Keeneland

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sent out a trio of breezers Sunday morning at Keeneland to their final preparations for next weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships. GI Classic contender Epicenter (Not This Time) covered a half-mile in an easy :50.80 (23/25); GI Juvenile Fillies-bound Grand Love (Gun Runner) went the same distance in :50.20 (19/25); and streaking GI Distaff hopeful Society (Gun Runner) got the half-mile in :49.60 (12/25). "Epicenter worked a nice, smooth half-mile," Asmussen said. "I am extremely pleased with how he is coming into the Classic."...

Keeneland concluded a record-breaking fall meet Saturday with all-sources handle of $208.9 million, a season record for the Lexington track. The 17-day fall meet ran from Oct. 7-29 with Kentucky racing scheduled to switch over to Churchill Downs Sunday prior to returning to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4-5. The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland. "This fall...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, post time: 2:30 p.m. ET BO DEREK (Speightstown) must have ticked all the proverbial boxes at last year's Keeneland September sale, as she was acquired by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm for $900,000, the priciest of 42 (53 ring) of her Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint-winning sire's yearlings that were reported as sold in 2021. And the family behind her is extremely live. The Mar. 12 foal is the first from Wildwood Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a...

5th-Keeneland, $100,145, Alw, 10-28, (NW1X), 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.88, gd, 2 3/4 lengths. HEAVENLY SUNDAY (f, 2, Candy Ride {Arg}--Alien Giant {SP}, by Giant's Causeway) was hammered to 7-5 favoritism on debut Sept. 27 against a Horseshoe Indianapolis 7 1/2-panel maiden turf race, and made it look like a gift when she won by seven, geared down lengths. Once again enthusiastically supported at 8-5 here, she mildly brushed with the inside horse at the jump but secured a ground saving position from midpack early. Advancing between runners approaching the five...

Key of Life became the first black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Uncle Mo) with a decisive score in Keeneland's Myrtlewood S. Friday. Hammered down to 3-5 favoritism off consecutive scores, the $350,000 OBSAPR acquisition seized the early advantage, zipping through a :22.34 opening quarter with a rival in hot pursuit. Turning for home in front after a half in :45.91, the bay opened up with ease in the lane to win for fun. "She really has put it together over the last month or so," said winning trainer...

Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Westerberg's Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), undefeated in four prior starts at Keeneland, worked five furlongs in 1:03.80 as he completed his preparations toward defending his title in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. "Sometimes when you come up to a big event like the Breeders' Cup, you can get a little nervous and try to overdo things," said trainer Wesley Ward. "But we are just sticking with the plan." Also working Friday for Ward was Stonestreet Stables's 'TDN Rising Star' Love Reigns...

Sharp miler Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has pleased trainer Ralph Beckett in his preparations for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, the trainer revealed on Friday. Marc Chan's 5-year-old gelding is riding a four-race winning streak, and after victories in the G2 City Of York S. and the G2 Park S. in August and September, found France to his liking with a two-length victory in the G1 Prix de la Foret. He added an exclamation point to his season with a 2 1/4-length tally in the G1 British Champions...

In the weeks leading up to the Breeders' Cup, most of the news is focused on when the stars are shipping and breezing. But, with one week left to go before World Championship Saturday, there is plenty of racing action with seven graded events from coast-to-coast. Sophomore colts take center stage at Keeneland in the newly upgraded GIII Bryant Station S. GI Belmont Derby hero Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) looks to make amends after an unplaced effort in the course-and-distance GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 8. His best efforts have...

Hard though it may be to believe, a 3-year-old filly trained by Chad Brown has never won the GIII Rubicon Valley View S. at Keeneland, but Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) appears to be equipped to be the one to get the conditioner on the board Friday afternoon. Winner of the GIII Florida Oaks in her U.S. debut in March, the bay was runner-up to future GISW Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) in this track's course-and-distance GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9 and got a bit of a freshening following a third in...

Joe Peacock, Jr.'s Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), who earned a berth in the field for next Saturday's GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile via his mild upset in the GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill Downs Oct. 1, tuned up for that engagement with a 'solid' five-furlong work in the company of his GII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-bound stable companion Sheriff Brown (Curlin) beneath jockey Francisco Arrieta at Keeneland Thursday morning. "We got what we wanted," trainer Todd Fincher said. "Senor Buscador started about six lengths back and got to the...

6th-Keeneland, $99,588, Msw, 10-27, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:05.38, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. RARIFY (f, 2, Justify--Bella Jolie, by Broken Vow) opened her account with a pair of seconds at Saratoga earlier this summer, trying both 6 and 6 1/2 furlongs. The half-sister to Runhappy (Super Saver), Ch. Sprinter, MGISW, $1,496,250, Thursday's 2-5 chalk, raced with blinkers for the first time over her shortest distance yet and settled into a stalking position early while racing in the three path into the far turn. Fanned out wider still, Rarify loomed outside...

What will the share of Flightline, to be sold Nov. 7 at the Keeneland November sale, go for and what are the factors that will set that price? The TDN reached out to two experts to get their opinions. Paul Manganaro is a horse owner who frequently buys stallion seasons and shares. He owns shares in 20 horses. His uncle, Anthony Manganaro, is among the owners of Flightline. TDN: In general, what are the criteria involved when people try to evaluate what a stallion share is worth? PM: Depending on...