Keeneland

Sunday's Racing Insights: Well-Bred Juveniles Debuting All Over

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-BEL, $80K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, post time: 12:55 p.m. ET Several well-bred firsters will look to run down the likes of morning line favorite Exact (Competitive Edge), who was second over track and trip Sept. 18. Allen Stable and Shug McGaughey unveil Cafe Society (Empire Maker), a $135,000 KEESEP yearling turned $475,000 OBSAPR 2-year-old off a :10 flat breeze. Dam Full Tap (Tapit) was carrying Cafe Society when she brought $375,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. The three-time winner, who was third in...

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Saying 'Grace' In the Raven Run

A competitive group of 10 sophomore fillies line up in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Among the expected favorites for the seven-furlong test is Whitham Thoroughbreds' Four Graces (Majesticperfection). Trained by Ian Wilkes, the homebred has won four of five starts at the Raven Run distance, including Churchill's GIII Dogwood S. in June followed by the GIII Beaumont S. over the local Beard Course July 10. Given some time off following that effort, she speed-loving filly weakened late to be second behind Sconsin (Include) in the Sept....

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Keeneland Releases November Sale COVID-19 Protocols

To ensure the health and safety of participants, Keeneland has released its protocols surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic for its November sale, which will be held Nov. 9-18. Many of the protocols will be similar to the ones in place for the Keeneland September sale, but a few adjustments have been made in light of the Breeders' Cup being held on the grounds Nov. 6-7. Requirements are as follows: Access to the grounds is limited to credentialed attendees only. Credentials are accessible from the Virtual Badge app beginning Oct. 28. Those...

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Friday's Insights: Full-Brother to Constitution Debuts at Belmont

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-Belmont Park, Msw, $63k, 2yo, 1 1/16m, post time: 4:14 p.m. Bridledwood Farm and Don Alberto's homebred CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (Tapit), a full-brother to multiple Grade I winner Constitution, debuts for trainer Todd Pletcher. Bridlewood and Don Alberto partnered to purchase the gray colt's dam Baffled (Distorted Humor), in foal to Tapit, for $3.5 million at the 2016 Fasig November sale. Don Alberto bought out the parnership for $1.8 million at last year's Fasig November sale. The mare's yearling filly by Medaglia d'Oro sold to Mandy...

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Antoinette Tops Loaded Field in Valley View

Godolphin homebred Antoinette (Hard Spun) headlines a large and talented field in Friday's renewal of the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland. Third in the GI CCA Oaks on the Saratoga main track, the Bill Mott pupil captured the Saratoga Oaks when getting back on grass next out Aug. 16. She led the way in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. Sept. 19, but was run down late by Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and forced to settle for second. The Chad Brown-trained Duopoly (Animal Kingdom) has not...

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Kirk Robison Talks 'Horse of a Lifetime' Jackie's Warrior On Writers' Room

Having been involved in horse racing for decades, Kirk Robison knows how much luck plays a part in finding success. He admits as much. But perseverance also pays, and Robison has finally seen the fruits of his labor pay off at the highest level of the game, as his undefeated Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) is set to head into the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile as a heavy favorite, with a chance to solidify a divisional championship to boot. Wednesday morning, Robison joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland as...

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Thursday Insights: Into Mischief Gelding Makes Belated Debut

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-KEE, $70K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:18 p.m. ET MYSTIC NIGHT (Into Mischief) is the second foal to make the races for his dam, a $1.2m Keeneland September yearling whose GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf-winning half-sister Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) is the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine and 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing (Speightstown) and SW Riley's Choice (Distorted Humor). Secret Jewel is also kin to GSW Colonial Flag (Pleasant Tap) and GSP Mark of Success (Mt. Livermore)....

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Nashville Under Consideration for Breeders' Cup Sprint

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's 'TDN Rising Star' Nashville (Speightstown), who took his record to two-for-two with a towering allowance success at Keeneland Oct. 10, could make his next start in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint over the same track and distance, WinStar General Manager David Hanley said Monday. "It's a bit too early for a final decision, but I would say the nothing has been ruled out at this point," Hanley said. "I haven't discussed it with [WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager] Elliott [Walden] or [trainer]...

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Carpe Diem Colt Sharp in Keeneland Unveiling

9th-Keeneland, $68,513, Msw, 10-11, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.98, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. SAFFA'S DAY (c, 2, Carpe Diem--Shytoe Lafeet {SW, $332,473}, by King of Kings {Ire}), a :10 flat OBSAPR breezer, showed off similar speed on Sunday in an auspicious first outing. Let go at 6-1 off an unassuming worktab mostly at Ellis Park, the chestnut broke sharply from his wide draw and found himself attending the pace perched three deep under a tight hold. He started to pull away from his pace foes around the turn through a :46.03...

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Harvey's Lil Goil Becomes First GISW for American Pharoah in QEII

Versatile Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) turned the tables on Micheline (Bernardini)--who defeated her by a neck last time in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs--to become the first Grade I winner for Triple Crown-winning sire American Pharoah in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. Off at 7-2 bidding to become Hall of Famer Bill Mott's second winner in this prestigious event, the grey employed her good cruising speed to chase Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) through honest enough fractions of :23.89, :47.75 and 1:12.16. She...

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Speightstown Rising Star Puts on a Show at Keeneland

5th-Keeneland, $71,000, Alw, 10-10, (NW2L), 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.10, ft, 9 3/4 lengths. NASHVILLE (c, 3, Speightstown--Veronique, by Mizzen Mast), a $460,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, ran away with his career bow in the slop with a dazzling, front-running 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Saratoga Sept. 2, good for a 91 Beyer Speed Figure. He displayed a string of sharp works in the interim, including a pair of bullets, working four furlongs over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track in :48 (1/32) two back Sept. 27. Hammered down to 1-2 favoritism in this first...

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Got Stormy Up In Time in Franklin County

Making just her second lifetime appearance in a true one-turn race and trying a distance as short as 5 1/2 furlongs for the first time in career start number 25, the classy Got Stormy (Get Stormy) needed every inch of the Keeneland stretch, but was shoved across the line by Tyler Gaffalione to win Friday's GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. Got Stormy broke outward at the start, bothering Chalon (Dialed In) to her outside, and settled near the back of the field through the opening exchanges. Not rushed into...

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