Dreaming of Alys

by Jill Williams & J.N. Campbell A spectacular Fall Stars Weekend both continues and concludes Sunday at Keeneland, highlighted by the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 1. While entries may seem sparse for such an historic race with a $650,000 purse, they pack a punch with the reigning Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), making her first start in front of the home crowd since her open daylight debut over this surface at this meet two...

Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stable LLC's Governor Sam (Improbable) is perfect in two previous efforts over Saratoga's Mellon turf course and he'll look to keep that record intact as a warm favorite in Sunday's newly upgraded GIII Mahony Stakes. A maiden winner when making his local debut just over a year ago, the bay rattled off three in a row in stakes company and made the majority of the pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint before clinging on gamely for third. Governor Sam dropped his first...

Purchased privately following a maiden win, last year's overachieving Debutante S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) hit the board in five straight graded stakes races for trainer Phil D'Amato in Southern California beginning with the GIII Sorrento S. at Del Mar. Taylor Made's Medallion Racing will look to follow a similar blueprint with impressive Laurel Park debut winner Dreaming of Alys (Upstart), who will face five rivals, led by the Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Himika (Curlin), going six furlongs in...