Keeneland Barn Notes — Thursday, Oct. 26

Posted On 27 Oct 2017

By Amy Owens —-

THURSDAY, OCT. 26
Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet concludes Saturday.
Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. ET.
**********

· JUDDMONTE SPINSTER WINNER ROMANTIC VISION WORKS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP DISTAFF
· YANAKOV TO SEND GOLDEN DRAGON TO BREEDERS’ CUP
· GALLOPING OUT
· BREEDERS’ CUP CONTENDERS STABLED AT KEENELAND
· FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
· FALL MEET LEADERS

JUDDMONTE SPINSTER WINNER ROMANTIC VISION WORKS
FOR BREEDERS’ CUP DISTAFF
G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner Romantic Vision, scheduled to make her next start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on Nov. 3 at Del Mar, worked 4 furlongs in :48 Thursday at Keeneland.
Keeneland clockers caught Romantic Vision, ridden by exercise rider Jozefat Calvo, in fractions of :12, :24, :36, :48 and out in 1:01. Those times are just what trainer Rusty Arnold wanted in her sole work before the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
“She’s a fit horse,” he said. “This was just a maintenance work for her.”
A homebred racing for Humphrey, Romantic Vision is a 5-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid. She won the Sept. 16 Locust Grove (G3) at Churchill and on Oct. 8 scored a two-length victory in the Juddmonte Spinster, a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Romantic Vision is scheduled to leave for California on Monday and will gallop every morning leading to the race. Arnold, who will be making his first trip to Del Mar, is confident in her ability.
“I feel like she’s going to run her race,” he said. “Now we’re going to see how good she is.”
Romantic Vision will become Arnold’s ninth Breeders’ Cup starter, a roster that includes Humphrey’s Clear Mandate, who won the Spinster in 1997 before running sixth in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Clear Mandate also was sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff the year before.
Clear Mandate, by Deputy Minister, is a half-sister to Romantic Vision’s third dam, Grade 2 winner Dream Scheme, by Danzig.

YANAKOV TO SEND GOLDEN DRAGON TO BREEDERS’ CUP
Russian-born Mikhail Yanakov is excited about running a horse he bred, owns and trains in the 34th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar. The horse is Golden Dragon, who is scheduled to make his next start Nov. 4 in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Yanakov’s first preference for Golden Dragon, who has two wins in four starts all on turf, was the
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) on Nov. 3, but the race attracted 27 pre-entries for 14 spots to put Golden Dragon on the also-eligible list.
“I would like to run him again on the grass, but too many horses (are) in the race,” said Yanakov, who races as Olympia Star. “He also trained very good on the dirt. I just want to try.”
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will mark the first race on dirt for Golden Dragon, who opened his career at Arlington Park and won a maiden race there on Sept. 8 in his third career start. In his next race, he won a 1-mile allowance race at Churchill Downs.
“He came from behind, and I know he’s not a mile horse,” Yanakov said. “He needs distance. That’s why I want to try (the Breeders’ Cup).”
Golden Dragon worked twice on the dirt at Keeneland, the first on Oct. 15 when he went
5 furlongs in 1:01 and the second a week later when he covered 6 furlongs in 1:15.80.
Yanakov said the colt is to leave Keeneland tomorrow for Del Mar, where he is scheduled to work
5 furlongs Monday.
“We’ll school him in the paddock and just see what happens,” he said.
Carlos Marquez Jr., who has ridden Golden Dragon to his two victories, will have the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.
Yanakov, in his third year of training and has had six starters during Keeneland’s Fall Meet, raced Golden Dragon’s sire, 2010 Swaps (G2) winner Skipshot. The son of Skip Away, who bred about 28 mares this year, stands at Considine Farm near Paris, Kentucky, where Yanakov boards his mares. He and farm owner Dan Considine met some 10 years ago through Considine’s involvement in international shipment of horses.

GALLOPING OUT
Keeneland Racing Analyst Tom Leach, the “Voice of the Wildcats” for University of Kentucky football and men’s basketball, interviewed these trainers about horses in Saturday’s Hagyard Fayette (G2) on closing day of the Fall Meet: Brendan Walsh about Honorable Duty and Nick Zito about Giuseppe the Great.
Jockey Alonso Quinonez recorded his first Keeneland victory when he rode Cosmic Burst to win Wednesday’s second race. Trained by Donnie Von Hemel, the 2-year-old filly by Violence won the
1 1/16-mile race by a head in 1:46. She is owned by Norma Lee Stockseth and Todd Dunn.

BREEDERS’ CUP CONTENDERS STABLED AT KEENELAND
Keeneland is home to a number of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar on Nov. 3-4. A few runners already have departed for California.
Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup were announced Wednesday.

