Keeneland Barn Notes — Sunday, Oct. 11

By Amy Owens —-

SUNDAY, OCT. 11

Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet runs through Saturday, Oct. 24 with racing Wednesdays
through Sundays. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. ET.

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· ANTOINETTE HEADLINES EVENLY MATCHED FIELD OF 12 FOR FRIDAY’S PIN OAK VALLEY VIEW

· HARVEY’S LIL GOIL RETURNS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS AFTER VICTORY IN QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP PRESENTED BY DIXIANA

· GALLOPING OUT

· BEST TURNED OUT AWARDS PRESENTED SATURDAY

· THIRD WEEK STAKES PROBABLES

· FALL MEET LEADERS

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ANTOINETTE HEADLINES EVENLY MATCHED FIELD OF 12
FOR FRIDAY’S PIN OAK VALLEY VIEW

Godolphin’s Antoinette, winner of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational and recently runner-up in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1), tops a field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies entered Sunday for Friday’s 30th running of the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3).

The Pin Oak Valley View, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf course, will go as the ninth race on Friday afternoon’s 10-race program with a 5:30 ET post time. First post is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Bill Mott, the homebred daughter of Hard Spun will be ridden Friday by Manny Franco and break from post position 12.

Headlining the competition to Antoinette is Merriebelle Stable’s Walk In Marrakesh (IRE), who came within a nostril of winning the Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association here in July.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Walk In Marrakesh has been on the wrong end of three photos in graded stakes company since coming to North America late last summer. She was beaten a nose in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine in September and in her 2020 debut was beaten a head in the Florida Oaks (G3).

Sixth in the Edgewood (G2) Presented by Forcht Bank at Churchill Downsin her most recent start, Walk In Marrakesh will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. and break from post position four.

Figuring to also attract support are Marc Detampel, TSK Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen’s Outburst (GB) and Paradise Farms Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Stunning Sky.

Winner of the aforementioned Florida Oaks in March, Outburst enters Friday’s race off a fourth-place finish in the Music City at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 15. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Outburst will be ridden by Florent Geroux and break from post position 10.

Stunning Sky comes into the Pin Oak Valley View off a solid summer that featured runner-up finishes at Saratoga in the Lake Placid (G2) and Saratoga Oaks Invitational. In her most recent start, she was fourth in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs trailing Micheline and Harvey’s Lil Goil, the top two finishers here in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana.

Trained by Mike Maker, Stunning Sky will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position 11.

The field for the Pin Oak Valley, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Duopoly (Tyler Gaffalione, 118 pounds), In Good Spirits (Miguel Mena, 118), Princess Grace (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) (Hernandez Jr., 118), Witez (Julien Leparoux, 118), How Ironic (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Pranked (David Cohen, 118), Lucky Betty (Declan Cannon, 118), Sugar Fix (Adam Beschizza, 120), Outburst (GB) (Geroux, 120), Stunning Sky (Santana Jr., 118) and Antoinette (Franco, 120).

HARVEY’S LIL GOIL RETURNS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS AFTER VICTORY
IN QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP PRESENTED BY DIXIANA

Harvey’s Lil Goil, who held off Micheline by three-quarters of a length to win Saturday’s $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, returned to Churchill Downs last night.

At Churchill, Penny Gardner, assistant to trainer Bill Mott, said the filly was fine this morning.

“It is fun having those types of horses in the barn,” Gardner said of Harvey’s Lil Goil, who is owned by the Estate of Harvey Clarke and Paul Braverman. “She tries so hard every time.”

Plans for Harvey’s Lil Goil are to be determined.

Godolphin’s Micheline and her portable stall remain at Keeneland to await the filly’s next road trip. Trainer Mike Stidham said her next race has yet to be decided but her next destination will be his division at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

“We were delighted with her effort in the QE II and with a little more distance (beyond the 1 1/8 miles), she might have won,” Stidham said. “We were really excited about her stepping up to a Grade 1 race and running as well as she did.”

Micheline gained attention because of her unusual accommodations of open-air housing: a portable structure that has four wood-lined farm gates and a fitted tarp ceiling. Described as claustrophobic in a traditional stall, Micheline has thrived throughout her career in the special setup.

Stidham said that despite the filly’s aversion to living in a barn, she is extremely comfortable traveling via a large commercial horse van with her companion horse, Colonel.

“It’s amazing,” Stidham said. “She’s good in the van. Maybe it is the movement that keeps her preoccupied. She travels in a box stall where everything is open so she doesn’t feel caged in.”

Trainer Arnaud Delacour reported that Lael Stables’ third-place finisher Magic Attitude (GB) came out of the race fine.

“Those were two good fillies that beat her,” Delacour said. “Running third in a Grade 1 is not bad. I thought she ran well but maybe was a little flat. I was concerned about the three weeks (between her victory in the Belmont Oaks Invitational-G1 and the QE II). She did not have the same kick.”

Delacour indicated Magic Attitude was probably done racing for the year.

“She had four straight Grade 1 races and those are tough races,” Delacour said. “I think she is done for the year. We will give her a couple months off and plan for next year. It would be great to come back here for the (Coolmore) Jenny Wiley (G1, during the Spring Meet).”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Red Lark (IRE), who closed from last to finish fourth beaten less than 2 lengths, is scheduled to return to California on Monday.

