KEENELAND BARN NOTES THURSDAY, APRIL 6

By Amy Owens —-

Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet opens Friday and concludes Friday, April 28,
with racing on Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day
is 1:05 p.m. ET. Keeneland will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 16.
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Visit Keeneland.com/bluegrass for information about opening-weekend stakes,
including biographies of owners, trainers and jockeys competing in Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2).

• SIX TRAINERS HAVE WON BLUE GRASS-ASHLAND IN THE SAME YEAR
• DARLEY ALCIBIADES WINNER DANCING RAGS HEADS ADENA SPRINGS BEAUMONT FIELD
• TIMING IS RIGHT FOR ELATE IN CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND
• TRAINER LINDA RICE HAS DIFFERENT HORSE BUT SAME GOAL IN MADISON
• MONGOLIAN SATURDAY RETURNS TO KEENELAND FOR SHAKERTOWN
• AMI’S FLATTER LOOKS FOR COMMONWEALTH REPEAT
• KEENELAND GRAPHICS PACKAGE HAS NEW LOOK
• BEST TURNED OUT AWARDS DEBUT ON ADENA SPRINGS BEAUMONT DAY
• 2017 SPRING MEET SPECIAL EVENTS

SIX TRAINERS HAVE WON BLUE GRASS-ASHLAND IN THE SAME YEAR

Kenny McPeek is one of six trainers who have won the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and Central Bank Ashland (G1) in the same year. In a little more than a half-hour on Saturday, he could become the first trainer to repeat the feat Saturday if Daddys Lil Darling wins the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland and It’s Your Nickel takes the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass.

In 2002, McPeek took both races when Harlan’s Holiday won the Toyota Blue Grass and Take Charge Lady captured the Central Bank Ashland (when the two races were a week apart; the Toyota Blue Grass was moved to opening Saturday, the day of the Central Bank Ashland, in 2015). McPeek also won the Toyota Blue Grass in 2013 with Java’s War and the 2014 Central Bank Ashland with dead-heat winner Rosalind.
It’s Your Nickel, a colt by Dialed In, is owned by Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables and Magdalena Racing.

Daddys Lil Darling is a homebred racing for Nancy Polk’s Normandy Farm.

Trainers who have won Blue Grass and Ashland in the same year:

Year Trainer Blue Grass winner Ashland winner

1948 Ben Jones Coaltown Bewitch
1949 Woody Stephens Halt Tall Weeds
1971 George Poole Impetuosity You All
1976 LeRoy Jolley Honest Pleasure Optimistic Gal
1987 D. Wayne Lukas War Chic Shirine
2002 Kenny McPeek Harlan’s Holiday Take Charge Lady

On Thursday morning, It’s Your Nickel galloped 1¼ miles with exercise rider Pablo Portes aboard for McPeek.

Calumet Farm’s Wild Shot was one of the first horses on the main track, galloping over the sealed surface at 5:30 a.m. with Jozefat Calvo aboard.
“It wouldn’t bother me to see it like this Saturday,” trainer Rusty Arnold said of the damp conditions. “He loves the mud.”

Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Tapwrit galloped 1¼ miles under Romain Techer for trainer Todd Pletcher before a light drizzle began at 6:30 a.m.

“I want to get him out before it got too bad,” said Ginny DePasquale, the Pletcher assistant who is overseeing the Keeneland string.

Owned by Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta, Tapwrit schooled in the Paddock Wednesday morning to the satisfaction of DePasquale, who said Pletcher is scheduled to be here for the race Saturday.

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ morning-line favorite, McCraken, galloped 1½ miles on the main track at 8 a.m. with Yoni Orantes aboard for trainer Ian Wilkes.

Not long after that Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence’s Practical Joke, with Fernando Rivera aboard, visited the Paddock and galloped about 1 3/8 miles for trainer Chad Brown.

Reddam Racing’s Irap galloped 1½ miles on the all-weather training track under Antonio Romero at 8:45 a.m. for trainer Doug O’Neill.

