Keeneland Barn Notes — Wednesday, April 13

Posted On 14 Apr 2022

By Amy Owens —-

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13

Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet runs through Friday, April 29.
First post is 1 p.m. ET except April 29 when the first post is 12:30 p.m.

Keeneland is closed for racing Easter Sunday, April 17.

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· REGAL GLORY, SHANTISARA (IRE) GIVE BROWN POTENT JENNY WILEY HAND

· TAWNY PORT TOPS FIELD OF 11 FOR STONESTREET LEXINGTON

· MULTIPLE GROUP 1 WINNER CAMPANELLE (IRE) HEADLINES GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

· CHAMPION MALATHAAT HEADLINES 16 NOMINEES TO BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE

· DEFENDING CHAMPION SAY THE WORD AMONG 33 NOMINEES TO ELKHORN

· BEN ALI ATTRACTS 25 NOMINATIONS

· GALLOPING OUT

· SPRING MEET WEEK 2 SPECIAL EVENTS

· SPRING MEET LEADERS

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REGAL GLORY, SHANTISARA (IRE) GIVE BROWN
POTENT JENNY WILEY HAND

Peter Brant’s Regal Glory and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta’s Shantisara (IRE) top a field of six fillies and mares entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 34th running of the $500,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

The Jenny Wiley will go as the 10th race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:48 p.m. ET post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

Trained by four-time Jenny Wiley winner Chad Brown, Regal Glory and Shantisara bring multiple race win streaks into Saturday’s race.

Regal Glory closed 2021 with a victory in the Matriarch (G1) at Del Mar and opened 2022 two months later by taking the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Regular rider Jose Ortiz has the mount and will depart post position four.

Shantisara brings a three-race win streak into her 2022 debut highlighted by a 5-length victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana here last fall. Flavien Prat, who has been aboard for all three of those victories, has the call Saturday and will break from post position three.

The field for the Jenny Wiley, from the rail out with riders and weights, is: Scarabea (Julien Leparoux, 123 pounds), Waliyak (FR) (Umberto Rispoli, 123), Shantisara (IRE) (Prat, 123), Regal Glory (Ortiz, 123), Navratilova (Colby Hernandez, 123) and Lady Speightspeare (Luis Saez, 123).

TAWNY PORT TOPS FIELD OF 11 FOR STONESTREET LEXINGTON

Peachtree Stable’s Tawny Port, runner-up in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) in his most recent start, heads a field of 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 40th running of the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The Stonestreet Lexington will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

The race serves as the final points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) with 34 points up for grabs on a 20-8-4-2 scale to the first- through fourth-place finishers. The Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box.

Trained by Brad Cox, Tawny Port picked up 40 points for his Jeff Ruby finish, a figure that is good for 20th place on the Road to the Derby leaderboard. Florent Geroux has the mount Saturday and will exit post nine.

Two other entrants, Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones’ Ethereal Road and Edge Racing, Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ In Due Time, have accumulated 20 points and could enhance their Derby prospects with a victory Saturday.

Ethereal Road wheels back seven days after finishing seventh in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1). Second in the Rebel (G2) to pick up his 20 points, Ethereal Road is trained by D. Wayne Lukas and will break from post four under Victor Espinoza.

In Due Time picked up his 20 Derby points with the runner-up finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) for trainer Kelly Breen. Paco Lopez retains the mount and will break from post two.

The field for the Stonestreet Lexington with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Midnight Chrome (Jose Ortiz, 118 pounds), In Due Time (Lopez, 118), We All See It (Luis Saez, 118), Ethereal Road (Espinoza, 118), Howling Time (Joe Talamo, 118), Skate to Heaven (David Cohen, 118), Major General (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Strava (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Tawny Port (Florent Geroux, 118), Dash Attack (Flavien Prat, 120) and Call Me Midnight (James Graham, 120).

MULTIPLE GROUP 1 WINNER CAMPANELLE (IRE)
HEADLINES GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

Stonestreet Stables’ two-time Group 1 winner Campanelle (IRE) heads a field of 14 fillies and mares and one also-eligible entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 25th running of the $200,000 Giant’s Causeway (L) going 5½ furlongs on the grass.

The Giant’s Causeway will go as the eighth race Saturday with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by two-time Giant’s Causeway winner Wesley Ward, Campanelle makes her return to the races following a six-month vacation after finishing third here in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3). Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call Saturday and will be break from post three.

The two mares that finished in front of Campanelle in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County are back Saturday: Perry Harrison’s Change of Control and Voodoomon Racing’s Ambassador Luna.

Change of Control is seeking to become the first repeat winner of the Giant’s Causeway, having taken last year’s renewal by a length. Trained by Michelle Lovell, Change of Control will be ridden by Colby Hernandez and break from post five.

Ben Colebrook trains Ambassador Luna, who comes into the race off an allowance victory over the all-weather surface at Turfway Park in her lone start of 2022. Corey Lanerie has the mount and will break from post 13.

The field for the Giant’s Causeway, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Violenza (Chris Landeros, 122 pounds), Star Devine (IRE) (John Velazquez, 122), Campanelle (IRE) (Ortiz Jr., 122), Risky Reward (Adam Beschizza, 122), Change of Control (Hernandez, 124), Jouster (Flavien Prat, 122), Social Chatter (Rafael Bejarano, 122), Hear My Prayer (Florent Geroux, 122), Headline Hunter (Umberto Rispoli, 122), Ghosting Kim (James Graham, 122), Goin’ Good (Tyler Gaffalione, 122), Elle Z (Mitchell Murrill, 124), Ambassador Luna (Lanerie, 122) and A G Indy (Luis Saez, 122). Also-Eligible: Phantom Vision (Jose Ortiz, 122).

