Shadwell Runners Come From All Over
With two-time winner Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) recently retired, a $1-million purse and automatic berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile have brought out a diverse field of 13 for Keeneland’s GI Shadwell Turf Mile Saturday. One of three invaders from Europe, 3-year-old Dutch Connection (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) gets the tepid 4-1 nod on the morning line. The Charlie Hills trainee was a Group 3 winner at York as a juvenile before finishing his season with a third-place finish behind Europe’s champion juvenile Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Curragh’s G1 Vincent O’Brien National S. in September. Seventh behind Gleneagles in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, the Charlie Hills trainee returned to winning ways to upset Royal Ascot’s G3 Jersey S. June 17. He remained in good form when second in Chantilly’s G1 Prix Jean Prat at this distance July 12, and filled the same slot as the favorite against the likes of classy older rival Toormore (Ire) (Arakan) in Goodwood’s G2 Lennox S. 16 days later.
Jim and Susan Hill’s Grand Arch (Arch) was second behind Wise Dan here 12 months ago, but failed to land a blow in the BC Mile. Successful over soft going at this course and distance Apr. 15, he was sixth in Churchill’s GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic May 2 and fifth in Belmont’s Forbidden Apple S. July 11. The Brian Lynch pupil returned to winning ways to best subsequent record-breaking GII Bernard Baruch H. winner Ironicus (Distorted Humor), as well as five other re-opposing foes, in Saratoga’s GII Fourstardave H. Aug. 15. Lynch also saddles local allowance winner Heart to Heart (English Channel), who controlled Monmouth’s GIII Oceanport S. from start to finish Aug. 2.
The Pizza Man (English Channel) has built his reputation mostly going longer, but he is two-for-two at a flat mile. The Midwest Thoroughbreds representative seeks a fourth-straight victory, having bested last Saturday’s G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic hero Big Blue Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) in the GI Arlington Million Aug. 15.
Lightly raced Tourist (Tiznow) is one of several who figure to be up on what could prove to be a solid pace. Runner-up in last August’s GI Secretariat S., he may have been biting off more than he could chew at the time when second-to-last in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Mile. The WinStar/Mott representative returned to take the More Than Ready S. at a mile over the likes of Group 1-winning GIII Woodford S. contender Undrafted (Purim) at Kentucky Downs Sept. 5.
Jack Milton (War Front) flew home to take the GI Maker’s 46 Mile here over soft ground in May. He finished third, promoted to second, in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, but could only manage ninth in Belmont’s GI Knob Creek Manhattan S. June 6. He was sixth last time in the Fourstardave.