Keeneland Opens Friday With Great Racing
Trotman
Senior Member
KEENELAND OPENS FRIDAY WITH GREAT RACING
By The Staff:
Belmont is in full swing, Santa Anita opened last week and now Keeneland is about to get their fall meet underway. In addition, it is three weeks and counting until the Breeders' Cup.
In today's edition of I'll take a glance at Keeneland, with an eye on Friday's two Opening Day Graded Stakes races, update you on Breeders' Cup happenings and of course provide you with Horses To Watch in New York and Southern California.
Keeneland Opens Friday- 17 Top Notch Days
On Friday, October 3, Keeneland begins the 2008 fall meet with the first of three huge days of weekend racing. The meet, which consists of 17 days of racing and offers 19 stakes races will also play host to a number of key Breeders' Cup Challenge"Win and You're In"races.
During the opening weekend, which runs through Sunday 10/5, the track will offer nine stakes races featuring a total payout of $3.4 Million. Five of the nine are Grade I events. On Friday they'll run the $400,000 First Lady for older fillies and mares at a mile on the turf and the $500,000 Alcibiades, a mile and a sixteenth test for juvenile fillies. On Saturday the co-features are the $500,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity, a mile and a sixteenth event for juveniles and the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile for three-year olds and up. On Sunday the track will offer $500,000 for the Juddmonte Spinster for older fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth on the main track. All five are Grade I events and all but the First Lady on Friday are Breeders' Cup Challenge automatic qualifiers.
Also on opening Saturday, Keeneland will run the Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America, a six furlong test which qualifies the winner for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. On Sunday, the Grade II Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes will be run on the turf for juveniles at a mile and a sixteenth and on October 9, two-year old fillies will also travel a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in the J P Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes. Those two races will qualify the will qualify their winners for the BC Juvenile Turf and BC Juvenile Filly Turf respectively. Finally, although not a BC Challenge race, the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II, a major turf race for three-year old fillies is a very important mile and an eighth race that has international appeal and just might send one or more of its graduates on to future greatness.
Opening Day At Keeneland Looks Great...
As you might expect, Opening Day At Keeneland features ten races with an average size field of over ten horses. The feature races are the Grade I Lady's Secret Stakes and the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes.
The $400,000 Lady's Secret may not be a"Win-And-You're-In"BC Challenge race, but it doesn't need to be in the sense that it is most likely a final prep for as many as three or four fillies or mares that will show up at Santa Anita three weeks hence.
What makes this race highly competitive is that seven of the eight entered are multiple Graded Stakes winners and four have won at the Grade I level. And astonishingly, they have collectively won 46 of 97 turf races. Yet only one of the eight comes off a last out win.
From the rail out here's a brief preview of the runners.
Precious Kitten- 13 times first or second from 18 career grass starts the Bob Frankel trained mare has won three Grade I tests in the last two years, including the Gamely at Hollywood two back. She pressed the lead and weakened late in the Grade I Beverly D at Arlington last time, but that was at a mile and three-sixteenths. She shortens up to a mile for this and should be in the thick of this from the start, figuring to lay just off the filly directly outside of her and Bayou's Lassie as well as the other tactical speed runners, Roshani and Rosinka.
Dreaming Of Anna- Another Beverly D graduate, the daughter of Rahy made the pace to inside the furlong marker before weakening and finishing fourth. She certainly knows where the finish line is, having won 8 of 12 turf tries in her career and 2 of 3 at the mile distance. In her last ten races she has failed to be on the lead at second call only once (a length back in second) so there is little doubt she should be knocking heads with Bayou Lassie early on. She did finish second over this turf course in the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Cup last year, but her last three wins have all been at the expense of Grade III foes. Takes them as far as she battles.
