Keeneland Barn Notes — April 5

By Amy Owens —-

THURSDAY, APRIL 5

Keeneland’s 16-day Spring Meet opens Friday and runs through Friday, April 27, with racing Wednesdays through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. ET.

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· KANTHAKA CARRIES WEST COAST BANNER IN SATURDAY’S TOYOTA BLUE GRASS

· BREEDERS’ CUP WINNER RUSHING FALL HEADS FIELD OF 11 FOR SUNDAY’S APPALACHIAN

· UNDEFEATED DREAM IT IS FACES EIGHT FOES IN SUNDAY’S BEAUMONT

· CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND WINNER SAILOR’S VALENTINE BACK IN ACTION IN SATURDAY’S MADISON

· CALHOUN PREPARES FOR BUSY OPENING DAYS AT KEENELAND

· JONNY GARCIA GETS ON THE “GOOD HORSES” FOR O’NEILL

· GALLOPING OUT

· SUNDAY EVENTS SUPPORT PERMANENTLY DISABLED JOCKEYS FUND

· PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES

· 2018 SPRING MEET SPECIAL EVENTS

KANTHAKA CARRIES WEST COAST BANNER
IN SATURDAY’S TOYOTA BLUE GRASS

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Kanthaka will try to give Southern California-based runners a second consecutive Toyota Blue Grass (G2) victory here Saturday. Last year, the maiden Irap was the lone West Coast-based entrant in the $1 million race, which he won.

Kanthaka, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, arrived at Keeneland Wednesday and made his first appearance on the track Thursday morning before the renovation break.

“He visited the Paddock and the gate, so we got that out of the way,” Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward said of the Jimmy Creed colt’s activity before galloping 1½ miles under Cecily Evans.

Kanthaka was entered in the Toyota Blue Grass because of Hollendorfer’s other Saturday action.

“We already had Instilled Regard for the Santa Anita Derby (G1),” Ward said. “We had looked at Aqueduct (for Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial), but we got a good rider (Julien Leparoux) here and that was a factor for us. When Julien rode in California, he won some stakes for us.”

Leparoux, a two-time Toyota Blue Grass winner, was aboard Irap last year.

Kanthaka has won two of four starts. He earned his first win in his second start on Dec. 26 and followed with a victory in the 7-furlong San Vicente (G2).

“He is used to big fields,” Ward said, referring to the 14 horses slated to go in the gate Saturday. “There were 12 starters when he broke his maiden and he had lots of trouble in that race.”

In his lone start around two turns, Kanthaka finished third in 1 1/16-mile San Felipe (G2) in his most recent start March 10.

“You look at the head-on shot and he falls on his head coming out of the gate,” Ward said. “He lost his position and it is hard to gain ground at Santa Anita when that happens. Plus, those were two pretty good horses (Bolt d’Oro and McKinzie) that finished in front of him.”

Ward is hoping this trip to Keeneland works out as well as his most recent trip here. That came in the fall of 2015 when he was here with eventual champion Songbird for her victory in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

In other activities of Toyota Blue Grass horses at Keeneland …

After visiting the Paddock, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables’ champion and 2-1 morning-line favorite Good Magic galloped about 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Walter Malasquez. Chad Brown trains Good Magic. …

Blended Citizen and Arawak, who are trained by Doug O’Neill, each galloped 1½ miles after the break with exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard. Blended Citizen is owned by Greg Hall and SAYJAY Racing, and Arawak is owned by C T R Stables, R3 Racing and Steven Keh.

Three Diamonds Farm’s California Night visited the starting gate and galloped under Katie Clawson before the break. Trained by Mike Maker, California Night arrived at Keeneland after training hours Wednesday from the Trackside Training Center in Louisville. …

John C. Oxley’s Flameaway galloped for trainer Mark Casse, with rider Carlos Nieto aboard. He is expected to jog or gallop tomorrow. …

Lothenbach Stables’ Gotta Go walked the shedrow at trainer Ian Wilkes’ barn. …

Ron Paolucci, Ashley Quartarolo, Raquel Ritchie and Cristina Ritchie’s Machismo galloped 1½ miles under jockey Jake Radosevich for trainer Anthony Quartarolo.

