The 15-day meet is a special boutique variety. In the span of opening day, you will see the biggest connections with the movers and shakers in racing. You’ll see $2,000 suits and men dressed in shorts enjoying the early spring weather. – You’ll be treated to a ten-race card and a first post at 1:00 p.m. – The opening day has sunshine and 58 degrees on tap with a 4 1/2f race and four turf races. The marquee event is the $600,000 (G1) Ashland Stakes.

I have been making small wagers for over a week trying to build a bankroll. I’m going to make some place parlays and see if I can turn $400 into a bigger bankroll for the Oaks/Derby cards. – Wish me luck, and best of luck to us all!

Race #1 – #4 – Baytown Admiral (9-2) = Jack Gilligan for Paul McEntee with a first-time starter by Lord Nelson. His dam Dblsecretprobation has 5 starters and 4 winners to her credit. She sports a bullet work over the track in a red-hot 35 for 3f. Look for a quick break and McEntee is a solid horseman who targets the meet in Lexington.

$50 to place

Race #4 – #7 – Hurricane Dream (3-1) = Frankie Dettori in the irons for Graham Motion and they add first-time Lasix where the barn scores at 23%. Toss out his last race in the G1 Pegasus Turf World Cup where he had a compromised beginning and was wide the entire trip. He comes in fresh off a two-month layoff and makes a big drop in class today.

$50 to place

Race #9 – The G1 Ashland Stakes –#4 Julia Shining (3-1) = This daughter of Curlin is 1 for 1 at Kee and adds blinkers today for Todd Pletcher and Luis Saez. She comes off a 55-day break and sports solid works at Palm Beach Downs training course. She may not have taken to the sandy Tampa Bay oval and enjoyed solid footing in Lexington. She has a strong late kick and will come calling down the stretch.

$50 to place

This should get us started with some solid plays on opening day. Gates open at 11 a.m., and the first post is 1:00 p.m. with the exception being Saturday with the first race going to post at 12:30 p.m. – I’ve been wanting to come back off my sabbatical and come out with a measured plan. I have always enjoyed the Keeneland meet and looked forward to starting my climb up Mount Bankroll. – Best of luck from your friends at Winning Ponies!