Rutherienne- There is no question that the projected pace of this race sets up for her. She has hit the board in 9 of her last 10...all on the grass and all in graded. stakes company...and has won 4 times. She has also closed a great deal of ground in all 9 board appearances. However, from a handicapping standpoint one has to wonder if a mile is enough ground and just how hard trainer Clement will instruct Garrett Gomez to push her, considering a mild close while under no pressure wouldn't better serve the purposes of getting her ready for a possible BC Filly & Mare Turf engagement. Tough to leave out in any case.
Roshani - The Todd Pletcher trainee has solid tactical speed and is 2 for 2 at the mile distance. She should attend the pace early on, but it has to be of some concern that she hasn't been out since winning the Grade III Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard. She does have sharp works, and is by BC Champ Fantastic Light, so the best may be ahead for the relatively lightly raced mare. But Pletcher has definitely thrown her to the wolves in this one.
Bayou's Lassie- Another of the speed contingent, the 5-year old mare wanted no part of the main track when she sprinted vs the likes of Intangeroo, Miraculous Miss and Sugar Swirl in the Grade I Ballerina last time. Now back on grass the Dale Romans trained miss figures to be more comfortable, but she will still have to regain her steadier and more determined form springtime. In her last three grass races she has sprung out early and retired when challenged in the lane. The mile might help her, and she is definitely going to help determine the pace, but this could be a bit deep.
Forever Together- I don't have to tell you how much I like the way this gal has run since Jonathan Sheppard put her on the turf four races back. After all, she scored as my key release of the day at Saratoga on July 26 when she won the Grade I Diana and returned $20.00. The handicapping question for this race, however, is whether or not the trainer is sending her on all cylinders or using this race in the same way he used the mile Grade I Just A Game prior to the Diana...as a prep in which the filly makes a utilitarian rally for a minor piece before cranking it up should she go on October 24.
Rosinka- Coming off two very promising efforts at Delaware to begin her 2008 season, the Graham Motion trained mare was very rank, hit the rail and never got untracked in the Grade I Beverly D last time. On her best form, which she exhibited prior to the Arlington fiasco, she showed very consistent pace-setting speed in longer races. Although the pace was relatively soft in those races, it showed that the Irish bred daughter of Soviet Star can call on tactical speed, which may serve her well, if Jeremy Rose can get her to rate. She has failed to hit the board in both mile grass tries, however, so it might be prudent to look at her as a minor role player for now.
Stormy West- The only filly in the race that is testing uncharted waters, the 4-year old daughter of Gone West makes the jump from a second place finish in a 6 furlong 75K grass stakes at Belmont four weeks ago. She did finish a very close second to Rutherienne in the Grade II Jenny Wiley over this grass course during the spring meet and has won 2 of 4 at the distance, so on her best could be troublesome. She'll need to step up her game nonetheless, as she has never raced in Grade I company and has never run a triple digit BRIS speed number.
Directly following the Lady's Secret Stakes the 2-year old fillies take center stage in the seminal BC Juvenile Fillies prep, the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes.
A tight, well-matched field of seven is signed on for this $500,000 mile and a sixteenth test over Keeneland's synthetic oval, which means the race should tell the trainers of each youngster, none of which have ever raced over an artificial dirt course, just where they stand in regards to their prospects for success not only as a race filly, but also over the Santa Anita Pro-Ride course.
From the rail out...
Be Smart- The daughter of Smarty Jones lit up the tote-board at 49-1 at Saratoga in winning her one and only career start. She won it on the front end after turning a :44 3/5 half in the 5 ½ furlong dash, so she should give the more experienced front-running undefeated favorite Mani Bhavan some attention early on. Whether or not she is ready to sustain it for 8 ½ panels remains to be seen.
Devotee- Another whose lone career start was a front running MSW win at Saratoga. The daughter of Elusive Quality was quite impressive in measuring her speed equally over the course of the 8 ½ furlongs and with Sunday Silence as the dam sire she should be able to carry that speed even further. The Tom Albertrani trainee has worked well since the 8/31 win and the conditioner has very positive numbers with both graded stakes entrants and last out winners.