Here are the Breeders’ Cup runners who remain at Keeneland:

Trainer (Barn)
Horse
Breeders’ Cup Race
Last Race
Most Recent Work Since Last Race

To CA
Rusty Arnold (60)
Romantic Vision
Distaff
Won 10/8 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) @KEE
10/26 @KEE: 4f in :48
10/30

Chad Brown (30)
Rushing Fall
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Won 10/11 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3) @KEE
10/30

Mark Casse (37-38)
Flameaway
Juvenile Turf
Won 10/8 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) @KEE
10/20 @KEE: 5f in 1:00
10/30

Heavenly Love
Juvenile Fillies
Won 10/6 Darley Alcibiades (G1) @KEE
10/20 @KEE: 5f in 1:00
10/30

Brian Lynch (40)
Heart to Heart
Mile
2nd 10/7 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) @KEE
10/22 @KEE: 4f (turf) in :49.20
10/27

Oscar Performance
Turf
3rd 9/30 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) @BEL
10/22 @KEE: 4f (turf) in :51.40
10/27

Todd Pletcher (27)
Stainless
Juvenile Fillies Turf/Juvenile Fillies
2nd 10/11 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3) @KEE

10/30
Mike Stidham (2)
Moon Dash
Juvenile Fillies Turf
2nd 10/9 Surfer Girl Stakes @SA
10/22 @KEE:
4f in :51.20
10/30

Zipessa
Filly and Mare Turf
Won 10/7 First Lady (G1) @KEE
10/21 @KEE: 4f (all-weather training)
in :48.60
10/30

Mikhail Yanakov (48)
Golden Dragon
Juvenile
Won 9/29 allowance @CD
10/22 @KEE: 6f in 1:15.80
10/27

FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Thursday, Oct. 26
Kentucky State Parks Foundation Day at the Races. Fans are invited to support the Kentucky State Parks Foundation for its 5th annual Day at the Races. “The Works” package includes reserved row parking, brunch, reserved Grandstand seating and a race-day program. Brunch begins at 11 a.m. in the Limestone Cafe of the Keeneland Sales Pavilion. For more information, call 859 351-8430 or click here.

Friday, Oct. 27
Official Keeneland Tour/Behind the Scenes Racing Tour. Click here for more information.
seeBlue. Day at the Races. The day before the University of Kentucky football team takes on archrival Tennessee, the weekend begins at Keeneland. UK students, alumni, faculty and staff will receive free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating with valid UK IDs. Throughout the afternoon, fans will enjoy special activities, including appearances by the UK Wildcat mascot, cheerleaders and band.

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’ handicapping questions.
Saturday, Oct. 28 – Closing Day of Fall Meet
Sunrise Trackside Halloween Edition. 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 by Old Mims Retirement Haven featuring Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Elmhurst
(9 a.m.); trackside handicapping seminar with Paddock Host Katie Gensler (11 a.m.); and Q&A session with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. in the Paddock (12:05 p.m.).

Buckles, the Keeneland Kids Club mascot, will award Kids Club prize packages to some of the best Halloween costumes. An appearance by the Headless Horseman will occur in the Paddock during Sunrise Trackside and on the track during the race day.

FALL MEET LEADERS
Through Oct. 25 (14 days of racing)
Jockey
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses

Ricardo Santana Jr.
65
15
7
3
$601,574
Robby Albarado
79
13
9
13
$969,525
Florent Geroux
73
13
9
12
$926,170
Julien Leparoux
70
13
8
6
$1,180,199
Jose Ortiz
33
8
7
5
$405,933
Corey Lanerie
94
7
14
11
$447,006

Trainer
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses

Mike Maker
48
11
5
3
$466,331
Steve Asmussen
30
8
5
1
$403,346
Mark Casse
31
6
7
2
$962,013
Kenny McPeek
41
5
8
7
$468,004
Wesley Ward
30
5
4
1
$185,836
Rusty Arnold
14
4
1
3
$488,718
Brad Cox
29
4
2
0
$159,566
Dale Romans
11
4
1
3
$451,450

Owner
Wins

Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
5
G. Watts Humphrey Jr.
4*
John C. Oxley
4
Charles E. Fipke
3
Three Diamonds Farm (Kirk Wycoff)
3
Ascent Thoroughbred Racing Partners I (Kirk Rovinsky, Robert Goldberg and Mark Zale)
2
Breeze Easy (Mike Hall)
2*
L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt
2
Jay Em Ess Stable (Samantha Siegel)
2
Maxis Stable (Sidney Karmia)
2*
*includes partnerships