Keeneland Barn Notes – Wednesday, April 3

By Amy Owens —-

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3

Keeneland’s 2019 Spring Meet opens tomorrow, Thursday, April 4, with a 3 p.m. ET first post.

First post for the remainder of meet is 1:05 p.m. The 16-day season runs through Friday, April 26.

Keeneland is closed Easter Sunday, April 21.

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· CHAMPION SHAMROCK ROSE HEADS FIELD OF NINE FOR GRADE 1 MADISON

CHAMPION SHAMROCK ROSE HEADS FIELD
OF NINE FOR GRADE 1 MADISON

Conrad Farms’ Shamrock Rose, the champion filly and mare sprinter of 2018, tops a field of nine entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 18th running of the $300,000 Madison (G1) going 7 furlongs on the main track.

The Madison will go as the eighth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:10 p.m. ET post time. First post time Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Mark Casse, Shamrock Rose won the Lexus Raven Run (G2) here last fall before earning divisional honors with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs in November.

Coming off a third-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Azeri (G2) at Oaklawn March 16, Shamrock Rose will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and break from post position nine.

Also figuring to draw support in the Madison are the 1-2 finishers from the Barbara Fritchie (G3) at Laurel on Feb. 16: Late Night Pow Wow and Spiced Perfection, who finished a head apart.

Breeze Easy’s West Virginia-bred Late Night Pow Wow brings a nine-race win streak to Keeneland and a career mark of 12-11-1-0.

Trained by Javier Contreras, who will be saddling his first Keeneland starter, Late Night Pow Wow made her first nine starts at Charles Town and her past three at Laurel with those resulting in stakes triumphs. Luis Saez will be aboard for the first time Saturday and break from post position six.

Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch’s Spiced Perfection closed out 2018 with a victory in the La Brea (G1) at Santa Anita. Trained by Peter Miller, she will be ridden by Javier Castellano and break from post position five.

The field for the Madison, from the rail out with riders and weights is: Sultry (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds), Create a Star (Jon Court, 118), Divine Queen (Gabriel Saez, 118), Amy’s Challenge (Alex Canchari, 118), Spiced Perfection (Castellano, 123), Late Night Pow Wow (Luis Saez, 118), Cathedral Reader (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), America’s Tale (Paco Lopez, 120) and Shamrock Rose (Ortiz Jr., 123).

WARRIOR’S CLUB AND LIMOUSINE LIBERAL GET REMATCH
IN 14-HORSE COMMONWEALTH

Churchill Downs Racing Club’s Warrior’s Club and Katherine Ball’s Limousine Liberal finished a neck apart in last year’s Commonwealth (G3) and the two will meet up again Saturday as part of a 14-horse field for the 33rd running of the $250,000 race going 7 furlongs on the main track.

The Commonwealth will go as the sixth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 4 p.m. ET post time. First post time Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who won the Commonwealth in 2002 with Orientate, Warrior’s Club finished second in his 2019 debut in a 6-furlong sprint at Oaklawn on March 3. Jon Court has the mount and will break from post position 13.

Limousine Liberal, who also was third in the Commonwealth in 2017, will be making his 2019 debut for trainer Ben Colebrook. A multiple graded-stakes winner and earner of nearly $1.8 million, Limousine Liberal will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and break from post position six.

The field for the Commonwealth, from the rail out with riders and weights is: Copper Town (Javier Castellano, 118 pounds), Recruiting Ready (Luis Saez, 120), Proforma (Joe Bravo, 120), Uncontested (Trevor McCarthy, 120), Still Having Fun (Florent Geroux), 118), Limousine Liberal (Gaffalione, 120), Supreme Aura (Adam Beschizza, 118), Uno Mas Modelo (Paco Lopez, 118), New York Central (Julien Leparoux, 118), Runaway Ghost (Corey Lanerie, 118), Bobby’s Wicked One (Miguel Mena, 118), Richiesinthehouse (Jose Valdivia Jr., 118), Warrior’s Club (Court, 118) and Majestic Dunhill (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118).

