Keeneland

Connect Colt 'Rolls' in Breeders' Futurity

Rattle N Roll (Connect) provided his first-crop sire with a first Grade I win, and potentially a Breeders' Cup-bound colt to go along with his promising filly Hidden Connection, as he powered away to an impressive score in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. A three-length, third-out, two-turn maiden winner at Churchill Sept. 23, the 8-1 shot stumbled slightly at the start and sat a midpack trip while saving ground as favored Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) cleared from his wide draw through fractions of :22.81...

[ Read More ]
Letruska Tough to Beat in Spinster

With the retirement of both Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), Letruska (Super Saver) stands head and shoulders above the older mare division and is currently ranked second behind only Knicks Go (Paynter) among all runners in the country on the latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. She'll look to put her raw brilliance on display over her home track Sunday in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S., a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The powerful 5-year-old bay beat both Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver...

[ Read More ]
Blowout Gives Brown Another First Lady Crown

Peter Brant's Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB} gave trainer Chad Brown his fourth consecutive victory in Keeneland's GI First Lady S., leading every step of the way to just stave off a final-furlong rally from the commonly owned 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) to punch her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6. Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire} x Lillie Langtry {Ire}) ran with merit to be third. Blowout was kicked straight into the lead by Flavien Prat from an outside...

[ Read More ]
Turf 2-Year-Olds Make a Splash in Bourbon

A field of 14 juveniles look to sort themselves out in Sunday's GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) is one of two stakes-winning juveniles in the field, following up a spectacular 14 1/4-length off-the-turf maiden special weight at Ellis Park July 2 with a hard-fought score in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 6. As a $330,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling, he remains the highest-priced yearling--by nearly $200,000--by...

[ Read More ]
Bell's The One Outclasses Them in TCA

Bell's the One stamped her ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a gritty score in the TCA at Keeneland Saturday. Heavily favored here, the bay trailed the field through a :21.57 opening quarter. Making an eye-catching move on the backstretch, she launched a five-wide bid turning for home to put herself in contention and fought her way past her foes in mid-stretch, edging clear to score. "She's one of the best mares, if not the best horse, I've ever had," trainer Neil Pessin said. "The only thing I regret with...

[ Read More ]
Golden Pal Bounces Back in Woodford

Looking to rebound off a disappointing and well-backed seventh in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York Aug. 20, Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) was made to work for it up front, but he found an extra gear in the final furlong and came away to a relatively easy victory in Saturday's GII Woodford S. at Keeneland. The 1-2 chalk bounced well from his low gate, but was closely followed by Firecrow (Maclean's Music), who forced the pace through an opening quarter in :21.51. The latter looked poised to strike and...

[ Read More ]
Son of Midshipman 'Reserves' Spot in Sprint Starting Gate

Reformed claimer Special Reserve pressed, pounced and held on late to earn a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Friday. Scooped up for $40,000 from Randy Morse and Doyle Williams out of an upset optional claiming tally at Oaklawn in February--good for what at the time was by far his best career Beyer Speed Figure of 92--the late-blooming 5-year-old won right back at that level (not in for the tag) in March before finishing second in the GIII Commonwealth S. over an additional furlong...

[ Read More ]
Golden Pal Heads Keeneland's Woodford

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's speedy sophomore Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) will face off with 8-year-old Group 1 winning Extravagant Kid in Saturday's 5 1/2-furlong GII Woodford S. at Keeneland. A close-up second in last season's G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, Golden Pal subsequently reeled off three consecutive stakes wins, including the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over this turf course last November followed by a confident victory in Saratoga's Quick Call S. July 15. Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal finished seventh in...

[ Read More ]
Inthemidstofbiz Looks for Repeat Win in TCA S.

Trainer Cipriano Contrereas and Andrew Knapczyk's Inthemidstofbiz (Fed Biz) faces five other fillies and mares in an attempt to defend her title in Saturday's GII Thoroughbred Club of America S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6. In two starts this term, Inthemidstofbiz won an Indiana optional claimer on the dirt May 20 before finishing fourth in the Aug. 30 Satin and Lace S. over Presque Isle Downs' synthetic surface, the same race she used as a prep...

[ Read More ]
Order of Australia Returns to U.S. in Turf Mile

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Anne Marie O'Brien's Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) returns to the scene of his biggest career win in Saturday's GI Keeneland Turf Mile and will attempt to earn a berth to this year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Sent off at a whopping 73-1 in last season's Mile contested at the Lexington oval, the bay came from just off the pace to prevail by a neck. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Order of Australia arrived at Keeneland Tuesday afternoon after spending two days...

[ Read More ]
Juveniles Vie For Breeders' Cup Berth

A robust field of 13 line in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup TVG Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 5. The sole black-type winner in the field is Phoenix Thoroughbred's Double Thunder (Super Saver), who comes into this off a narrow victory in Monmouth's one-mile Sapling S. Sept. 5. A confident 4 3/4-length winner second time out in Churchill's June 26 GIII Bashford Manor S., the Todd Pletcher trainee was a well-beaten fourth in the GII Saratoga Special S....

[ Read More ]
Althiqa Heads Competitive First Lady

Godolphin's Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) rides a two-race win skein in the U.S., but appears likely have to work for her third consecutive Grade I victory in of a competitive renewal of the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland Saturday, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly&Mare Turf Nov. 6. On the board in all 11 career starts, the homebred posted her first win at the group level at Meydan in the G2 Cape Verdi S. in January before finishing third behind stablemate Summer Romance...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.