Keeneland Race Course during the 2023 Keeneland Spring Meet

Keeneland Race Course during the 2023 Keeneland Spring Meet. Image courtesy Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

 PHOTOSBYZ

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Sierra Leone is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 100th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass at Keenland. 

Trained by two-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Chad Brown, Sierra Leone comes into Saturday's race off a victory in the Risen Star. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 10. 

Eleven horses will break from the gate, including two other horses trained by Brown. Calumet Farm’s GoodMoney breaks from post 5 ridden by Javier Castellano at 20-1, and Flanagan Racing's TopConor with Jose Ortiz in the saddle is in at 15-1 from post 1.

Dornoch, trained by Danny Gargan and ridden by Luis Saez, is the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. The colt has won three consecutive races, including the Coolmore Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream on March 2. He also beat Blue Grass rival Sierra Leone in December in the Remsen at 1 1/8 miles. Dornoch breaks from the 4 post. 

Third choice on the morning line is Just a Touch at 7-2 for trainer Brad Cox. He is in post 11. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher is attempting back-to-back Blue Grass victories with Be You at 8-1. Iran Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 2. 

Two-time Blue Grass winner Kenny McPeek will saddle Lat Long from post 7 at  30-1, and two-time winner D. Wayne Lukas will send out Seize the Grey from post 3 at 20-1.

The Toyota Blue Grass is the 10th race on Saturday’s 11-race program at Keeneland with a 5:52 p.m. ET post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

The Blue Grass offers 200 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale for the first- through fifth-place finishers.

The 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby, to be run May 4 at Churchill Downs, is limited to the top 20 point earners and invitees.

More Coverage of Kentucky Derby 150: 

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