DARLEY ALCIBIADES WINNER DANCING RAGS HEADS
ADENA SPRINGS BEAUMONT FIELD

Chadds Ford Stable’s Dancing Rags, winner of last fall’s Darley Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland, will make her 2017 debut Sunday when she faces six rivals in the 32nd running of the $150,000 Adena Springs Beaumont (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.

Run over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet, the Adena Springs Beaumont will go as the eighth race on Sunday’s nine-race program with a 4:57 p.m. ET post time. First post time is 1:05 p.m.

The Adena Springs Beaumont is the final qualifying race in Kentucky for fillies looking to move on to the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 5 at Churchill Downs. A total of 17 points are available in the Adena Springs Beaumont on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the first- through fourth-place finishers.

Trained by Graham Motion, Dancing Rags will be making her first start since finishing eighth in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita in November. Angel Cruz, who rode her in the Darley Alcibiades, has the mount and will break from post position five.

Also returning to the races after finishing off the board in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies is St. Elias Stable’s Sweet Loretta.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Sweet Loretta won her first three starts with her biggest victory coming in a dead heat with Pretty City Dancer in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga. Javier Castellano has the mount on Sweet Loretta, who will break from post position three. (Pretty City Dancer is entered in Saturday’s $500,000 Central Bank Ashland-G1 here.)

The field for the Adena Springs Beaumont, from the rail out, is: Laney (Julien Leparoux, 118 pounds), My Miss Chiff (Mitchell Murrill, 118), Sweet Loretta (Castellano, 123), Treble (Jose Ortiz, 118), Dancing Rags (Cruz, 123), Sine Wave (Florent Geroux, 118) and Promises Broken (Robby Albarado, 118).

TIMING IS RIGHT FOR ELATE IN CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND

Sixty-one years ago, Claiborne Farm of Paris, Kentucky, won the Ashland (now the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland-G1) with homebred Doubledogdare. The victory marked one of four Keeneland victories for Doubledogdare, who won the 1955 Alcibiades (now the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades-G1) and would return during the 1956 Fall Meet to win the Spinster (now the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster-G1). Doubledogdare, the champion filly at 2 and 3, is the namesake of Keeneland’s Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3), to be run April 21.

On Saturday, Elate will attempt to win the Central Bank Ashland for Claiborne Farm, which co-bred and co-owns the Medaglia d’Oro filly with Adele B. Dilschneider. The race marks the third start of the year for Elate, second in the Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 11 and third in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn on March 11.

“The timing was right, and the owners live near here and they’d love to see her run here,” trainer Bill Mott, who won the 2013 Central Bank Ashland with Emollient, said about running Elate in the race. “She’s had two races now this year, and she seems to be doing well. I’m happy with her.”

Elate is out of stakes winner Cheery, by Distorted Humor, and her second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Yell, who won Keeneland’s 2003 Raven Run (G3) for Claiborne and Dilschneider. With Yell’s win in that race, Claiborne became the first recipient of the Keeneland Bowl, which at the time was the highest honor in the track’s unique Milestone Trophy Program that recognizes owners for their stakes success here. (William S. Farish became the second Gold Bowl recipient during the 2016 Fall Meet.)

Claiborne President Walker Hancock agreed with Mott’s assessment.

“We love running at Keeneland,” he said. “This is a logical spot. It has produced the last two (Kentucky) Oaks (G1) winners, and we’re hoping it does the same for us.”

In 2015, Lovely Maria won the Central Bank Ashland and captured the Oaks. Last year, third-place finisher Cathryn Sophia returned to win the Oaks.