After Machismo drew post 13 in the Toyota Blue Grass, Quartarolo expressed concern about the wide post. The More Than Ready colt might not run in the race because of it.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Quartarolo said, “see if there are any scratches, see how the weather’s gonna be, the track condition. We’ll make a decision at that time. If worse comes to worse, we’ll go to the Arkansas Derby (G1 on April 14 at Oaklawn Park).”

Meanwhile, Quartarolo is pleased with how Machismo is training at Keeneland.

“He loves it. He gets over it great,” Quartarolo said. “I just wish things were a little different because I’d love to run here. Love it (here). Never had been to Keeneland. I don’t want to leave. Can someone buy me a home here?”

Michael Tabor, Bridlewood Farm, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith’s Marconi arrived at Keeneland at 4 a.m. Thursday following a van ride from Palm Beach Downs training center in South Florida. Trained by three-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Todd Pletcher, Marconi is scheduled to make his first on-track appearance Friday morning after the break. …

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing’s Quip had his usual gallop of about 1½ miles on the main track with trainer Rodolphe Brisset in the saddle. Brisset rode the Distorted Humor colt through the Paddock prior to his exercise that included a visit to the starting gate. Brisset’s wife, Brooke, aboard the brown-and-white companion mount Jonas, accompanied them through most of the routine. …

Robert Baker and William Mack’s Sporting Chance walked the shedrow at trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ barn. Sporting Chance arrived at Keeneland from Oaklawn Park Wednesday afternoon.

Jackpot Farm’s Zing Zang made his first appearance of the spring, galloping before the renovation break. The Steve Asmussen trainee arrived at Keeneland from Oaklawn Park on Tuesday night.

BREEDERS’ CUP WINNER RUSHING FALL HEADS FIELD
OF 11 FOR SUNDAY’S APPALACHIAN

E Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ undefeated Rushing Fall, winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar, tops a field of 11 3-year-old fillies entered Thursday for Sunday’s 30th running of the $200,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association.

The Appalachian, contested at a mile on the turf, will be the seventh race on Sunday’s nine-race program with a 4:24 p.m. ET post time. First post time every day is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Chad Brown, Rushing Fall returns to Keeneland, where she dominated the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G3) by 3¼ lengths prior to winning the Breeders’ Cup.

Regular rider Javier Castellano will be aboard Sunday and break from post position two.

Two other fillies who won races at Keeneland last fall on the turf and have gone on to graded stakes success also are in the field.

Al Shahania Stud America, Great Point Stables, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables’ Thewayiam (FR) was an allowance winner here in October in her U.S. debut for trainer Graham Motion.

This year, Thewayiam has won all three of her starts with Grade 3 victories coming in the Sweetest Chant and Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park. Jose Ortiz has the mount on Thewayiam and will break from post position nine.

Susan and Jim Hill’s Daddy Is a Legend broke her maiden here in October and then closed her 2017 campaign with a victory in the Jimmy Durante (G3) at Del Mar in November.

Trained by George Weaver, Daddy Is a Legend will be ridden by Joe Bravo and break from post position one.

The field for the Appalachian, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Daddy Is a Legend (Bravo, 123 pounds), Rushing Fall (Castellano, 123), Lounge Act (Florent Geroux, 118), She’s Pretty Lucky (Corey Lanerie, 118), Cash Out (Brian Hernandez Jr., 120), Dixie Moon (Mike Smith, 120), Heavenly Love (Julien Leparoux, 118), Ultima D (Julio Garcia, 118), Thewayiam (FR) (Ortiz, 123), Beach Waltz (Gaffalione, 118) and Goodthingstaketime (IRE) (Joel Rosario, 118).

UNDEFEATED DREAM IT IS FACES EIGHT FOES IN SUNDAY’S BEAUMONT

Hoolie Racing Stable’s undefeated Dream It Is heads a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered Thursday for Sunday’s 33rd running of the $150,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select.

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

The Beaumont also is the penultimate points race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with 17 points up for grabs on a 10-4-2-1 basis for the first four finishers.