Bon Jovi Girl- One of only two in the race to have been the distance, the daughter of Malibu Moon also indicated she loved two turns when she stalked the pace early and then took control and drew off in the $100,000 Fairway at Delaware last time out. Any time a young horse stalks and closes in sprints, as this one did on three occasions prior to the Fairway, and then uses the same tactics around two turns, she has to be taken seriously.
August Rush- It is difficult to know what to make of this Wesley Ward trainee. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew won her debut by beating MSW foes at 5 ½ furlongs on a yielding Saratoga turf course. She then stumbled out of the gate in Mani Bhavan's Grade I Spinaway and never got involved. The blinkers are removed and she is bred for a bit of ground, but it is also noteworthy that she has had only one public work since the 8/31 test.
Mani Bhavan- Not much to say...she's going to go off at odds on, as should any three time undefeated starter that has never been headed as she gradually stretched out from 5 ½ to 7 furlongs and is also a two-time graded stakes winner. The Steve Klesaris trained, Delaware based juvenile has worked 7 furlongs twice over the wood chips at Fair Hill during the last few weeks so might have some solid stamina built into her speed. She's definitely the one to beat.
Dream Empress- The daughter of solid sire Bernstein hits the main track for the first time after beginning her career with a pair of MSW turf races, the second of which found her victorious at the Alcibiades distance. For the most part horses transfer their turf form to theses synthetic dirt surfaces, and trainer Ken McPeek has worked her four times over the Keeneland surface since 9/6, including a best of twenty-six 5 furlong bullet on 9/20. Could be the main closer and has a chance to pull the upset.
Amanwella- The 525K yearling purchase is still winless after three tries. The daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus has come close in her last two and certainly has the potential to improve going two turns for the first time. What makes the call even more difficult, however, is that she has shown the sort of speed that could get her involved early, but has also given way when in a position to win in her last two. Breeding and spotty talent gives her a chance, but performance makes you wonder if she is another in a long line of Fu-Peg head cases.
By The Staff:
Belmont is in full swing, Santa Anita opened last week and now Keeneland is about to get their fall meet underway. In addition, it is three weeks and counting until the Breeders' Cup.
In today's edition of I'll take a glance at Keeneland, with an eye on Friday's two Opening Day Graded Stakes races, update you on Breeders' Cup happenings and of course provide you with Horses To Watch in New York and Southern California.
Keeneland Opens Friday- 17 Top Notch Days
On Friday, October 3, Keeneland begins the 2008 fall meet with the first of three huge days of weekend racing. The meet, which consists of 17 days of racing and offers 19 stakes races will also play host to a number of key Breeders' Cup Challenge"Win and You're In"races.
During the opening weekend, which runs through Sunday 10/5, the track will offer nine stakes races featuring a total payout of $3.4 Million. Five of the nine are Grade I events. On Friday they'll run the $400,000 First Lady for older fillies and mares at a mile on the turf and the $500,000 Alcibiades, a mile and a sixteenth test for juvenile fillies. On Saturday the co-features are the $500,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity, a mile and a sixteenth event for juveniles and the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile for three-year olds and up. On Sunday the track will offer $500,000 for the Juddmonte Spinster for older fillies and mares at a mile and an eighth on the main track. All five are Grade I events and all but the First Lady on Friday are Breeders' Cup Challenge automatic qualifiers.
Also on opening Saturday, Keeneland will run the Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America, a six furlong test which qualifies the winner for the BC Filly & Mare Sprint. On Sunday, the Grade II Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes will be run on the turf for juveniles at a mile and a sixteenth and on October 9, two-year old fillies will also travel a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in the J P Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes. Those two races will qualify the will qualify their winners for the BC Juvenile Turf and BC Juvenile Filly Turf respectively. Finally, although not a BC Challenge race, the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II, a major turf race for three-year old fillies is a very important mile and an eighth race that has international appeal and just might send one or more of its graduates on to future greatness.
