Rising Stars on the ‘Run’ at Keeneland

A full field of 13 sophomore fillies, including four “TDN Rising Stars,” line up today in a wide-open renewal of Keeneland’s GII Lexus Raven Run S. Among those to have earned the publication’s distinction is Commmonwealth New Era Racing’s Taris (Flatter). The bay was an 11 3/4-length debut winner over the Aqueduct inner last December, and added a 5 1/2-length score in Laurel’s Wide Country S. going this distance the following month. She failed to see out the 9 1/2 panels of Oaklawn’s GIII Honeybee S. Mar. 8 and had to settle for a promoted fifth, but resurfaced in a six-furlong Presque Isle allowance Sept. 10 to air by 7 3/4 lengths with a field’s-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. “She hurt her shins in the Honeybee,” conditioner Todd Beattie revealed. “We gave her the time after that with therapy and she has been 100% spot-on since she has been back.” Of switching from Presque Isle’s Tapeta to conventional dirt, he said, “We thought the Raven Run was a good spot. I like going from a synthetic track to dirt because horses gain a lot of conditioning.” Another ‘Rising Star’ in with a solid chance is Emory Hamilton homebred La Madrina (Tapit). The regally bred sister to MGISW Verrazano (More Than Ready) and Grade II winner El Padrino (Pulpit) ran to her pedigree with a convincing first-up success going this distance at Gulfstream in March. She could only manage third in a first-level allowance at Belmont May 17, but is two-for-two since then with victories at Saratoga July 30 and at Belmont Sept. 10. If the pace gets hot, the grey should be one of those who can pick up the pieces. Fox Hill Farm’s GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine Cassatt(Tapit) cuts back off a fifth in Parx’s GI Cotillion S. Sept. 20, while Alto Racing’s GI Acorn S. runner-up Sweet Whiskey (Old Fashioned) looks to improve off a fifth in the GI Test S. and sixth in the GII Prioress S. Favored here on the morning line at 7-2 is Cal MacWilliam and Neil Teitelbaum’s Miss Behaviour (Jump Start). A winner of the Miss Preakness S. in May, the Phil Schoenthal pupil reeled off a trio of second-place finishes–in Belmont’s GIII Victory Ride S. June 29, and the Aug. 2 Test and Aug. 30 GII Prioress S. at Saratoga. Nobody was beating the bay last time, however, as she sped off to a head-turning 9 3/4-length drubbing in the Sept. 20 GIII Charles Town Oaks. Ken and Sarah Ramsey’sThank You Marylou (Birdstone) also enters off a decisive victory, having annexed Churchill’s GIII Dogwood S. Sept. 20 by 6 1/2 lengths. Milam (Street Sense) was third in that event.