returned to the worktab in Lexington at the end of June, and was the public's pick here as a...

3rd-Ellis, $51,000, Msw, 7-17, 2yo, 5f, :57.94, gd, 5 lengths. ROGER MCQUEEN (c, 2, Unified--Promise Me a Cat {SW, $320,820}, by D'wildcat) was third in his five-furlong unveiling at Churchill May 22. The 3-5 favorite battled on the front end through a quarter in :22.29, took command after a half in :45.76 and pulled away to score by five lengths. Back to Normal (Liam's Map) issued a midstretch challenge before settling for second. Roger McQueen is the second winner for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}). He was a...

Keeneland, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, will offer a record $6-million in stakes purses and expanded 22-race stakes schedule at its upcoming fall meet. The meet, which covers 17 days of racing from Oct. 8-30, will open with the signature Fall Stars Weekend, feature 10 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races, offer two new $150,000 stakes for 2-year-olds and reposition several stakes to create a total of six race cards with multiple stakes. "The Keeneland Fall Meet is incredibly important, and 85 years of racing at...

The 15-day Spring meet at Keeneland Race Course concluded Friday, with total all-sources wagering reaching $164,680,229, an improvement of 7.55% versus the 2019 Spring meet, when all-sources handle totaled $153,116,119. The 2020 Spring meet was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Average daily wagering on the Keeneland product was $10,978,682, an increase of 14.72 when compared to $9,569,757 during Spring 2019. A limited number of patrons were allowed on track during the 15-day stand. Attendance totaled 96,243 for a daily average of 6,416. With four winners on Friday's closing-day program,...

Keeneland will build six new barns and make other improvements at its year-round training facility, The Thoroughbred Center, located on Paris Pike on the Northeast side of Lexington. Two concrete barns will be demolished and replaced with six state-of-the-art barns--upgrades to walking rings, muck disposal and drainage, as well as landscaping and access to and from the track, are also in the works. "Keeneland is excited to break ground on these significant improvements to the barn area at TTC for the benefit of our horses and horsemen, many of whom...

Jacob West, Vice-President of Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has been appointed US Agent for Goffs and will begin his role on Apr. 1, the sales company announced. West, who launched West Bloodstock in 2017, started with Taylor Made as a groom in their yearling division before progressing to Manager. During his time at Taylor Made, he also  worked for trainer Chad Brown during the Gulfstream Championship Meeting. West then moved to Three Chimneys as Director of Bloodstock Services prior to moving to Eclipse. Commenting on the appointment, Goffs Group...

Keeneland announced that Central Kentucky horseman and bloodstock adviser Gatewood Bell has been named Vice President of Racing at the Lexington oval and will assume duties later this month. Bell in 2011 founded Cromwell Bloodstock, a full-service bloodstock agency and consulting firm named after a company owned by his grandfather, John A. Bell, and has served as its president for the past decade. Bell, under the Cromwell Bloodstock and Hat Creek Racing banners, purchased several significant runners, including Grade I/Group 1 winners Undrafted, Hootenanny, Mastery and Con Te Partiro. Bell...

Keeneland has announced four new additions to its Advisory Board of Directors: Gatewood Bell of Cromwell Bloodstock, Coolmore's Aisling Duignan, Juddmonte Farms' Garrett O'Rourke and Sarah S. Reeves of Stoll Keenon Ogden. Nick Nicholson, Keeneland President and CEO from 2000-12, and J. David Smith Jr. of Stoll Keenon Ogden are retiring from the Keeneland Board. All four new Directors began their service at the recent Advisory Board meeting. Reeves replaces Keeneland President-Elect Shannon Arvin as Secretary of the Board. "Gatewood, Aisling, Garrett and Sarah each provide the board with unique...