DEFENDING CHAMPION BOUND FOR NOWHERE FACES
12 RIVALS IN SHAKERTOWN

Defending champion Bound for Nowhere, owned and trained by Wesley Ward, heads a field of 13 entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 23rd running of the $200,000 Shakertown (G2) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.

The Shakertown will go as the seventh race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 4:35 p.m. ET post time. First post time Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

Perfect in two starts at the Shakertown distance at Keeneland, Bound for Nowehere also won the lucrative Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs. Saturday’s race will mark his 2019 debut and he will be ridden by Luis Saez from post position nine.

Also expected to attract support are the veteran Disco Partner and Florida invader Imprimis.

Patricia Generazio’s Disco Partner, a two-time graded-stakes winner and earner of more than $1.3 million, finished third in last year’s Shakertown in his 2018 debut. Trained by Christophe Clement, Disco Partner has finished third in the two most recent runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Disco Partner will be making his 2019 debut Saturday and will break from post position three in the Shakertown under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Owned by Breeze Easy, LLC and trained by Joe Orseno, Imprimis has compiled an 8-6-0-0 mark on the grass and comes into the Shakertown off a 3 ¼-length victory in the Silks Run at Gulfstream Park on March 9. Paco Lopez has the mount and will break from post position 11.

The field for the Shakertown, from the inside with riders and weights is: Jazzy Times (Miguel Mena, 121 pounds), Richard’s Boy (Robby Albarado, 121), Disco Partner (Ortiz Jr., 123), Shakhimat (Julien Leparoux, 121), Bay Muzik (Corey Lanerie, 121), Will Call (Javier Castellano, 121), Square Shooter (Jorge Vargas Jr., 121), Conquest Tsumani (Florent Geroux, 123), Bound for Nowhere (Luis Saez, 121), Latent Revenge (Gabriel Saez, 121), Imprimis (Lopez, 123), Chaos Theory (Tyler Gaffalione, 123) and Angaston (Brian Hernandez Jr., 123).

OPENING SUNDAY STAKES PROBABLES

Nine stakes worth $2.85 million will be run during the opening weekend of Keeneland’s 16-day Spring Meet that begins Thursday, April 4. Click here for the lists of nominations and past performances for the stakes.

According to Stakes Coordinator Tiffany Bourque, here are the prospective fields for the Sunday, April 7, stakes:

$200,000 APPALACHIAN (G2) PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION (Entries taken Thursday; race Sunday) – Angel Alessandra (Peter Miller), Beautiful Ballad (Mark Casse), Catch a Thrill (Casse), Clause (Chad Brown), Hard Legacy (Norm Casse), Naughty Joker (Wesley Ward), Primela (FR) (Cherie DeVaux), Princesa Carolina (Kenny McPeek), Regal Glory (Brown) and Winning Envelope (Chris Block).

$150,000 BEAUMONT (G3) PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SELECT (Entries taken Thursday; race Sunday) – Another Time (Barbara Minshall), Fancy Dress Party (Ben Colebrook), Mother Mother (Bob Baffert) and Power Gal (JPN) (Mark Casse). Possible: Queen of Beas (Jorge Abreu), Shanghai Rain (Bret Calhoun) and Vinca (Mike Maker).

OPENING WEEKEND SPECIAL EVENTS

Celebrating its 80th anniversary, the Keeneland Library is one of the world’s largest repositories of information related to the Thoroughbred. In its exhibit “Herbert Haseltine: The Gold Standard,” visitors will see two prominent works from the latter period of the acclaimed sculptor of the early 20th century: “The Thoroughbred Horse” and “Portrait of the Racehorse Tom Fool.” The exhibit “From the Vault: Jockeys” features 26 images dating from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century from the Library’s archive of more than 1 million negatives and photographic prints. Varied memorabilia from Hall of Fame jockeys Eddie Arcaro, Ted Atkinson and Bill Shoemaker accompany the photographs. The Library is open weekdays at no charge from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Official Keeneland Tours – Keeneland offers a selection of year-round, guided racing and sales tours, including Behind-the-Scenes Racing Tours, Owner’s Experience Tours and Backstretch Tours with a Day at the Races. Behind-the-Scenes Sales Tours will be offered April 8-9. On Saturdays during Sunrise Trackside, free guided tours begin every 20 minutes from the welcome stand near the Paddock and Walking Ring from 7:30-10 a.m.