TRAINER LINDA RICE HAS DIFFERENT HORSE BUT SAME GOAL IN MADISON

Trainer Linda Rice hopes a similar strategy will produce a similar result in Saturday’s Madison (G1).
She will send out Martin S. Schwartz’s High Ridge Road in the 7-furlong race for fillies and mares after winning the event with Princess Violet in 2015. In her most recent start, High Ridge Road captured the Barbara Fritchie (G2) at Laurel Park on Feb. 18. Two years ago, Rice used Princess Violet’s Barbara Fritchie runner-up performance as a steppingstone to her Madison score.

“High Ridge Road is actually better at a mile than she is at 7 furlongs, but we are hoping with the long stretch at Keeneland that she will do well in the Madison,” Rice said. “I also think she is much better around one turn than two turns.”

A remarkably consistent runner, High Ridge Road has been among the top three finishers in 10 of her 11 career starts that produced five victories and earnings of $413,900. The 5-year-old daughter of Quality Road is a graduate of Keeneland’s 2013 September Yearling Sale.

Rice said High Ridge Road, who arrived at Keeneland this past weekend, “has settled in nicely and we are really happy with the way things are going.” Here, she is under the supervision of Rice’s brother, Wayne, who serves as her exercise rider.

“I assist my sister whenever I can,” he said, “because it allows me to talk to her every day, which I enjoy.”

MONGOLIAN SATURDAY RETURNS TO KEENELAND FOR SHAKERTOWN

Saturday’s Shakertown (G2) will mark the 40th start for Mongolian Stable’s Mongolian Saturday, whose past two victories have both been at Keeneland. In October 2015, he won the Twin Spires Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). Last October, he won the Woodford (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select. The races are the only stakes victories of Mongolian Saturday’s career.

“He likes Keeneland, so he came back,” trainer Enebish Ganbat said about the 7-year-old gelding by Any Given Saturday, who has eight wins, earned $1,138,131 and raced in the U.S., Canada, England and Hong Kong.

Ninth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, Mongolian Saturday has made two starts this year at Gulfstream Park. He was 10th in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Jan. 28 and third in the March 11 Silks Run.

Jose Lezcano, who last rode Mongolian Saturday to a third-place finish in Gulfstream’s 2014 Caixa Electronica, will break from post six in the field of nine for the Shakertown. He is the 7-2 morning-line second choice. The 3-1 morning line favorite is Grade 3 winner Rainbow Heir, who was second, ahead of Mongolian Saturday, in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

The Shakertown also includes William Stiritz’s Hogy, who set a Fair Grounds course record for about 5½ furlongs when he won the Colonel Power on Feb. 25. Hogy was second to Mongolian Saturday in the Woodford.

AMI’S FLATTER LOOKS FOR COMMONWEALTH REPEAT

Ami’s Flatter, winner of last year’s Commonwealth (G3), has returned to Keeneland in search of another victory in the 7-furlong race on Saturday. The only runner to accomplish the double is Black Tie Affair (IRE), who won the race for a second time in 1991 en route to Horse of the Year honors.

“He seems to really like the Keeneland track,” trainer Josie Carroll said of the 5-year-old son of Flatter. “He gets across it really, really well.”

In his only other Keeneland start, Ami’s Flatter was third in the Stoll Keenan Ogden Phoenix (G2) at six furlongs in October.

“The Phoenix was a short race for him and he finished up strongly,” Carroll said. “The Commonwealth is a very good distance for him. It is a pretty strong field this year, but hopefully we can take the race to those good horses.”

In 16 starts, Ami’s Flatter has three wins and earnings of $524,431 for Ivan Dalos, who bred him under his Tall Oaks Farm banner. Dalos also is the breeder of the horse’s dam, Galloping Ami, and maternal grandam, Secret Ami. The use of “Ami” (pronounced “Emmy”) in their names traces to third dam Sybelle Ami.

KEENELAND GRAPHICS PACKAGE HAS NEW LOOK
Since Keeneland’s 2008 Fall Meet, the track’s TV signal has had graphics to display tote information at the track and at simulcast facilities around the world. That graphics package has been revamped for the 2017 Spring Meet, which opens tomorrow.