Trained by Barbara Minshall, Dream It Is won her first two starts on the all-weather surface at Woodbine before shipping to Saratoga and winning the Schuylerville (G3) by 9 lengths in July. Luis Saez has the call and will break from post position three.

The other graded stakes winner in the field is Happy Like a Fool, winner of the Matron (G3) at Belmont Park in her most recent start in October.

Owned by the partnership of Merriebelle Stable, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier, the Wesley Ward trainee also finished second in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount on Happy Like a Fool and will break from post position one.

The field for the Beaumont, with rider and weights from the rail out, is: Happy Like a Fool (Gaffalione, 118 pounds), Kelly’s Humor (Jose Ortiz, 118), Dream It Is (Saez, 118), Uppercut (Mike Smith, 118), Gas Station Sushi (Corey Nakatani, 118), Upset Brewing (Corey Lanerie, 118), Summer Sunday (Julien Leparoux, 120), Sunny Skies (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118) and In the Mood (John McKee, 118).

CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND WINNER SAILOR’S VALENTINE BACK
IN ACTION IN SATURDAY’S MADISON

A year after winning the 2017 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at odds of 22-1, Semaphore Racing and Homewrecker Racing’s Sailor’s Valentine will make her second start of 2018 in Saturday’s $300,000 Madison (G1).

After the Central Bank Ashland, Sailor’s Valentine finished sixth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and went to the sidelines. The 4-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast returned to the races March 4 with a third-place finish in a Gulfstream Park allowance race.

“She is doing well and we are very happy with the way she is training,” trainer Eddie Kenneally said. “She is two-for-two here so we are excited to run her.”

In 2016, Sailor’s Valentine began her career with a Keeneland triumph during the Fall Meet.

She and jockey Corey Lanerie drew the inside post in the field of 13 for the 7-furlong Madison.

“Post position one is not ideal, but she’s ready to go,” Kenneally said. “It is a very competitive field, but she is doing as well as she possibly can and we think she will run well.”

CALHOUN PREPARES FOR BUSY OPENING DAYS AT KEENELAND

With eight runners entered opening weekend of Keeneland’s 2018 Spring Meet, trainer Bret Calhoun set up shop at Keeneland rather than shipping runners from his stable at Churchill Downs as he has done in the past.

“One of the motivating factors for that this year is we had three 2-year-olds we wanted to run over here and we wanted to get them settled and schooled a little bit,” said Calhoun, based during the winter at Fair Grounds. “And we knew we had several horses pointed to stakes opening weekend, so it made sense to set up here and let them settle in.”

On Saturday, Calhoun has horses in three graded stakes: Chuck Hovitz’s Awesome Saturday in the $250,000 Commonwealth (G3), Carl R. Moore Management’s Finley’sluckycharm in the $300,000 Madison (G1) and Craig D. Upham’s Patrona Margarita in the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1). Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride all three.

The Commonwealth marks the third race of 2018 for Awesome Saturday, a 4-year-old son of Any Given Saturday whose lone previous stakes start was a fifth in the Indiana Derby (G3) last year. The colt’s second career start was at Keeneland a year ago when he was third in allowance competition.

Finley’sluckycharm is familiar to Keeneland fans as the winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) in October. The Madison marks the second start of the year for the 5-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy, who was second in the Mardi Gras on the Fair Grounds turf in February. Securing a Grade 1 win for Finley’sluckycharm is the goal, Calhoun said.

“We’ve been really looking forward to getting her into this race,” Calhoun said about the Madison. “Big field of horses; we drew outside (post 12 in the 13-horse field). I would have preferred to have drawn not quite so far out, but with how things might set up with the speed (horses), it’s probably a decent post for her.”

Calhoun noted that Finley’sluckycharm is undefeated in seven starts in Kentucky. He said her previous victory here gives him confidence that she will perform well in the Madison for which she is the co-second morning-line favorite at 4-1.

“With that being said, (the race has a) big field – very deep, talented group of horses, so I don’t think you ever come in here beaming with confidence,” Calhoun said. “I like my horse and wouldn’t trade spots but it’s a tough group of horses. It’ll be a really good race.”