“She seems good this morning,” trainer Paddy Gallagher said. “We will get her home and make a plan.”

GALLOPING OUT

Perry Ouzts, who became North America’s sixth-leading rider by wins on Friday at Belterra Park (formerly River Downs), is named on several horses in the coming days at Keeneland. The 66-year-old Ouzts, who surpassed Chris McCarron’s mark of 7,141 victories for his latest milestone, rode It’s Summer in today’s first race. On Wednesday, he is named on Rocka Barry in the eighth race. On Friday, he is named to ride She’s No Drama in the second race.

Outzs is the leading active rider by wins. With 7,142 victories, he trails Russell Baze (12,842 wins), Laffit Pincay Jr. (9,530), Bill Shoemaker (8,833), Pat Day (8,803) and David Gall (7,396). …

Under consideration for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 7, Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt’s undefeated Yaupon worked an easy half-mile on the fast main track in :51.20 early Sunday morning. Now 4-for-4 in his career and coming off a 4-length victory in the Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico on Oct. 1, Yaupon is trained by Steve Asmussen. …

On Saturday, Keeneland held a virtual Fall Handicapping Challenge for 170 players. The contest winner was Peter McFarland, a stockbroker from Lexington also known as @bestdamnbroker on Twitter. He bet $400 to win in the 10th race on 29-1 longshot winner Critical Incident, along with a $3 Trifecta, to cash for more than $16,000. For his victory, McFarland won $35,000 in cash, a fully paid $10,000 entry to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and a berth in the 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) in Las Vegas. Finishing second was Dennis Tiernan of Montgomery, Texas, who wagered $418 to win on the longshot and a $20 double. Tiernan took home $18,000 in cash, a BCBC entry and a NHC berth. …

Saturday’s Hagyard Fayette (G2) winner, Mr Freeze, and his stablemate, Coastal Defense, who finished fourth beaten 1¼ lengths, returned to Churchill Downs Saturday night and were reported to be doing well Sunday morning at trainer Dale Romans’ barn. Plans for the next start for Mr Freeze are to be determined in the coming days.

BEST TURNED OUT AWARDS PRESENTED SATURDAY

In selected races during Keeneland’s 2020 Fall Meet, grooms of racehorses determined to have the best overall appearance in the Paddock are recognized with Best Turned Out (BTO) awards. On Saturday, these grooms received BTO honors:

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute sponsored these BTO awards worth $250 or $500 each:

Race 1: Francisco Flores Romo, groom of Trumpet Lily.

Race 2: Ramiro Aranda, groom of Laddie Boy.

Race 3: Marid Fernandez, groom of Lautrec.

Race 4: Jerry Dixon, groom of Riverboat Gambler.

Race 5: Ruben Becerra, groom of Nashville, who won the 6-furlong allowance race by 9¾ lengths as the 1-2 favorite.

Race 7: Manuel Aguilar, groom of Peace Broker.

Race 8 (Hagyard Fayette-G2): Victor Morales, groom of Aurelius Maximus. ($500)

Race 10: Jose Becerra, groom of Outlier.

Dixiana sponsored these BTO awards worth $500 apiece:

Race 6: Inocente Quevedo, groom of Tanzerin (GER).

Race 9 (Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup-G1 Presented by Dixiana): Juan Soto, groom of Red Lark (IRE).

THIRD WEEK STAKES PROBABLES

$200,000 LEXUS RAVEN RUN (G2) (Entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 14; race Saturday, Oct. 17) – Center Aisle (Chad Brown), Fair Maiden (Eoin Harty), Finite (Steve Asmussen), Four Graces (Ian Wilkes), Grand Cru Classe (Bill Mott), Reagan’s Edge (Cherie DeVaux), Sconsin (Greg Foley), Secondary Market (Brown), Secret Keeper (Cliff Sise), Tonalist’s Shape (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Venetian Harbor (Richard Baltas). Possible: Impeccable Style (Brendan Walsh).

$125,000 ROOD & RIDDLE DOWAGER (G3) (Entries taken Thursday, Oct. 15; race Sunday, Oct. 18) – Always Shopping (Todd Pletcher), Hungry Kitten (Shug McGaughey), Over Thinking (Vicki Oliver), Quiet Dignity (Mike Maker), Siberian Iris (IRE) (Richard Mandella).

FALL MEET LEADERS

Through Oct. 10 (7 days of 17-day season)

Jockey

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

Tyler Gaffalione

51

11

8

11

$697,064

Luis Saez

22

9

3

3

$1,182,436

Florent Geroux

32

6

6

7

$604,781

Joel Rosario

22

4

3

0

$599,194

Joe Talamo

37

4

2

6

$679,496

David Cohen

13

4

2

3

$210,418

Trainer

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

Mike Maker

23

7

3

4

$292,496

Brad Cox

19

6

5

2

$711,833

Robertino Diodoro

10

4

2

3

$205,930

Steve Asmussen

30

3

7

2

$310,412

Chad Brown

20

3

3

5

$649,800

Owner

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

M and M Racing (Mike Sisk)

3

3

0

0

$69,240

Gary Barber

2

2

0

0

$132,000

Three Diamonds Farm (Kirk Wycoff)

5

2

1

2

$87,300

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