“The new look places an emphasis on featuring the Thoroughbreds in the Paddock and on the track and giving viewers an even greater appreciation of Keeneland while displaying wagering information in a modern, easy-to-read format,” Director of Broadcast Services G. D. Hieronymus said.
Keeneland is a seven-time winner of the Thoroughbred Racing Association’s International Simulcast Award, which honors racing’s best simulcast production.

BEST TURNED OUT AWARDS DEBUT ON ADENA SPRINGS BEAUMONT DAY

On selected days during Keeneland’s 2017 Spring Meet, the grooms of racehorses determined to have the best overall appearance in the Saddling Paddock will be recognized in a special ceremony before each race as part of the Best Turned Out Awards. The grooms will receive cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500.

On Sunday, representatives of Adena Springs, which sponsors the Beaumont (G3), will select horses in separate races throughout the day.

“Judges like to see horses with shiny hair, flowing tails and tidy manes and grooms wearing neat clothing,” Keeneland Sponsorship Director Bonnie Senft said. “The Best Turned Out Awards give Keeneland and our sponsors the opportunity to recognize the efforts of the grooms who work so hard with these horses every day.”

Best Turned Out Awards also will be presented on Saturday, April 15, by Coolmore and Stonestreet and on Saturday, April 22, by Dixiana.

PROBABLE STARTERS FOR UPCOMING STAKES

$125,000 APPALACHIAN (G3) PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION (Entries taken Sunday, April 9; race Thursday, April 13) – Coasted (trainer Leah Gyarmati), Dream Dancing (Mark Casse), Journey Home (Graham Motion), Lull (Christophe Clement), Morticia (Rusty Arnold), New Money Honey (Chad Brown), Proctor’s Ledge (Brendan Walsh), Purely a Dream (Kenny McPeek), Viva Vegas (Derek Ryan).
$300,000 MAKER’S 46 MILE (G1) (Entries taken Tuesday, April 11; race Friday April 14) – American Patriot (Todd Pletcher), Bal a Bali (BRZ) (Richard Mandella), Blacktype (FR) (Christophe Clement), Bondurant (Ian Wilkes), Heart to Heart (Brian Lynch), Inspector Lynley (Shug McGaughey), What a View (Kenny Black). Possible: Bolo (Carla Gaines).
$350,000 COOLMORE JENNY WILEY (G1) (Entries taken Wednesday, April 12; race Saturday, April 15) – Catch a Glimpse (Mark Casse), Dickinson (Kiaran McLaughlin), Goodyearforroses (IRE) (Richard Baltas), Illuminant (Michael McCarthy), Kitten’s Roar (Mike Maker), Lady Eli (Chad Brown), Quidura (GB) (Graham Motion), Time and Motion (James Toner).
$200,000 STONESTREET LEXINGTON (G3) (Entries taken Wednesday, April 12; race Saturday, April 15) – Convict Pike (Rusty Arnold), Resiliency (Steve Asmussen), Time to Travel (Michael Matz). Possible: No Dozing (Arnaud Delacour).
$200,000 BEN ALI (G3) (Entries taken Wednesday, April 12; race Saturday, April 15) – Bird Song (Ian Wilkes), Scuba (Brendan Walsh), Watershed (Kiaran McLaughlin).
$100,000 GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (Entries taken Wednesday, April 12, race Saturday, April 15) – Bibby (Vicky Oliver), Exaggerated (Arnold Delacour), Her Love for Pappy (John Ortiz), Lady Aurelia (Wesley Ward), Lajatico (GB) (Doug O’Neill), Miss Katie Mae (IRE) (Graham Motion), Nobody’s Fault (Neil Pessin), Pretty Perfection (Kelly Breen).
 
