Keeneland Barn Notes — Friday, Oct. 27

By Amy Owens —-

FRIDAY, OCT. 27
Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet concludes Saturday.
Post time for the first race today and tomorrow is 1:05 p.m. ET.
**********

· SIX HORSES POINTED TO BREEDERS’ CUP WORK FRIDAY MORNING
· RICARDO SANTANA JR. TAKES AIM AT FIRST KEENELAND RIDING TITLE
· RACES TIGHT FOR FALL MEET LEADING HORSEMEN
· RETIRED THOROUGHBRED READY FOR KEENELAND HALLOWEEN TRADITION
· GALLOPING OUT
· BREEDERS’ CUP CONTENDERS STABLED AT KEENELAND
· FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
· FALL MEET LEADERS

SIX HORSES POINTED TO BREEDERS’ CUP WORK FRIDAY MORNING
Four horses pre-entered in the 34th Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 3-4 at Del Mar each worked 4 furlongs Friday on a fast Keeneland track after the morning renovation break, and later in the morning another two Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants worked 4 furlongs over the firm turf course.
Going together for trainer Mark Casse were Darley Alcibiades (G1) winner Heavenly Love and Dixiana Bourbon (G3) winner Flameaway, who covered the distance in :47.40 and galloped out in 1:00.40. (Click here for a video of the work.)
Casse trains Heavenly Love for Debby M. Oxley and conditions Flameaway for her husband, John. Today marked their second Keeneland work since their stakes wins here three weekends ago. On Oct. 20, Heavenly Love and Flameaway worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.
Heavenly Love, a daughter of Malibu Moon, is pre-entered in the $2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Nov. 4. Flameaway, a son of Scat Daddy, is pre-entered in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) the day before.
One of trainer Chad Brown’s 13 horses pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds’ Rushing Fall worked 4 furlongs in :47.80. (Click here for a video of the work.) The More Than Ready filly, scheduled to make her next start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) on Nov. 3, remained at Keeneland following her 3¼-length victory in the Oct. 11 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3).
Keeping Rushing Fall at Keeneland was part of the plan for Brown, who is based in New York.
“Because there was such a short turnaround between that race and the Breeders’ Cup, I didn’t want to put that many ships (trips) into her,” he said. “So we left her at Keeneland. She’s been doing super.”
StarLadies Racing’s Stainless, a Flatter filly who was second in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine, worked 4 furlongs in :48.80 and galloped out in 1:01.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher. (Click here for a video of the work.) She was pre-entered in both the Juvenile Fillies and Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Trainer Mike Stidham worked First Lady (G1) winner Zipessa and stakes-placed Moon Dash on turf. Regular rider Joe Bravo was aboard Zipessa, a 5-year-old daughter of City Zip who covered the distance in :49.80. (Click here for a video of the work.) She is to run in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on Nov. 4.
Florent Geroux rode Moon Dash, a 2-year-old Malibu Moon filly timed in :50.20. (Click here for a video of the work.) Owned by Speedway Stables, she is pre-entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
All six horses are scheduled to depart for California on Monday.

RICARDO SANTANA JR. TAKES AIM AT FIRST KEENELAND RIDING TITLE
As a teenager attending jockey school in his native Panama, Ricardo Santana Jr. said he watched Keeneland races on TV and imagined himself one day riding here. Now, with two days remaining in the 17-day Keeneland Fall Meet, he has 15 wins and is taking aim on his first leading rider title here.
Joining Ricardo Santana Jr. in the Winner’s Circle after a recent victory were his parents, Bellanira and Ricardo Sr. (left).“Keeneland is one of my dream race tracks,” said the 23-year-old rider, who is having his most productive Fall Meet since he became a regular during the October season in 2013. His success includes winning three races on a single program on Oct. 14 and Oct. 25.
Eight of Santana’s wins this meet have been aboard horses trained by Steve Asmussen, making them the most successful jockey-trainer combination of the season. Asmussen has been instrumental in providing a steady stream of winners for Santana that includes Creator, on whom Santana scored his first Grade 1 triumph in the 2016 Arkansas Derby.
Two years ago for Asmussen, Santana rode a future multiple Grade 1 winner owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds named Gun Runner to a debut victory at Churchill Downs. Santana and Gun Runner next captured an allowance at Keeneland and were fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill.
Santana, who credits his agent, Ruben Munoz, with propelling his career from the beginning, has been riding in North America since 2009. He has 908 wins and has ridden the earners of more than $37.7 million. His most lucrative season was 2016, when he won 148 races and rode the earners of nearly $8.2 million.
Santana will move to Churchill for the fall meet that opens Sunday, but his winter plans are undetermined. After a successful season this summer at Saratoga, where he won 13 races, he is considering riding at Aqueduct in New York or returning to Oaklawn Park, where he has been the leading rider every season since 2013.
While achieving success in the U.S., Santana also envisioned bringing his parents here one day, and that wish has become a reality. His mother, Bellanira, and father, who was a jockey in Panama before being injured in a fall from a horse, have appeared in the Winner’s Circle after many of his victories.
“This is the first year they have been here and they are enjoying coming to the races,” Santana said. “I feel blessed that they are here.”

