Shadwell Turf Mile Betting Guide

The Shadwell Turf Mile plays a vital role in building up to the Breeders' Cup, as winning entries earn their spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile. This famous race takes place at Keeneland Race Course and will take place on October 2nd, 2021.

Shadwell Turf Mile Event Details

The Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes is one of the biggest races that takes place at Keeneland during the fall meeting. It takes place annually in October, with this year's race being staged on October 2nd. It is a Grade 1 and is run on the turf over a mile. Horses that are aged at least three are able to enter. Connections will have a huge incentive to target this race, as there is a purse of $750,000.

Shadwell Turf Mile Preview

The Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes doesn't take place until the beginning of October, which means declarations for the race will not be made until the last week in September. However, we can assess some of the previous winners of the Grade 1 to see the trends that have emerged over recent years.

• Ivar (2020)

• Bowies Hero (2019)

• Next Shares (2018)

• Suedois (2017)

• Miss Temple City (2016)

There have been a number of previous champions that have come back to successfully defend their crown in the past, which means Ivar could be a decent chance to head to the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes once again this year. The four-year-old was an excellent winner in the renewal in 2020, as he finished a length clear of Raging Bull. Before winning the Shadwell Turf Mile, he had claimed success in one previous Group 1, with that victory coming in Argentina, as he won the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile.

Ivar went on to have a good run at the Breeders' Cup later in the year, but he finished two lengths behind Order Of Australia. He has already re-appeared this season by finishing sixth in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The winner in 2019 was Bowies Hero for trainer Phillip D'Amato. Unlike Ivar, this horse had proven form in Graded races. He won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes in 2018 and the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes in 2019. Bowies Hero was one of a number of horses that returned to Keeneland to try and win a second straight Shadwell Turf Mile.

However, he finished three and a quarter lengths behind the winner last year. Regardless, the seven-year-old remains in training and could be targeting another attempt at the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes. However, he is still looking for a first win this season after he finished fifth of seven in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at the beginning of January.

Foreign-bred horses have performed well in this race over recent seasons. Ivar was bred in Brazil before moving to the Paulo Lobo yard after Group 1 success in Argentina. Meanwhile, 2017 winner Suedois was French-bred for trainer David O'Meara. Irish-bred, British-bred, and Chilean-bred horses have also won this race since 2000.

Shadwell Turf Mile Event Information

The Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes is an important stop on the road to the Breeders' Cup and has been since it was inaugurated as the Keeneland Breeders' Cup Stakes in 1986. The first race covered a distance of 1 1/8 miles and was won by Leprechauns Wish. It wasn't until two years later that the race was upgraded to a Grade 3. That year's winner of the race was Steinlen, who went on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile later in the year.

Throughout the 90s, there were a host of changes to the race. First, it was decreased to a mile in distance in 1994, before it was upgraded to Grade 2 and then Grade 1 in 1998 and 2001 respectively. Shadwell Farm became the event's sponsor in 1999, and the race was renamed the Shadwell Turf Mile in 2004.

Three horses in the history of the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes have won the race on two occasions. Wise Dan was the most recent two-time winner, as his second win came in 2014. The other horses to have achieved the feat were Dumaani and Gio Ponti. Kiaran McLaughlin is the most successful trainer in the history of the race, as he has won on three occasions.

Shadwell Turf Mile Betting Information

Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes day is a big betting occasion, as it is one of the featured races of the Keeneland fall meeting. There is a selection of betting markets available to gamblers, and you can learn more about them here.

• Win: Finding the winner of the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes is the most popular betting market. Returns are awarded if you have placed your money on the winner.

• Place: Place betting is popular on the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes. Gamblers will need to find a horse that will finish in the first two.

• Trifecta: Gamblers looking for extra value when betting on the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes can try and predict the first three that will make it home in the correct order.