an ▁women ▁artists ▁Category : Gu atem al an ▁artists ▁Category : Gu atem al an ▁contemporary ▁artists <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Blue ▁Gr ass ▁St akes , ▁currently ▁the ▁Toy ota ▁Blue ▁Gr ass ▁St akes ▁due ▁to ▁spons or ship ▁by ▁the ▁Toy ota ▁Motor ▁Corporation , ▁is ▁a ▁horse ▁race ▁for ▁ 3 - year - old ▁Thor ough bre ds ▁held ▁ann ually ▁in ▁April ▁at ▁Ke en eland ▁Race course ▁in ▁Lex ington , ▁Kentucky . ▁The ▁race ▁is ▁run ▁at ▁ ▁miles ▁on ▁the ▁d irt ▁and ▁currently ▁offers ▁a ▁pur se ▁of ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁It ▁ran ▁as ▁a ▁Gra de ▁II ▁event ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁The ▁Blue ▁Gr ass ▁was ▁a ▁Gra de ▁I ▁event ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁( when ▁grad ing ▁was ▁first ▁introduced ) ▁through ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁again ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁Bl u egr ass ▁region ▁of ▁Kentucky , ▁character ized ▁by ▁grass ▁having ▁bl u ish - green ▁cul ms , ▁which ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" heart " ▁of ▁the ▁thorough bre d ▁racing ▁industry . ▁ ▁First ▁run ▁at ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Association ▁track ▁in ▁Lex ington ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁the ▁Blue ▁Gr ass ▁has , ▁from ▁its ▁in ception , ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁important ▁prep ▁for ▁the ▁Kentucky ▁Derby . ▁At ▁the