RACES TIGHT FOR FALL MEET LEADING HORSEMEN
With two days remaining in Keeneland’s Fall Meet, the races for leading owner, trainer and jockey remain competitive.
Eclipse Award winners Ken and Sarah Ramsey have won five races to lead owners as they seek their 19th leading owner title at Keeneland. The Ramseys are Keeneland’s all-time leading owners in terms of titles won (11 Fall Meet titles and eight Spring Meet titles) and number of races won (222).
Owners John C. Oxley and G. Watts Humphrey Jr., the latter who also races in partnership, are tied for second with four wins apiece.
Mike Maker, who trains a number of horses for the Ramseys, has 11 wins to top his rivals in his bid for his fifth leading trainer title. Maker, who has two Fall Meet titles and two Spring Meet titles, has horses entered in a total of nine races today and tomorrow.
Steve Asmussen is second with eight wins. He has starters in three races today, which marks his final day of competition during the Fall Meet.
The closest race is that for leading jockey. Ricardo Santana Jr. has 15 wins in his bid for his first Keeneland title. He is named on mounts in seven races today and six races Saturday.
Second with 14 wins is Robby Albarado, who is named on mounts in eight races today and in six races Saturday.
Tied for third with 15 wins apiece are Florent Geroux and Julien Leparoux. Geroux is named on mounts in five races today, but is riding at Santa Anita on closing day.
Leparoux is named on mounts in six races today and six races tomorrow.

RETIRED THOROUGHBRED READY
FOR KEENELAND HALLOWEEN TRADITION
Closing day of Keeneland’s Fall Meet traditionally marks the popular appearance of the Headless Horseman, who at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday will ride through the Saddling Paddock during the special Former racehorse Private Son performs during Keeneland’s Halloween celebration.Halloween edition of Sunrise Trackside and that afternoon will gallop through the stretch after the third race (post time 2:23 p.m.).
The horse is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse named Private Son.
Now 19, Private Son began his career at Keeneland during the 2000 Fall Meet. He was second in his debut and next became a winner when trained by Kenny McPeek. The dark bay gelding by Miesque’s Son eventually continued his career for trainer Sally Schu and became a stakes winner at Arlington Park. Overall, Private Son made 25 starts, including the 2003 Maker’s Mark Mile (then a Grade 2 race) among his seven races at Keeneland. He won five races and earned $274,000.
Now known as “Poppi,” Private Son takes an occasional trail ride but mostly spends his time in a pasture with fellow retiree and two-time winner Dockmaster.
“Poppi loves being the Headless Horseman’s horse,” Schu said. “He likes to go trail riding with Dockmaster and he likes coming back to the track, but he is very impressed with himself and absolutely loves being in front of a crowd.”

GALLOPING OUT
Two trainer and jockey combinations scored their first Keeneland wins in the Thursday’s opening two races. In the first race, trainer Richard Castillo and jockey Rodrigo Vergara teamed to win with Sumaya U.S. Stables’ Kahramani. The 3-year-old Haynesfield colt won the 1 1/16-mile race by 5¼ lengths in 1:44.61. The winner of the second race was 31-1 longshot Mikeandchickdidit, trained by Charles Meredith and ridden by Samuel Camacho Jr. Meredith Racing owns the winner, a 5-year-old gelding by Porto Foricos who won the 6½-furlong race by two lengths in 1:17.28.

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

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
10/27 @KEE: 4f in :47.80
10/30
Mark Casse (37-38)
Flameaway
Juvenile Turf
Won 10/8 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) @KEE
10/27 @KEE: 4f in :47.40
10/30

Heavenly Love
Juvenile Fillies
Won 10/6 Darley Alcibiades (G1) @KEE
10/27 @KEE: 4f in :47.40
10/30
Todd Pletcher (27)
Stainless
Juvenile Fillies Turf/Juvenile Fillies
2nd 10/11 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3) @KEE
10/27 @KEE: 4f in :48.80
10/30
Mike Stidham (2)
Moon Dash
Juvenile Fillies Turf
2nd 10/9 Surfer Girl Stakes @SA
10/27 @KEE:
4f (turf) in :50.20
10/30
Zipessa
Filly and Mare Turf
Won 10/7 First Lady (G1) @KEE
10/21 @KEE: 4f (turf)
in :49.80
10/30

FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Friday, Oct. 27
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
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 (9 a.m.) and on the track after the third race (post time 2:12 p.m.).

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. On Saturdays, the area’s favorite bluegrass bands perform from 12-4 p.m.

FALL MEET LEADERS
Through Oct. 26 (15 days of racing)
Jockey
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses

Ricardo Santana Jr.
72
15
10
3
$624,266
Robby Albarado
85
14
9
14
$1,015,736
Florent Geroux
75
13
9
12
$931,770
Julien Leparoux
75
13
9
6
$1,193,671
Corey Lanerie
100
10
15
12
$541,281

Trainer
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses

Mike Maker
52
11
6
3
$479,469
Steve Asmussen
33
8
5
1
$404,705
Mark Casse
32
6
7
2
$962,199
Rusty Arnold
16
5
2
3
$542,318
Brad Cox
30
5
2
0
$198,566

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*