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Keeneland Barn Notes — Sunday, April 18
Posted On 19 Apr 2021
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By Amy Owens—-
SUNDAY, APRIL 18
April 18 and April 21-23 mark the final four days of Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet.
First post every day is 1:05 p.m. ET.
Use Keeneland.com to watch live coverage of all Keeneland races during the Spring Meet,
including interviews with winning connections after every stakes.
Click here for complimentary programs and past performances courtesy of Digital Programs Presented by Baird. Keeneland programs are available for the entire season.
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· HIGHLY MOTIVATED WORKS TOWARD KENTUCKY DERBY START
· MOTT DUO HEADS FIELD OF 12 FOR CLOSING-DAY BEWITCH
· ELKHORN WINNER SAY THE WORD HEADS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS
· SPRING MEET LEADERS
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HIGHLY MOTIVATED WORKS TOWARD KENTUCKY DERBY START
Klaravich Stables’ homebred Highly Motivated, runner-up to champion Essential Quality in the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) here April 3, began his final preparation for an expected run in the
$3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve by working a half-mile in :47.20 over a fast main track Sunday morning at Keeneland.
The move was the best of 27 at the distance. (Click here for a video of the work.)
Trained by Chad Brown, Highly Motivated worked in company with Founder, who was fifth behind Essential Quality in the 2020 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. The two came on the track shortly after 9 a.m. and worked on even terms through fractions of :12.20, :23.60, :36 and :47.20 with Highly Motivated galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:00.20 and 6 furlongs in 1:15.60.
Highly Motivated set Keeneland’s track record for 6½ furlongs with his 1:14.99 clocking in winning the Nyquist Stakes during the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The colt is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs Monday, April 19 with Brown slated to arrive in Louisville on Wednesday, April 21.
MOTT DUO HEADS FIELD OF 12 FOR CLOSING-DAY BEWITCH
Trainer Bill Mott’s duo of War Like Goddess and Delta’s Kingdom headlines a field of 12 fillies and mares entered Sunday for the 59th running of the $150,000 Bewitch (G3) on Friday, April 23. The race is the closing-day feature of the 15-day Spring Meet.
The 1½-mile grass test is scheduled as the ninth race with a 5:30 p.m. post time on the 10-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m.
George Krikorian’s War Like Goddess enters the Bewitch off a nose victory in last month’s Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Julien Leparoux, who was aboard for the Orchid victory, has the call as he seeks his third victory in the race. War Like Goddess will start from post eight.
Mott, who has won the Bewitch three times, also will send out Delta’s Kingdom for Maram LLC. Fourth in the Orchid, Delta’s Kingdom began the year with a runner-up finish in the La Prevoyante (G3). Luis Saez has the mount and will start from post two.
Also figuring to attract support is Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and First Row Partners’ Kalifornia Queen (GER) trained by Chad Brown, who won the Bewitch in 2016 with Olorda (GER).
A Group 2 winner last year in Germany, Kalifornia Queen finished sixth in The Very One (G3) at Gulfstream in February in her U.S. debut. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and will start from post six.
The field for the Bewitch, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Cambeliza (Hector Diaz Jr., 120 pounds), Delta’s Kingdom (Saez, 118), Three Flamingos (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Dominga (Florent Geroux, 118), Pass the Plate (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Kalifornia Queen (GER) (Gaffalione, 118), Dalika (GER) (Miguel Mena, 118), War Like Goddess (Leparoux, 120), Gun Society (Adam Beschizza, 118), Margaret’s Joy (Joe Talamo, 118), English Affair (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Court Return (John Velazquez, 118).
ELKHORN WINNER SAY THE WORD HEADS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS
Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm’s Canadian champion Say the Word, winner of Saturday’s Elkhorn (G2) by 1½ lengths, was scheduled to head to Churchill Downs Sunday morning and join the rest of trainer Phil D’Amato’s Kentucky string.
The victory in the 1½-mile Elkhorn was the second graded stakes triumph at the distance for Say the Word. The other came last year in the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) Presented by Pattison at Woodbine.
The Churchill stakes schedule has the $125,000 Louisville (G3) going 1½ miles on the turf slated for May 15, a race that could attract Elkhorn runner-up Channel Cat and fourth-place finisher Fantasioso (ARG).
“He showed signs that he was going to run a good one,” trainer Jack Sisterson said of Calumet Farm’s Channel Cat, whose effort Saturday produced his best result since winning the Bowling Green (G2) in 2019 while racing for Todd Pletcher. “He had not trained that well coming into a race since we have had him.”
Sisterson mentioned after the race that the $750,000 Manhattan (G1) at 1¼ miles on June 5 might be a possibility but noted Sunday morning, “if we take the conservative route, we may do that (the Louisville).”
Bloom Racing Stable and I. C. Racing’s Fantasioso rallied from last in the field of eight, finishing less than a length out of second place in his U.S. debut.
“He came out of the race well, and I was very happy with his race,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said. “The plan is to go on to the Louisville.”
SPRING MEET LEADERS
Through April 17 (11 days of 15-day season)
Jockey
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses
Luis Saez
76
26
13
16
$1,914,122
Joel Rosario
57
14
8
8
$1,329,819
Tyler Gaffalione
51
12
8
6
$815,941
John Velazquez
35
7
3
6
$416,105
James Graham
46
6
2
7
$282,139
Irad Ortiz Jr.
24
5
7
3
$499,142
Trainer
Starts
Wins
2nd
3rd
Purses
Wesley Ward
38
13
9
6
$949,949
Brad Cox
24
9
6
2
$1,117,409
Todd Pletcher
18
9
1
5
$765,762
Ben Colebrook
15
6
0
2
$241,140
Mike Maker
31
5
5
5
$358,610
Owner
Wins
Juddmonte (Fahad bin Khalid)
4
Three Diamonds Farm (Kirk Wycoff)
3
Calumet Farm (Brad Kelley)
2
Castleton Lyons (Shane Ryan)
2
Godolphin (Mohammed Al Maktoum et al)
2
Merriebelle Stable (John Moores and Charles Noell)
2
Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
2
Nathan Sea
2
Shadwell Stable (Rick Nichols)
2
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