Keeneland

The GII Louisiana Derby runner-up GSW Honor Marie (Honor Code) and fourth-place finisher GSW Track Phantom (Quality Road) returned to the work tab Sunday morning at Churchill Downs as they continue to train towards Kentucky Derby 150. In the early hours, Track Phantom breezed five furlongs in 1:02.00, the ninth fastest of 19 on the morning while sporting new equipment--a small set of blinkers. With Joel Rosario in the irons, the pair went in company with another Asmussen trainee and Track Phantom galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.20. "I thought...

While they may not have received the end result they were hoping for, nearly 300 owners enjoyed a memorable weekend at Keeneland as their horse Seize the Grey (Arrogate) ran in the GI Blue Grass S. A $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase for MyRacehorse trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Seize the Grey was coming into his Grade I debut off a third-place performance in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. The colt's connections were hoping that he would be able to run in the money in order to acquire enough points...

He wasn't the most cooperative at the stalls and he left himself plenty to do over a Keeneland main track that was playing kind to speed over the course of the afternoon, but 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (c, 3, Gun Runner--Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) saved his best for last and cemented his status as one of the top couple of contenders for the GI Kentucky Derby with a fast-finishing victory in the 100th running of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Saturday afternoon. The victory, on the back...

Dale Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson) was run down by Vahva (Gun Runner) in the shadow of the winning post and dropped a narrow decision in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. during last year's fall meeting at Keeneland. But the speedy bay--favored by about $9,000 when all was said and done in the GI Resolute Racing Madison S.--managed to reverse form by a similar margin Saturday, even as she was forced to show a new dimension. In the vanguard early, Alva Starr was eased back into a wide fourth...

Rigney Racing homebred Buchu (f, 3, Justify--Flowering Peach {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), winner of the GII Jessamine S. over this course last year at two, made her 3-year-old debut a winning one and kept her Keeneland record perfect with a late-closing score in the $400,000 GII Appalachian S. Saturday. California shipper Mo Fox Givin (Mo Town) and last-out GIII Florida Oaks third Dancing N Dixie (Neolithic) chased her home in second and third, respectively. Buchu broke smoothly from the nine hole and quickly settled into a midpack spot on the...

Discreet Mischief (c, 3, Into Mischief--Brushwork, by Discreet Cat), a very solid second sprinting on debut with an 89 Beyer Speed Figure behind the highly regarded Drip (Good Magic) over a sloppy track at Fair Grounds Feb. 17, delivered a 'TDN Rising Star' performance for trainer Brad Cox to graduate impressively at second asking at Keeneland Saturday. The 4-5 favorite jumped well and secured a perfect spot pressing in an outside second through fractions of :22.47 and :45.54. He took over on the turn for home, was in complete control...

4th-KEE, $110K, OC, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:36 p.m. Unraced since her 'TDN Rising Star' debut at Churchill Downs last September, TWIRLING GOOD TIME (Twirling Candy) returns to the races Sunday for Rigney Racing and trainer Phillip Bauer. Stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, the $250,000 KEESEP grad will look to carry the speed that saw her go nearly gate-to-wire in her four-length win while posting an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Out of Celebrategoodtimes, a Harlan's Holiday mare who has produced five foals and as many...

Billed as a showdown between the top three finishers of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Keeneland's opening day GI Central Bank Ashland S.--worth not just $600,000 in purse money but also GI Kentucky Oaks points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale--instead featured the blossoming of Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (f, 3, Into Mischief--Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), who left no doubt about the top filly on the day with a three-length tour de force. George Krikorian's Breeders' Cup winner and Eclipse champion Just F Y I...

The GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, featuring a highly anticipated rematch between Dornoch (Good Magic) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), is one of three GI Kentucky Derby prep races on tap on a fantastic day of racing Saturday. Dornoch dug back gamely to defeat Sierra Leone in a heart-stopping renewal of the GII Remsen S. at a rain-soaked Aqueduct Dec. 2, then took care of business in a scratched-down GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Mar. 2. Sierra Leone, meanwhile, returned with an...

The temperature may be cooler in Lexington this week, but things heated up quickly on opening day at Keeneland with the first graded event of the spring at the Lexington oval coming down to a head bob. It took a photo to determine Red White and Blue Racing LLC's Neat (c, 3, Constitution--Orabella, by More Than Ready) had outpunched Mar. 2 Colonel Liam S. runner-up Cugino (Twirling Candy) by the slimmest of margins in the $400,000 GIII Transylvania S. for 3-year-olds going 1 1 1/16 miles on the lawn. Lagynos...

2nd-KEE, $110K, OC/N1X, 3yo, 6f, 1:32 p.m. ET. PIRATE (Omaha Beach) begins his 3-year-old campaign after he broke his maiden at first asking and secured 'TDN Rising Star' honors last July at Saratoga. The dark bay then ran third to Nutella Fella (Runhappy) and fellow 'Rising Star' Timberlake in the GI Hopeful S. just before the meet upstate closed for the summer. A $350,000 purchase by Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures at the Keeneland September Sale, the Todd Pletcher trainee is a half-brother to GI Preakness S. and GI Pegasus...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack provides analysis for Saturday's trio of GI Kentucky Derby prep races. GI Toyota Blue Grass S. - In a race billed as a showdown between the re-opposing GII Remsen S. one-two Dornoch (Good Magic) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), don't look past likely third choice Just a Touch (Justify). The highly regarded bay ran to the hype with a powerful debut score for trainer Brad Cox over the promising $1.7-million KEESEP graduate Gun Party (Curlin) (he returned with another very good second-place finish Mar....