Opening Day At Keeneland Looks Great...
As you might expect, Opening Day At Keeneland features ten races with an average size field of over ten horses. The feature races are the Grade I Lady's Secret Stakes and the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes.
The $400,000 Lady's Secret may not be a"Win-And-You're-In"BC Challenge race, but it doesn't need to be in the sense that it is most likely a final prep for as many as three or four fillies or mares that will show up at Santa Anita three weeks hence.
What makes this race highly competitive is that seven of the eight entered are multiple Graded Stakes winners and four have won at the Grade I level. And astonishingly, they have collectively won 46 of 97 turf races. Yet only one of the eight comes off a last out win.
From the rail out here's a brief preview of the runners.
Precious Kitten- 13 times first or second from 18 career grass starts the Bob Frankel trained mare has won three Grade I tests in the last two years, including the Gamely at Hollywood two back. She pressed the lead and weakened late in the Grade I Beverly D at Arlington last time, but that was at a mile and three-sixteenths. She shortens up to a mile for this and should be in the thick of this from the start, figuring to lay just off the filly directly outside of her and Bayou's Lassie as well as the other tactical speed runners, Roshani and Rosinka.
Dreaming Of Anna- Another Beverly D graduate, the daughter of Rahy made the pace to inside the furlong marker before weakening and finishing fourth. She certainly knows where the finish line is, having won 8 of 12 turf tries in her career and 2 of 3 at the mile distance. In her last ten races she has failed to be on the lead at second call only once (a length back in second) so there is little doubt she should be knocking heads with Bayou Lassie early on. She did finish second over this turf course in the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Cup last year, but her last three wins have all been at the expense of Grade III foes. Takes them as far as she battles.
Rutherienne- There is no question that the projected pace of this race sets up for her. She has hit the board in 9 of her last 10...all on the grass and all in graded. stakes company...and has won 4 times. She has also closed a great deal of ground in all 9 board appearances. However, from a handicapping standpoint one has to wonder if a mile is enough ground and just how hard trainer Clement will instruct Garrett Gomez to push her, considering a mild close while under no pressure wouldn't better serve the purposes of getting her ready for a possible BC Filly & Mare Turf engagement. Tough to leave out in any case.
Roshani - The Todd Pletcher trainee has solid tactical speed and is 2 for 2 at the mile distance. She should attend the pace early on, but it has to be of some concern that she hasn't been out since winning the Grade III Gallorette Handicap at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard. She does have sharp works, and is by BC Champ Fantastic Light, so the best may be ahead for the relatively lightly raced mare. But Pletcher has definitely thrown her to the wolves in this one.
Bayou's Lassie- Another of the speed contingent, the 5-year old mare wanted no part of the main track when she sprinted vs the likes of Intangeroo, Miraculous Miss and Sugar Swirl in the Grade I Ballerina last time. Now back on grass the Dale Romans trained miss figures to be more comfortable, but she will still have to regain her steadier and more determined form springtime. In her last three grass races she has sprung out early and retired when challenged in the lane. The mile might help her, and she is definitely going to help determine the pace, but this could be a bit deep.
Forever Together- I don't have to tell you how much I like the way this gal has run since Jonathan Sheppard put her on the turf four races back. After all, she scored as my key release of the day at Saratoga on July 26 when she won the Grade I Diana and returned $20.00. The handicapping question for this race, however, is whether or not the trainer is sending her on all cylinders or using this race in the same way he used the mile Grade I Just A Game prior to the Diana...as a prep in which the filly makes a utilitarian rally for a minor piece before cranking it up should she go on October 24.
Rosinka- Coming off two very promising efforts at Delaware to begin her 2008 season, the Graham Motion trained mare was very rank, hit the rail and never got untracked in the Grade I Beverly D last time. On her best form, which she exhibited prior to the Arlington fiasco, she showed very consistent pace-setting speed in longer races. Although the pace was relatively soft in those races, it showed that the Irish bred daughter of Soviet Star can call on tactical speed, which may serve her well, if Jeremy Rose can get her to rate. She has failed to hit the board in both mile grass tries, however, so it might be prudent to look at her as a minor role player for now.
