Blue Grass, Ashland highlight Keeneland's opening weekend

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Keeneland begins its 15-day spring meet Friday.

The $150,000 Grade 3 Transylvania will lead off a month featuring 16 stakes races worth more than $4.3 million and qualifiers for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks highlighting 15 graded events.

The marquee events on Saturday's 11-race card with five stakes are the $1 million Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes and $500,000 Grade 1 Ashland, both of which award 170 points for the top four finishers toward the Derby on May 6 and Oaks for fillies on May 5.

Unbeaten McCraken is the 7-5 morning line favorite in a seven-horse field for the Blue Grass; Daddy's Little Darling will lead the Ashland's eight-horse field as the 5-2 choice.

Keeneland will race Wednesdays through Sundays during April with no racing on Easter Sunday, April 16.