CHAMPION MALATHAAT HEADLINES 16 NOMINEES
TO BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE

Shadwell Stable’s Malathaat, winner of last year’s Central Bank Ashland (G1) here, Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly, tops a roster of 16 fillies and mares nominated to the 27th running of the $300,000 Baird Doubledogdare (G3).

The Baird Doubledogdare is contested on the main track going 1 1/16 miles and will held Friday, April 22 with entries taken Tuesday, April 19.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Malathaat closed her championship campaign with a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) in her first test against older runners.

Also among the nominees is Juddmonte’s Bonny South. Trained by Brad Cox, Bonny South is the defending champion in the race. No horse has won the Baird Doubledogdare in consecutive years.

DEFENDING CHAMPION SAY THE WORD AMONG 33 NOMINEES TO ELKHORN

Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm’s Say the Word, winner of last year’s Elkhorn (G2), headlines a cast of 33 veteran grass marathoners for this year’s renewal of the $350,000 race.

To be run Saturday, April 23, the Elkhorn is contested at 1½ miles.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Say the Word has a Grade 1 victory in the 2020 Northern Dancer at Woodbine on his resume. Other Grade 1 winners among the nominees are Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Cross Border and Wolfe Racing and Hugh Robertson’s Two Emmys.

Entries for the Elkhorn will be taken Wednesday, April 20.

GRADE 3 BEN ALI ATTRACTS 25 NOMINATIONS

Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Warrant, runner-up in the recent Santa Anita Handicap (G1), tops a deep roster of 25 horses nominated to the 91st running of the $300,000 Ben Ali (G3).

The 1 1/8-mile main track test will be run Saturday, April 23 with entries taken Wednesday, April 20.

In addition to Warrant among the Ben Ali nominees, Brad Cox also trains Juddmonte’s Fulsome, a multiple Grade 3 winner who took the Oaklawn Mile (G3) in his 2022 debut.

Two-time Ben Ali-winning trainer Todd Pletcher has four nominees, including Grade 1 winner Happy Saver owned by Wertheimer and Frere.

GALLOPING OUT

Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing, Stonestreet Stables and Richard Hausman’s Dream Shake returned from a 7½-month layoff to win Sunday’s fourth race, a 6-furlong allowance test, by a length for trainer Peter Eurton.

“We are going to do things a little different this year. We’re not going to throw him to the wolves,” Eurton said of Dream Shake, who finished second a head behind champion Jackie’s Warrior in last year’s Pat Day Mile (G2) Presented by LG&E and KU. “There is a second (allowance) condition going 6½ furlongs in five weeks at Churchill Downs.” …

Calumet Farm’s Gear Jockey, third in the last Saturday’s Shakertown (G2) to Golden Pal, remains on track for the $500,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) Presented by Sysco to be run May 6 at Churchill Downs.

“I was pleased with his race but (trainer) Wesley’s (Ward) horse is just too good for these,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “The race on (Kentucky) Oaks Day has been the plan.” …

Trainer Vicki Oliver said BBN Racing’s Trademark, fifth in last Saturday’s Toyota Blue Grass (G1), is under consideration for the Pat Day Mile to be run May 7.

SPRING MEET WEEK 2 SPECIAL EVENTS

All year

Official Keeneland Tours. Visit keeneland.com/tours for availability and to purchase.

Every Wednesday

WINS-Day Challenge Sponsored by Malone’s. This is an inexpensive way for beginner handicappers to give contests a try. Enter for $10 at Wagering Central on the first floor of the Grandstand and place a mythical $2 win and place wager – no actual money required – on Keeneland races 3-8.

Every Friday and Saturday

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for Keeneland’s popular free tailgating area on The Hill, which is open Fridays and Saturdays and offers a unique way to experience the Spring Meet. Fans on The Hill can participate in the racing action via a jumbo TV and wagering, while food trucks and live music presented by The Burl create a festive atmosphere. Those who wish to elevate their tailgating experience can book a premium package that includes tent, tables, amenities, reserved area for the day and more with the Tailgate Guys “A REVELxp Company.” Visit Keeneland.com/tailgating for details.

Friday, April 15

Jockey Autograph Signing. Fans will meet active and retired Keeneland riders and Hall of Famers in an event that benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). Signing takes place outside the Walking Ring from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 16

Sunrise Trackside. This morning program is geared toward families and offers a unique view of Thoroughbreds during training hours. Children’s activities, located on the first-floor Grandstand from 8-10 a.m., include a meet and greet with Keeneland’s mascot, Buckles, along with face painting, games and more. Fans can enjoy coffee and donuts at Clockers Corner while watching horses train. Mini tours are available at the Welcome Stand in the Paddock. A 30-minute demonstration in the Walking Ring at 8:30 will explain how horses communicate with their body language. This Saturday, Sunrise Trackside will include a visit by the Easter Bunny.

Sunday, April 17 – Easter – Keeneland closed for racing

SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through April 10 (3 days of 15-day season)

Jockey

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

Flavien Prat

$1,368,380

Irad Ortiz Jr.