Thursday, April 4 – Opening day – First post 3 p.m.

Jockey Autograph Signing – Fans can meet jockeys 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. Event takes place in the area outside the Walking Ring from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

The Keeneland Shop Milliners Corner with Christine A. Moore Millinery (April 4-6) and Trunk Show with Darren K. Moore (April 4-6).

Central Bank Thursday Night Live at Keeneland – The Zach Longoria Project will perform in the Paddock area from 7-8:30 p.m.

Friday, April 5

The Hill – Fans who like to tailgate will enjoy the festive atmosphere of The Hill, where they can watch races on a jumbo TV and place wagers. The Hill also features food trucks, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and complimentary shuttles to the track. On Saturdays, bluegrass music presented by The Burl, a popular live music venue in Lexington, will perform from noon to 4 p.m.

College Scholarship Day – Full-time college students from Kentucky and beyond will vie for $30,000 in scholarships on College Scholarship Day, which Keeneland holds in partnership with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. Two $10,000 Runhappy Scholarships will be awarded in addition to $1,000 scholarships awarded after each of the day’s 10 races. One Runhappy Scholarship and one of the $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to students who work in the Thoroughbred industry or have parents who work in the industry. Pre-register online by 5 p.m. April 4 to pass the line. Students receive free general admission April 5 and can register at the College Zone in the North Terrace, which will have music, free snacks and prize drawings.

$200,000 Friday Pick Four Presented by TVG. Includes races 7-10.

The Keeneland Shop Milliners Corner with Christine A. Moore Millinery (April 4-6) and Trunk Show with Darren K. Moore (April 4-6) and Maui Jim (April 5-6).

Saturday, April 6

Sunrise Trackside – The day begins early for racehorses. Keeneland invites you and your family to experience their mornings with Breakfast With the Works, which features breakfast for purchase and trackside commentary (7-8:30 a.m.) while horses train on the main track. The event includes children’s activities in the Kids Club Corner (7:30-9:30 a.m.); guided Keeneland tours that depart from the welcome stand near the Paddock (7:30-10 a.m.) and Paddock demonstration of a farrier from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital (9-9:30 a.m). Parking and admission to the morning events are free.

The Hill – Fans who like to tailgate will enjoy the festive atmosphere of The Hill, where they can watch races on a jumbo TV and place wagers. The Hill also features food trucks, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and complimentary shuttles to the track. On Saturdays, bluegrass music presented by The Burl, a popular live music venue in Lexington, will perform from noon to 4 p.m.

The Keeneland Shop Milliners Corner with Christine A. Moore Millinery (April 4-6) and Trunk Show with Darren K. Moore (April 4-6) and Maui Jim (April 5-6).

$300,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Five (races 6-10) and $400,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick Four (races 7-10) Presented by TVG

NYRA Cross Country Wager featuring the Toyota Blue Grass (G2), Central Bank Ashland (G1) and Madison (G1) from Keeneland and the Wood Memorial (G2) and a second race from Aqueduct.

Sunday, April 7

Kids Club Family Day – The Keeneland Kids Club is our Official Kids Club for fans 12 and younger. Members and their families are invited to enjoy a special day at the races with free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating. Children’s activities will take place in the North Terrace from noon to 3 p.m.

TVG-PDJF Telethon – Hall of Fame jockeys and TVG personalities at Keeneland and Santa Anita will participate in a second telethon to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) live on TVG. Racing fans and industry stakeholders may call, chat and contribute at
1-844-TVG-PDJF from noon to 7 p.m. ET. Donations are accepted any time at https://pdjf.org/donate/. Last year’s inaugural telethon raised nearly $230,000.

Tuesday, April 9

Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale – The auction, free and open to the public, begins in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion at 2 p.m.