Will Futurity Be Bright for Exaggerator?

Big Chief Racing’s Exaggerator (Curlin) looks to continue his upward trajectory in Saturday’s GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, which offers a guaranteed spot into the Oct. 31 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile over the same Keeneland track and trip. Conditioned by Keith Desormeaux, who was responsible for last year’s Juvenile upsetter Texas Red (Afleet Alex), the dark bay earned his diploma second out at Del Mar July 25. He sat in last early in the Aug. 16 GII Saratoga Special S., hugged the rail along the bend, and squeezed through two tight spots in the lane to win by 3/4 of a length, giving the impression that two turns should be right up his alley.

Starlight Racing’s Uncle Vinny (Uncle Mo) was also last seen at the Spa. Placed first via DQ in the GIII Sanford S. July 25, he most recently checked in third in the GI Hopeful S. Sept. 7. The $175,000 KEESEP grad receives first-time blinkers from trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the 2013 and 2014 renewals of this race with We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller) and Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), respectively.

Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy) is the only runner to return here out of Churchill’s Sept. 12 GIII Iroquois S. Second to the well-regarded Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled’s Song) at Ellis July 25, the Ken McPeek representative scored by five lengths back at the Pea Patch Aug. 15. Finding himself significantly further back despite the stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles in the Iroquois, the Radar Racing colorbearer closed well to best troubled-trip Unbridled Outlaw for second.

Wesley Ward is used to dominating with his juveniles during Keeneland’s spring meet, but he’ll try this time to win with one going a bit longer. A $330,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile, Sheikh of Sheikhs (Discreetly Mine) belied 6-1 odds for a first-up success in New York Aug. 22. He will be piloted for the first time by Hall of Famer Edgar Prado, who wins at a very high clip for Ward.

Dale Romans has won this race twice before, and seems to have a particular knack for taking two-turn graded stakes for juveniles this time of year. He’ll saddle Albaugh Family Stable’s Brody’s Cause (Giant’s Causeway). The bay failed to lift a hoof at 3.3-1 over the Ellis sod Aug. 1, but looked like a new horse at 10 times the odds rallying resolutely from last to first at Churchill Sept. 11.