Keeneland Barn Notes

By Amy Owens —-

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5

Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet opens Friday and runs through Saturday, Oct. 29.
Post time for the first race each day is 1 p.m. ET. No racing Mondays and Tuesdays.

For helpful tips and tools to assist fans during their day at the races, Keeneland offers
a Patron Experience Guide to review before arriving at the track.

*************************

NEW MEXICO INVADER SLAMMED TOPS FIELD FOR SATURDAY’S THOROUGHBRED CLUB OF AMERICA
DEFENDING CHAMPION GOLDEN PAL HEADLINES FIELD FOR SATURDAY’S WOODFORD PRESENTED BY FANDUEL
LIFE IS GOOD, HOT ROD CHARLIE, JACK CHRISTOPHER ON TRACK WEDNESDAY
TYLER’S TRIBE ARRIVES FOR BREEDERS’ CUP RUN
GALLOPING OUT
FALL STARS SUNDAY POTENTIAL FIELDS
OPENING WEEKEND SPECIAL EVENTS

*************************

NEW MEXICO INVADER SLAMMED TOPS FIELD FOR SATURDAY’S THOROUGHBRED CLUB OF AMERICA

Fincher Racing, Brad King and Suzanne Kirby’s Slammed, runner-up in the Rancho Bernardo (G3) at Del Mar in her most recent start, heads a field of nine fillies and mares entered Wednesday for the 42nd running of Saturday’s $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) going 6 furlongs on the main track.

The Thoroughbred Club of America is a “Win and You’re In” race for the 16th running of the
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 5. The TCA will go as the seventh race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 4:10 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Three horses have won the Thoroughbred Club of America and came back a few weeks later to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with the most recent being Groupie Doll in 2012.

Trained by Todd Fincher, Slammed dominated state-bred competition in New Mexico by winning five restricted stakes before going to Del Mar this summer. At Del Mar, she posted an allowance victory before running second in the Rancho Bernardo behind Edgeway, runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Slammed, who has worked three times at Churchill Downs since coming east from Del Mar, will be ridden by Florent Geroux and exit post position seven in the TCA.

The field for the Thoroughbred Club of America, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Li’l Tootsie (Edgar Morales, 120), Palm Cottage (Flavien Prat, 120), Club Car (Irad Ortiz Jr., 120), Carribean Caper (Jose Ortiz, 120), Sconsin (Tyler Gaffalione, 122), Liberty M D (Julien Leparoux, 120), Slammed (Geroux, 120), Joyful Cadence (Rey Gutierrez, 120), Happy Soul (John Velazquez, 118).

DEFENDING CHAMPION GOLDEN PAL HEADLINES FIELD FOR SATURDAY’S WOODFORD PRESENTED BY FANDUEL

Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Westerberg Limited’s Golden Pal heads a field of nine entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 26th running of the $350,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel going 5½ furlongs over the Keeneland turf course.

The Woodford will be the first of five graded stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program that begins at
1 p.m. ET. The Woodford is the afternoon’s sixth race with a 3:38 p.m. post time.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal is undefeated in three Keeneland starts: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) in 2020, Woodford last year and Shakertown (G2) this spring.

Golden Pal is the only Woodford winner to come back and win the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in the same year with that victory giving him his first Grade 1 triumph. Four horses have won the Woodford in back-to-back years with the most recent being Bucchero in 2017-2018.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Golden Pal and will break from post position four.

The field for the Woodford, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: County Final (Ricardo Santana Jr., 120 pounds), Bad Beat Brian (Chris Emigh, 120), All in Sync (Florent Geroux, 118), Golden Pal (Irad Ortiz Jr., 124), Gear Jockey (Luis Saez, 120), Oceanic (Julien Leparoux, 120), Artemus Citylimits (Tyler Gaffalione, 120), Charcoal (Rafael Bejarano, 120), Cadamosto (IRE) (Flavien Prat, 118).

LIFE IS GOOD, HOT ROD CHARLIE, JACK CHRISTOPHER
ON TRACK WEDNESDAY

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s Life Is Good, fresh off a victory in Saturday’s Woodward (G1) at Aqueduct, returned to the track Wednesday morning, jogging early at Keeneland. The four-time Grade 1 winner and earner of more than $4.3 million is being pointed to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) to be run here Nov. 5.

