Keeneland

5. SKELLIG MICHAEL, GP, 10/18, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-82 (g, 3, by Battalion Runner--Miss Monk, by Blame) O-Saint Celestine Thoroughbred Management. B-St Elias Stables (Fla). T-Victor Barboza Jr. J-Ernesto Jaramillo. The 4-5 pacesetter looked beaten at the quarter pole, but responded when set down by Jaramillo and kicked away to a five-length victory. The gelding is another bargain from Vinnie Viola's blue-collar stallion Battalion Runner: originally bought for $1,200 as a yearling, then pinhooked for $17k as a June 2-year-old. 4. CONFESSIONAL, KEE, 10/16, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer...

It's rare for a racehorse to have the same exercise rider for his entire career. It's almost unheard of for one rider to have been with a horse since the first time a saddle was on his back. But such is the case for Breeders' Cup hopeful Nakatomi (Firing Line). Jose Hernandez was the first person to ride the Grade I winner when he was just a yearling at Wesley Ward's farm, and five years later, he's still the one galloping him each morning at Keeneland. From the first time...

A 25% ownership interest in GI Breeders' Cup Sprint contender and future WinStar stallion Mullikin (Violence) has been supplemented to the Keeneland Championship Sale held at Del Mar Oct. 29, the company announced Tuesday. Mullikin will return to Del Mar to contest the Sprint having run third as the favorite in the same race last year. The interest is offered as property of WinStar Farm. "Our participation in the Keeneland Championship Sale with our Breeders' Cup Sprint entrant, Mullikin, is an opportunity to run for $2 million in 72 hours...

Kappa Kappa (Omaha Beach) drew in off the also-eligible list and pulled off a 27-1 upset with a game victory in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. She jumped well from her outside draw beneath the hot-handed John Velazquez and vied for command while three deep through an opening quarter in :22.81. Kappa Kappa enjoyed a narrow advantage at the top of the lane and battled back gamely after being headed in the stretch by Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) to win by a head. Favored 'TDN...

Zedan Racing's Barnes (c, 3, Into Mischief--All American Dream, by American Pharoah), a $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, has always been heavy on promise, but perhaps lighter than hoped on actual visits to the winner's circle. That changed Saturday in Keeneland's GIII Perryville Stakes when the bay sophomore left no doubt as to his prowess with a 8 1/4-length tour de force over the Lexington oval. With just five to post in the Perryville, it was recent Churchill allowance winner Taylor's Version (Into Mischief) who set the :21.69 first quarter pace....

Bentornato (Valiant Minister), runner-up in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, breezed five furlongs in company in a bullet 1:00 (1/24) Saturday morning at Keeneland in preparation for a return trip to Del Mar for this year's race on Nov. 1. He had jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard for the work with Araucano (McKinzie), a 3-year-old maiden. Bentornato finished three lengths clear of his workmate at the wire and lengthened the advantage on the gallop out. "He will have his final work here next week," trainer Jose D'Angelo said of...

9th-KEE, $110k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 5:16 p.m. ET Lay Down the Law (Tiz the Law), a $775,000 purchase by the Searing family's C R K Stable after breezing in :10 1/5 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale, debuts for Peter Eurton. The bay, listed at 15-1 on the morning line, previously brought $95,000 as a KEESEP yearling and RNA'd for $60,000 as a FTKNOV weanling. Ilios (Justify), a $350,000 FTKOCT yearling turned $650,000 EASMAY (gallop) 2-year-old, debuts for JR Ranch, KAS Ultimate Racing and G and O Racing and trainer...

4th-Keeneland, $100,719, Msw, 10-17, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.83, fm, 2 3/4 lengths. BEACH HEIST (f, 2, Omaha Beach--Pearl Heist, by Graydar) ran this group of maiden fillies off their feet in her debut race Friday for Will Walden. The 6-1 shot, drawn wide in this 10-horse field, was pushed from the gate for speed and was able to forge an advantage heading into the far turn. Opening up a sizeable gap back to Cardiff Reef (Omaha Beach) at the quarter pole, Beach Heist looked to put this race away...

Lael Stables's MGISW She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), considered the top American runner to challenge the Europeans in GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Stakes, continued her steady pattern for trainer Cherie DeVaux by working a half-mile in :48 on Friday morning at Keeneland. Drilling with stablemate & GSW Taking Candy (Twirling Candy), the 4-year-old logged her fifth Friday half-mile breeze since winning the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 16, which offered the filly an automatic ticket to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar....

St Elias Stable's Captain Cook (Practical Joke), a heartbreaking second at 20-1 in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga Aug. 23, will be favored to register a first career graded success in Saturday's GIII Perryville S. at Keeneland. Winner of the Withers S. in February, the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was making his first start for Todd Pletcher in the Allen Jerkens. The field of six for the Perryville also includes GII San Vicente S. winner and Allen Jerkens third Barnes (Into Mischief) and GIII...

3rd-KEE, $110k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:04 p.m. ET Naughty by Nature (Into Mischief), a daughter of GI Del Mar Debutante S. and GI Chandelier S. winner Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), debuts for LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable and trainer Rusty Arnold. The $450,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, Westerberg Ireland ULC, et al. Tyler Gaffalione has the call. TJCIS PPs

Dr. Kapur (c, 2, McKinzie--Ava's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy), a game second, beaten just a neck, after setting a fast pace in the coveted Travers Day maiden at Saratoga Aug. 23, ran to the money as the 4-5 favorite with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance at Keeneland Thursday. The Ken Ramsey homebred was hustled to the front, but was immediately hounded to his inside through an opening quarter in :22.47. He began to get some breathing room on the far turn, kicked for home as the one...