2017 SPRING MEET SPECIAL EVENTS

Through December
Keeneland Library exhibit “Man o’ War: Images from the Keeneland Library Collections.” Exhibit features 16 shots of Man o’ War during his racing career and years at stud by Charles Christian Cook, Joseph Alvie Estes, Robert Lee McClure and Bert Clark Thayer. The Library is open to the public Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. During the 2017 Spring Meet, it also is open on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Library’s online exhibit “Man o’ War: In Others’ Words” tells the story of Man o’ War’s life, accomplishments and influence through images from its collection that are accompanied by quotations from the horse’s connections, including owner Samuel D. Riddle and trainer Louis Feustel, along with contemporary sports writers and modern biographers.

Friday, April 7 – Opening Day

Official Keeneland Tour. Available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in April at 8:30 a.m. ET. Click http://www.keeneland.com/calendar/tour-keeneland-april here for more information and to purchase tickets ($8 per person; 12 and younger free).

NEW Behind-the-Scenes Racing Tour. For an insider’s view of Keeneland, Tour Guides will lead guests to the track’s behind-the-scenes areas such as the Jockeys Quarters, where some of the world’s leading riders prepare for their race day; to the barns, where the race day begins; to the track to see morning workouts and through the picturesque Keeneland Paddock. A limited number of dates and tickets ($25 per person) are available for this exclusive experience. The two-hour tour begins at 9 a.m. and is limited to 10 people. Click here for more information

The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery and Forme Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring from 9 a.m. to the last race.

College Scholarship Day. Thousands of students from colleges and universities in Kentucky and beyond will be at the track for this popular event. Admission is free with a college ID. Full-time students can register in the North Terrace to win one of ten $1,000 scholarships awarded after each race and prizes from local vendors. The first 2,000 students to register will receive a Keeneland College Scholarship Day T-shirt courtesy of Coca-Cola or a Southern Proper hat. The $10,000 Runhappy Scholarship will be awarded via random drawing to one lucky full-time student after the eighth race post parade.

Tailgating on The Hill. Keeneland’s popular tailgate lot, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center, features local food trucks, a jumbo television screen, wireless wagering and wagering terminals, race-day programs, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and free shuttles to the track. BETologists will be available to answer fans’ questions.
Friday Pick 4 Presented by TVG. A $200,000-guaranteed pool will be offered on the final four races of the day.

Saturday, April 8

Sunrise Trackside Keeneland shares a special side of Thoroughbred racing that is worth getting up early to enjoy. Sponsored by LEX18, Sunrise Trackside is a free, family-friendly event with activities for all ages: Breakfast With the Works features breakfast for purchase and trackside commentary (7-8:30 a.m.) while Thoroughbreds train on the main track; children’s activities in the Kids Club Corner (7-9 a.m.); Keeneland tours (7:30-10 a.m.); Paddock demonstration with Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (9 a.m.); trackside handicapping seminar with Paddock Host Katie Gensler and racing analyst Tom Leach (11 a.m.); and Q&A session with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the Paddock (12:05 p.m.). Hernandez is riding McCraken in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2) that afternoon.

The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery and Forme Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring from 9 a.m. to the last race.

Tailgating on The Hill. Keeneland’s popular tailgate lot, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center, features local food trucks, a jumbo television screen, wireless wagering and wagering terminals, race-day programs, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and free shuttles to the track. One of Central Kentucky’s favorite bluegrass bands will perform from 12-4 p.m. BETologists will be available to answer fans’ questions.

$400,000 All-Stakes Pick 4 Presented by TVG. Features races 7-10: Shakertown (G2), Madison (G1), Central Bank Ashland (G1) and Toyota Blue Grass (G2).

$300,000 All-Stakes Pick 5 Presented by TVG. Features races 6-10: Commonwealth (G3), Shakertown, Madison, Central Bank Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass.

Sunday, April 9
Kids Club Family Day. The Keeneland Kids Club is the Official Kids Club for Keeneland fans 12 and younger. Members and their families are invited to enjoy a special day at the races by receiving free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating Children’s activities will take place in the North Terrace from noon to 3 p.m.
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