Keen Ice Likely for Clark

GI Travers S. winner Keen Ice (Curlin) will likely conclude his sophomore campaign with a start in the Nov. 27 GI Clark H. at Churchill Downs. The Donegal Racing colorbearer worked a half-mile at Churchill Sunday in :48.20 under exercise rider Tammy Fox. He began the workout at the three-eighths pole over a “fast” track and recorded splits of :11.60, :23.60 and :35.60 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.40.

“Right now, I’m training him like he’s going in the Clark,” Romans said after the work. “He’s a big strong and heavy horse that needs a lot of work and he enjoys his work, so it’s not hurting him. He’s showing no signs of souring, so we’ll train like we’re running him.”

Keen Ice is coming off a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 31 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“I think he could’ve had a better performance in the Breeders’ Cup,” Romans admitted. “I just don’t think that things set up for him, from track conditions to everything else. What I think you’ll see at this time next year is a horse that will be talked about as Horse of the Year or champion older male. He’s doing that well and moves forward so much every time he runs that at the end of his 4-year-old year, you’ll see an even better Keen Ice and a special horse that goes down in history. He’s one of the few horses that I’ve had that the more he does, the better he gets. A lot of horses I can maintain, but you see very few improve the way he has.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher is expected to send Protonico (Giant’s Causeway) and Race Day (Tapit) to the Clark, which is also the target for the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Mr. Z (Malibu Moon).