Another Classic candidate on the track this morning was $5.5 million earner Hot Rod Charlie. It was his first day on track since winning Saturday’s Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Also on the track this morning was Jack Christopher. The three-time Grade 1 winner arrived here Monday from Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown and is a prime candidate for the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) or the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 5.

TYLER’S TRIBE ARRIVES FOR BREEDERS’ CUP RUN

Arriving Tuesday night from Prairie Meadows was trainer Tim Martin and Thomas Lepic’s Tyler’s Tribe. Undefeated in five starts by a combined 59¾ lengths, the Iowa-bred is being pointed to the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) or the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), both on Nov. 4.

“He will go to the track Friday,” Martin said. “I’m looking at both races. He’s never been on the grass and I’d like to see how he handles it.”

Tyler’s Tribe has been ridden in all of his races by 20-year-old Kylee Jordan. She will be riding here this meet and will be on Riverboat Gambler in Friday’s opening race for Martin.

GALLOPING OUT

Pinehurst, winner of the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) last summer and the Saudi Derby (G3) this spring, is now under the care of trainer Brendan Walsh.

“I got him last month at Churchill Downs,” Walsh said after Pinehurst worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 this morning. “He worked pretty good this morning, and I’ll have a better idea in a few days what I am going to do with him. For now, just TBD … to be determined.” …

Godolphin’s Proxy, last seen finishing third behind Olympiad in the Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs on July 2, is back on the work tab at Keeneland for trainer Mike Stidham.

“We just got him back after giving him some time off,” Stidham said. “I don’t know if we can get him ready in time, but the Clark (G1 at Churchill on Nov. 25) may be a possibility.”

FALL STARS SUNDAY POTENTIAL FIELDS

Friday is opening day of Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet and the start of Fall Stars Weekend, which will offer 11 stakes worth $5.45 million.

Nine of the races are Breeders’ Cup Challenge tests (*) that award the winners fees-paid berths into corresponding races at the 39th World Championships, which will be held Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland.

Entries for Sunday races will be taken Thursday. According to Keeneland Stakes Coordinator Allison De Luca, here are the probable and possible starters for the stakes:

*$600,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1), 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles

Probable: Army Wife (Mike Maker), Letruska (Fausto Gutierrez), Malathaat (Todd Pletcher), Played Hard (Phil Bauer), Princess of Cairo (Mike Puhich).

*$350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf)

Probable: Andthewinneris (Wayne Catalano), B Minor (Kenny McPeek), Boppy O (Mark Casse), Gigante (Steve Asmussen), Mendel’s Secret (Mike Maker), Oscar Award (John Ortiz), Rarified Flair (McPeek), Really Good (Maker), Reckoning Force (Walsh).

*$250,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select, 2-year-olds, 5½ furlongs (turf)

Probable: Call Me Ice Man (Michael Campbell), Love Reigns (IRE) (Wesley Ward), Mo Stash Vicki Oliver), No Kay Never (IRE) (Ward), No Nay Hudson (IRE) (Ward), Private Creed (Steve Asmussen).

Possible: Danse Macabre (Kelsey Danner).

OPENING WEEKEND SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Visit keeneland.com/tours for availability and to purchase. New: Road to the Breeders’ Cup Tour and Breeders’ Cup Experience Tour.

Now through December

Keeneland Library Exhibit “Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.” Enjoy photographs from the 2015 and 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland along with artifacts from Breeders’ Cup Ltd. and mementos of fan favorites American Pharoah and Zenyatta. The Library is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Every Friday and Saturday

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for Keeneland’s popular free tailgating area, which is open Fridays and Saturdays and offers a unique way to experience the races. 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 REVELxp, the official tent partner for organized tailgates. Visit Keeneland.com/tailgating for details.

Saturday, Oct. 8

Sunrise Trackside. This morning program is geared toward families and offers a unique view of Thoroughbreds during training hours. Children’s activities 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 The Starting Gate stand while watching horses train. Mini tours are available at the Welcome Stand near the Paddock. A 30-minute Paddock demonstration that begins at 8:30 a.m. features a horse for patrons to pet while horsewoman and marketing and publicity consultant Jen Roytz discusses how horses communicate. This event is open to the public and does not require a ticket to attend.