Stormy West- The only filly in the race that is testing uncharted waters, the 4-year old daughter of Gone West makes the jump from a second place finish in a 6 furlong 75K grass stakes at Belmont four weeks ago. She did finish a very close second to Rutherienne in the Grade II Jenny Wiley over this grass course during the spring meet and has won 2 of 4 at the distance, so on her best could be troublesome. She'll need to step up her game nonetheless, as she has never raced in Grade I company and has never run a triple digit BRIS speed number.
Directly following the Lady's Secret Stakes the 2-year old fillies take center stage in the seminal BC Juvenile Fillies prep, the Grade I Alcibiades Stakes.
A tight, well-matched field of seven is signed on for this $500,000 mile and a sixteenth test over Keeneland's synthetic oval, which means the race should tell the trainers of each youngster, none of which have ever raced over an artificial dirt course, just where they stand in regards to their prospects for success not only as a race filly, but also over the Santa Anita Pro-Ride course.
From the rail out...
Be Smart- The daughter of Smarty Jones lit up the tote-board at 49-1 at Saratoga in winning her one and only career start. She won it on the front end after turning a :44 3/5 half in the 5 ½ furlong dash, so she should give the more experienced front-running undefeated favorite Mani Bhavan some attention early on. Whether or not she is ready to sustain it for 8 ½ panels remains to be seen.
Devotee- Another whose lone career start was a front running MSW win at Saratoga. The daughter of Elusive Quality was quite impressive in measuring her speed equally over the course of the 8 ½ furlongs and with Sunday Silence as the dam sire she should be able to carry that speed even further. The Tom Albertrani trainee has worked well since the 8/31 win and the conditioner has very positive numbers with both graded stakes entrants and last out winners.
Bon Jovi Girl- One of only two in the race to have been the distance, the daughter of Malibu Moon also indicated she loved two turns when she stalked the pace early and then took control and drew off in the $100,000 Fairway at Delaware last time out. Any time a young horse stalks and closes in sprints, as this one did on three occasions prior to the Fairway, and then uses the same tactics around two turns, she has to be taken seriously.
August Rush- It is difficult to know what to make of this Wesley Ward trainee. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew won her debut by beating MSW foes at 5 ½ furlongs on a yielding Saratoga turf course. She then stumbled out of the gate in Mani Bhavan's Grade I Spinaway and never got involved. The blinkers are removed and she is bred for a bit of ground, but it is also noteworthy that she has had only one public work since the 8/31 test.
Mani Bhavan- Not much to say...she's going to go off at odds on, as should any three time undefeated starter that has never been headed as she gradually stretched out from 5 ½ to 7 furlongs and is also a two-time graded stakes winner. The Steve Klesaris trained, Delaware based juvenile has worked 7 furlongs twice over the wood chips at Fair Hill during the last few weeks so might have some solid stamina built into her speed. She's definitely the one to beat.
Dream Empress- The daughter of solid sire Bernstein hits the main track for the first time after beginning her career with a pair of MSW turf races, the second of which found her victorious at the Alcibiades distance. For the most part horses transfer their turf form to theses synthetic dirt surfaces, and trainer Ken McPeek has worked her four times over the Keeneland surface since 9/6, including a best of twenty-six 5 furlong bullet on 9/20. Could be the main closer and has a chance to pull the upset.
Amanwella- The 525K yearling purchase is still winless after three tries. The daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus has come close in her last two and certainly has the potential to improve going two turns for the first time. What makes the call even more difficult, however, is that she has shown the sort of speed that could get her involved early, but has also given way when in a position to win in her last two. Breeding and spotty talent gives her a chance, but performance makes you wonder if she is another in a long line of Fu-Peg head cases.