Patrona Margarita, bred in Texas by Upham, won the Pocahontas (G2) in September at Churchill Downs. The Special Rate filly is coming off a fourth behind Central Bank Ashland rival Monomoy Girl in the Feb. 17 Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds.

“We’ve had this race (Central Bank Ashland) in our minds for a while,” Calhoun said. A minor ailment prevented the filly from contesting the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), but since then “she’s done very well. She breezed (4 furlongs in :48.20) last Saturday at Fair Grounds before we put her on the van. She settled in good here and trained really well.”

JONNY GARCIA GETS ON THE “GOOD HORSES” FOR O’NEILL

If you have a good system, there is no need to make a change. When Toyota Blue Grass (G2) contenders Blended Citizen and Arawak gallop in the mornings, they both have exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard.

“We don’t change Jonny; he’s had luck with all the good horses,” Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill, said.

Those good horses include Kentucky Derby (G1) winners I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016), who trained at Keeneland prior to his Kentucky Derby victory.

“I’m lucky – they put me on good horses,” Garcia, who has ridden for O’Neill for 11 years, said. “When they’re working out, you can feel if it’s a good horse.”

Garcia said I’ll Have Another was relaxed when passing other horses during morning training but Nyquist was more competitive.

“I’ll Have Another and Nyquist were really different,” he said. “I’ll Have Another was nice to gallop and Nyquist was really strong every day.”

Blended Citizen, who races for Greg Hall and SAYJAY Racing, and Arawak, who is owned by C T R Stables, R3 Racing and Steven Keh, also have their differences. Garcia said Arawak has become more focused in the mornings while Blended Citizen is the more easygoing of the two.

“He’s a nice horse,” Garcia said about Arawak. “(Blended Citizen is) really good, a really good horse. He has a big stride. I’m happy with how the horses are doing right now. We just have to wait till Saturday.”

GALLOPING OUT

Trainer Kenny McPeek said that Normandy Farm’s homebred millionaire Daddys Lil Darling is being pointed to the closing-day $150,000 Bewitch (G3) to be run at 1½ miles on the turf. A three-time Grade 1 runner-up here, Daddys Lil Darling closed her 2017 campaign with a victory in the American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita.

SUNDAY EVENTS SUPPORT PERMANENTLY DISABLED JOCKEYS FUND

On Sunday, Keeneland will host a Jockey Autograph Signing to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). Meanwhile, the first PDJF telethon, hosted by the TVG Network in association with Betfair, will run from 1-7 p.m. ET. Fans may dial 1-844-TVG-PDJF and make a tax-deductible donation to the organization.

Hall of Fame jockeys Javier Castellano, Pat Day, Ramon Dominguez, Sandy Hawley, Chris McCarron, Mike Smith and Alex Solis will be among those awaiting calls and donations. They will be joined by other active or retired Thoroughbred jockeys and top American Quarter Horse riders Cody Jensen and Eddie Garcia as well as PDJF beneficiaries in working the phone banks at TVG studios in California and Keeneland.

Since the creation of PDJF in 2006, nearly $9 million has been distributed to support disabled riders, most of whom have sustained paralysis or brain injuries. With no guaranteed source of funding from within the horse racing industry, the PDJF is 100 percent reliant on donations. More than 90 cents of every dollar donated to the PDJF goes directly to its beneficiaries.

Donations also may be made online at www.pdjf.org/donate.

Keeneland’s Jockey Autograph Signing will be held 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. adjacent to the Paddock. Fans can meet jockeys currently competing here as well as retired jockeys – from Hall of Famers to history makers and Keeneland favorites.

Fans can buy these items to have signed: Keeneland Spring Meet poster ($25), Keeneland hat ($15) and Keeneland program ($10).

PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES

Here are the prospective fields for Keeneland’s April 13-14 stakes compiled by Keeneland Stakes Coordinator Tiffany Bourque. Click here for a link to the lists of nominations and past performances.

