Keeneland

Oct. 10 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED TRIO DEBUT AT BELMONT 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT, 1:26p.m. Michael Tabor's THE GIRL HERSELF (American Pharoah) is one of three blue-blooded fillies making their career bow in this test. Out of Grade I winner Circle of Life (Belong to Me), the bay is a half to Grade I-winning sire Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) and MGSP The Roundhouse (Fusaichi Pegasus). Juddmonte homebred Nubian (Pioneerof the Nile) also looks to open her account here. The bay is a daughter of European champion Special Duty...

[ Read More ]
Looking for 'Magic' in the QEII

Newcomer Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) marked her U.S. debut with an emphatic score in the Sept. 19 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and will try to remain undefeated at the highest level in this country in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. A winner of one of three starts in France for trainer Fabrice Chappet and owner Haras du Saubouas, the English-bred returned off an eight-month layoff to take ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Vanteaux in May before finishing runner up in the G1 Prix Saint Alary...

[ Read More ]
Vekoma Training Up to Breeders' Cup
Vekoma Training Up to Breeders' Cup

After missing an intended start in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in late August with a foot abscess, the talented Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) is training up to next month's Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the 'Win and You're In' GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton S. Mar....

[ Read More ]
Dreaming of Anna Colt Takes Dirt Bow at Keeneland

4th-Keeneland, $73,000, Alw (NW2X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 10-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.18, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. BIG DREAMING (c, 3, Declaration of War--Dreaming of Anna {Ch. 2yo Filly, GISW-US, GSW-Can, $2,024,550}, by Rahy), a first-out second over the Tampa turf for Mike Stidham, was turned over to the trainer who conditioned this dam to a victory in the 2006 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and graduated at Churchill June 20. A popular Arlington allowance winner Aug. 1, the homebred made the running in the Dueling Grounds Derby when last seen...

[ Read More ]
Get Stormy Stays Sprinting at Keeneland

Gary Barber's Got Stormy (Get Stormy) cuts even farther back to the shortest distance of her career in Friday's GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. over 5 1/2 turfy furlongs at Keeneland. Twice a Grade I winner going a mile last term and second behind fellow female and last Saturday's GI First Lady S. heroine Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, the Mark Casse pupil failed to find her best form through the first half of 2020. She was fourth at 1-5 in the GIII...

[ Read More ]
Kenny McPeek Lets Loose On TDN Writers' Room

It takes a certain kind of personality to enter a filly against the boys in a leg of the Triple Crown, and Kenny McPeek showed all of that personality on Wednesday's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, McPeek talked about his successful, outside-the-box campaign of Peter Callahan's GI Preakness S. winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), why he subbed in Robby Albarado to ride the chestnut, his approach to training 2-year-olds and much more. Swiss Skydiver has run nine...

[ Read More ]
'Pearl' Runs Them Off Their Feet in the GII Jessamine

Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) repeated her 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut victory with a record-setting success in Keeneland's GII J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine S., a "Win and You're In" event for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. at this oval Nov. 6. Running the field off their feet from the start, the 280,000gns TATOCT purchase graduated by five lengths going a mile on the lawn at Churchill Downs Sept. 1. She was hammered down to 3-2 favoritism to repeat in this black-type bow. Taking up her...

[ Read More ]
Keeneland Catalogs 3,777 Horses for November Breeding Stock Sale

Keeneland has cataloged 3,777 horses for the 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale, which opens Monday, Nov. 9, two days after Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the second time. Buyers will be able to participate in the auction remotely through online and telephone bidding options successfully introduced at the September Yearling Sale, while the new bidding location at the Show Barn next to the Sales Pavilion again will be available to allow for proper social distancing. Keeneland's COVID-19 protocols for the November Sale will be similar to those...

[ Read More ]
Tapit Filly Books Trip to Breeders' Cup With Spinster Win

Valiance, previously a turf specialist who earned her first stakes win in a washed-off event last out, rallied from off the pace to upset the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Sunday at Keeneland. The win sealed a berth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff for the gray and capped off a monster weekend at Keeneland for jockey Luis Saez. Beginning her career with three straight turf triumphs last year, including a score in Monmouth's Open Mind S., the $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga buy had to be shelved for over 10 months...

[ Read More ]
Into Mischief Colt Flies Home in Bourbon

'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq took advantage of a fast pace and produced a last-to-first rally to take the GII Bourbon S. Sunday at Keeneland, punching his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in the "Win and You're In" qualifier. Cruising to a 4 1/2-length debut score going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga main track Aug. 8, the $425,000 Keeneland November weanling buy finished a well-beaten third in the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. there Sept. 7 and was backed down to favoritism in this turf bow. Last out...

[ Read More ]
Brazilian-Bred 'Var'-y Impressive in Shadwell Mile

Undefeated in three Argentinian starts, including two daylight wins at Group 1 level, and competitive in stakes company in this country, Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) settled in the latter third of the field, was ridden quietly into the final 2 1/2 furlongs by Joe Talamo and exploded through the Keeneland stretch to up-end a high-class field in Saturday's GI Shadwell Turf Mile, locking up a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile over the same course and distance exactly five weeks down the line. Drawn widest...

[ Read More ]
'Quality' Remains Unbeaten in GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity
'Quality' Remains Unbeaten in GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity

Attempting to follow up on a victory by fellow Godolphin-bred Maxfield (Street Sense) in last year's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, Essential Quality (Tapit) thoroughly dominated his competition to score, thus earning a trip to next month's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Three paths wide into the first turn as Upstriker (Upstart) assumed the earning advantage, Essential Quality pressed that rival through an initial quarter in :23.97. Challenging for the lead despite pilot Luis Saez kept his feet set firmly in the dashboard, the homebred poked his head in front following a...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.