2024 Maker's Mark Mile Contenders at Keeneland
Master of the Seas Headlines Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile
Master of The Seas (IRE), last seen winning the 2023 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), headlines a field of eight entered for next the 36th running of the $600,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up racing over the turf at Keeneland Racecourse on Friday, April 12.
The Maker's Mark Mile will go as the ninth race on the 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.
2024 Maker's Mark Mile Field & Odds
Race 9 at Keeneland on Friday, April 12 - Post 5:16 PM
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Equitize (GB) | 30-1 | Jose Ortiz 123 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 2 | Emmanuel | 8-1 | Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Lbs |
Todd Pletcher |
| 3 | Naval Power (GB) | 10-1 | Tyler Gaffalione 123 Lbs |
Charles Appleby |
| 4 | Master of The Seas (IRE) | 4-5 | William Buick 123 Lbs |
Charles Appleby |
| 5 | Kubrick (IRE) | 20-1 | Flavien Prat 123 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 6 | Shirl's Speight | 15-1 | Luis Saez 123 Lbs |
Roger Attfield |
| 7 | Du Jour | 4-1 | John Velazquez 123 Lbs |
Bob Baffert |
| 8 | Integration | 9-2 | Lanfranco Dettori 123 Lbs |
Claude McGaughey III |
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Trained by Charlie Appleby, Master of The Seas returns to Keeneland, where he finished second beaten a nose by eventual champion Up to the Mark in last October's Coolmore Turf Mile (G1).
William Buick has the mount on Master of The Seas from post 4.
Another European entrant is Kubrick, a Group 3 winner in France at two and easy winner in a March 1 Tampa Bay Downs allowance in his U.S. debut for owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown.
Godolphin and Appleby have another runner in the race in Naval Power (GB). Winner of the Singspiel (G2) in Dubai in his most recent start, Naval Power will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 3.
Charles Fipke's Shirl's Speight, winner of the 2022 Maker's Mark Mile, will attempt to join Wise Dan (2013-2014) and Kip Deville (2007-2008) as the only two-time winners of the race. Eighth behind Master of The Seas in the Breeders' Cup, Shirl's Speight will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 6 for trainer Roger Attfield.
Invading from California is Jill Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour. Trained by Bob Baffert, Du Jour gained millionaire status by winning the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) in his most recent start on March 3 at Santa Anita. John Velazquez has the mount from post 7.
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Pre-Draw News
Breeders' Cup Mile Winner Highlights Nominees to Maker's Mark Mile
Apr 1 - Godolphin's Master of The Seas (IRE), winner of last fall's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF at Santa Anita, headlines a roster of 20 nominees for the 36th running of the $600,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up to be run on the turf Friday, April 12.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Master of The Seas was beaten a nose by eventual champion Up to the Mark here last fall in the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) before his Breeders' Cup triumph.
Four other Grade 1 winners are among the nominees including Charlie Fipke's Shirl's Speight, winner of the 2022 Maker's Mark Mile. Other Grade 1 winners nominated to the race are Jill Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour, Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify's GoldPhoenix (IRE) and LSU Stable's Far Bridge.
Entries for the Maker's Mark Mile will be taken Friday.
Also slated to be contested April 12 is the fifth running of the $250,000 FanDuel Limestone for 3-year-old fillies going 5½ furlongs on the turf.
The race attracted 39 nominees headed by Wathnan Racing's Crimson Advocate. Trained by George Weaver, Crimson Advocate won the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot in England last summer.
Master of The Seas Eyes Maker's Mark Mile
Mar 28 - Trainer Charlie Appleby revealed at a Dubai World Cup conference March 28 that 2023 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) hero Master of The Seas has landed in Lexington and will make his next start in the April 12 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.
Appleby reported that Master of The Seas arrived in Kentucky with a team of other horses slated to run during the Keeneland spring meet.
"He shipped in well and hopefully he'll be a big player in two weeks' time in Keeneland," Appleby said. "He's there for another crack at (winning a grade 1 at Keeneland)."
In Master of The Sea's last trip to Keeneland, the gelding was beaten a nose by eventual American turf male champion Up to the Mark in the Oct. 7 Turf Mile Stakes (G1T). A month later, the son of Dubawi rebounded with a spectacular late-running victory over fellow Godolphin colorbearer Mawj in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park.
Appleby said that Master of The Seas looked "fantastic" training at his yard in Newmarket last week ahead of the gelding's 6-year-old debut. The Maker's Mark would be Master of The Seas' fourth race on this side of the Atlantic, having won the Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) last fall to kick off his stellar North American campaign.
About the Makers Mark Mile Stakes
The Maker's Mark Mile Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Open to horses age four and older, it is contested on turf at a distance of one mile (8 furlongs).
Inaugurated as the Fort Harrod Stakes in 1989 at a distance of about 1 1/16 miles, since 1990 it has been contested at one mile. In 1997 distillers, Maker's Mark, began their sponsorship of the event. A Listed race in 1989 and 1990, it was a Grade 3 race from 1991 through 1999 and a Grade 2 race from 2000 through 2007. In 2008 it was upgraded to it's current Grade I status.