$300,000 MAKER’S 46 MILE (G1) (Entries taken Sunday; race Friday, April 13) – Probable: Ballagh Rocks (trainer Bill Mott), Heart to Heart (Brian Lynch), Hogy (Mike Maker), Hollywood Hideaway (Barbara Minshall), Mr. Misunderstood (Brad Cox), Next Shares (Richard Baltas), World Approval (Mark Casse). Possible: Om (Dan Hendricks).

$350,000 COOLMORE JENNY WILEY (G1) (Entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 14) – Probable: Cambodia (Tom Proctor), Dona Bruja (ARG) (Ignacio Correas IV), Fourstar Crook (Chad Brown), La Coronel (Mark Casse), Lovely Bernadette (James DiVito), Off Limits (IRE) (Chad Brown), Sistercharlie (IRE) (Chad Brown). Possible: Hawksmoor (IRE) (Arnaud Delacour), Kitten’s Roar (Mike Maker), Proctor’s Ledge (Brendan Walsh).

$200,000 BEN ALI (G3) (Entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 14) – Probable: Aurora Way (Stuart Simon), Giuseppe the Great (Nick Zito), Rated R Superstar (Kenny McPeek).

$200,000 STONESTREET LEXINGTON (G3) (Entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 14) – Probable: Greyvitos (Adam Kitchingman), Pony Up (Todd Pletcher), Telekinesis (Mark Casse).

$100,000 GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (L) (Entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 14) – Probable: Brave Daisey (Tina Hurley), Contributing (Tom Proctor), Lady Aurelia (Wesley Ward), Morticia (Rusty Arnold), Smiling Causeway (Arnaud Delacour), Triple Chelsea (Joe Sharp).

2018 SPRING MEET SPECIAL EVENTS

Through the summer, The Keeneland Library is paying tribute to Pierre Bellocq, the internationally celebrated artist better known as “Peb,” with the exhibit “Artistry of Peb: Fifty Years of Features” and a virtual exhibit on Keeneland.com titled “The Artistry of Peb.” “Artistry of Peb” showcases 18 of Bellocq’s features from The Morning Telegraph and Daily Racing Form spanning the mid-1950s to the mid-2000s. This work solidified Peb’s renown as an artistic commentator of the Thoroughbred racing industry. The Keeneland Library is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Official Keeneland Tours – Keeneland offers a selection of guided tours, including Behind-the-Scenes Racing Tours and a Backstretch Tour, throughout the year. On Saturdays during Sunrise Trackside, free guided tours begin every 20 minutes from the Paddock and Walking Ring from 7:30-10 a.m.

Thursday, April 5

Taste of the Races. The Keeneland Shop presents a spring shopping preview in celebration of the Spring Meet until 4:30 p.m. Attendees will receive an exclusive 20 percent discount on all in-store purchases at The Keeneland Shop. Some exclusions may apply.

Friday, April 6 – Opening Day

The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery and Forme Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring.

College Scholarship Day. College Scholarship Day, which Keeneland holds with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, will give away a record $30,000 thanks to two $10,000 Runhappy Scholarships in addition to ten $1,000 scholarships awarded after each race. Click here to pre-register online by 5 p.m. April 5 to pass the line and enter to win an outdoor box for use April 6. Full-time college students receive free general admission April 6 and can register at the College Zone in the North Terrace, which will have music, free snacks and prize drawings.

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, including the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3).

Saturday, April 7

The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery and Forme Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring.

$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 8

The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery and Forme Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring.

Jockey Autograph Signing. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. adjacent to the Paddock. Racing fans can meet jockeys currently competing at Keeneland as well as retired jockeys – from Hall of Famers to history makers and Keeneland favorites – and participate in an autograph signing to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. Retired jockeys scheduled to take part in the event include James Bruin, PJ Cooksey, Jean Cruguet, Tony D’Amico, Pat Day, Rafael Estrella, Carl Faulconer, Sandy Hawley, Michael Heath, Mike Manganello, Chris McCarron, Larry Melancon, John Oldham, Suzie Picou Oldham, Joe Steiner and Kaoru Tsuchiya. Fans can buy these items to have signed: Keeneland Spring Meet poster ($25), Keeneland hat ($15) and Keeneland program ($10).