KEEPMEINMIND SET TO FACE STAKES WINNERS KING FURY, SITTIN ON GO IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB

By Darren Rogers —-

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE THIRD-PLACE FINISHER KEEPMEINMIND SET TO FACE STAKES WINNERS KING FURY, SITTIN ON GO IN

SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020) – Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) third-place finisher Keepmeinmind will be in search of his first-career victory against a competitive field of nine 2-year-olds, which includes stakes winners King Fury and Sittin On Go, entered in Saturday’s 94th running of the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII).

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Kentucky Jockey Club is carded as Race 11 of 12 on Saturday’s “Stars of Tomorrow II” program featuring all 2-year-old races. First post is 1 p.m. and the Kentucky Jockey Club will go at 5:56 p.m. The race will share the spotlight with its counterpart, the $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies. The Golden Rod will go as Race 9 at 4:57 p.m.

Churchill Downs’ Stars of Tomorrow programs have helped launch the career of more than 50 Grade I winners including Kentucky Oaks winners Rachel Alexandra, Believe You Can and Monomoy Girl, Preakness (GI) winner Swiss Skydiver and 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who won the Kentucky Jockey Club in 2009.

Keepmeinmind has yet to record a victory for trainer Robertino Diodoro but sports a runner-up effort behind likely 2-year-old champion Essential Quality in the $400,000 Breeders’ Futurity (GI). Following the Breeders’ Futurity, he finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile where he was defeated two lengths by Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie.

Diodoro’s go-to rider David Cohen has the mount on Keepmeinmind and will break from post position No. 4.

Another juvenile likely to garner attention in the Kentucky Jockey Club is Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm’s $98,000 Street Sense winner King Fury. Trained by Kenny McPeek, King Fury will add blinkers for his start in the Kentucky Jockey Club following his seventh-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Named after the superstar boxer Tyson Fury, King Fury added blinkers in his most recent work at Churchill Downs, a five-furlong move in 1:00.60.

Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call on King Fury from post 8.

Also entered in the field is Albaugh Family Stable’s coupled entry of $200,000 Iroquois (GIII) upset winner Sittin On Go and recent maiden winner Smiley Sobotka. Trained by Dale Romans, Sittin On Go recorded a shocking 24-1 upset victory in the Iroquois by 2 ½ lengths. In his first try at two turns, Sittin On Go was forced very wide in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and finished a non-descript ninth.

Corey Lanerie is named in the program on both horses. Should the bottom part of the entry, Smiley Sobotka, run in the field, there will be a late jockey change. Sittin On Go will break from post 2 while Smiley Sobotka drew post 5.

Trainer Brad Cox entered two of his promising juveniles in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Kueber Racing and Ten Strike Racing’s three-length maiden winner Swill will break from the rail with Florent Geroux in the irons and Godolphin’s two-length maiden winner Inspector Frost drew post 6 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the saddle. Swill, a 2-year-old colt by Munnings, was a wire-to-wire winner in his third start on Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs while Inspector Frost broke his maiden at second asking on Oct. 18 at Keeneland under Geroux. This will be both colt’s first start going two turns and they will both remove blinkers for this start.

The complete field for the Kentucky Jockey Club (with jockey and trainer): #1 Sittin On Go (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans); #1a Smiley Sobotka (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans); #2 Swill (Geroux, Cox); #3 Arabian Prince (Tyler Gaffalione, Dallas Stewart); #4 Keepmeinmind (Cohen, Diodoro); #5 Inspector Frost (Velazquez, Cox); #6 Oncoming Train (Rafael Bejarano, Jimmy DiVito); #7 King Fury (Hernandez, McPeek); and #8 Ultimate Badger (Joe Talamo, Romans).

As a “Prep Season” race on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” the Top 4 finishers in the Kentucky Jockey Club will receive 10-4-2-1 points, respectively.

GRADE I WINNER SIMPLY RAVISHING TOPS SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 GOLDEN ROD – Harold Lerner LLC, Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables’ $350,000 Alcibiades (Grade I) winner Simply Ravishing will lead a field of 10 promising juvenile fillies that were entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs.

The Golden Rod has helped launch several fillies on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks including eventual Oaks winners Monomoy Girl, Rachel Alexandra and Silverbulletday. The 1 1/16-mile race is carded as Race 9 with a post time of 4:57 p.m. The race shares the spotlight on Saturday’s 12-race program with the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII). First post is 1 p.m.

Simply Ravishing, trained by Kenny McPeek, was a dominant 6 ¼-length winner of the Oct. 2 Alcibiades at Keeneland. The Laoban filly finished fourth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Nov. 6 behind Vequist, Dayoutoftheoffice and Girl Daddy.

The three-time winner will be ridden by 2020 Preakness Stakes (GI) winning jockey Robby Albarado from post No. 8.

Among the other rivals to Simply Ravishing in the Golden Rod is Kueber Racing’s undefeated $98,000 Rags to Riches winner Coach. Trained by Brad Cox, Coach is a perfect 3-for-3 in her young career. She’ll be joined in the starting gate by stablemate Travel Column. Owned by OXO Equine, Travel Column dazzled on debut by 4 ¼ lengths and returned with a third-place effort behind Simply Ravishing in the Alcibiades.

Joe Talamo will have the call aboard Coach from post 3 while Florent Geroux will ride Travel Column from post 5.

The Golden Rod field also includes WinStar Farm, Blazing Meadows Farm and Michael Lewis’ three-time Ohio-bred stakes winner Alexandria and Six Column Stables, Randy Bloch, Jim Gladden and Riverview Racing’s New York-bred stakes winner No Mo’ Spending.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Lady Lilly (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen); No Mo Spending (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes); Coach (Talamo, Cox); Farsighted (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II); Travel Column (Geroux, Cox); Clairiere (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen); Lady Traveler (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans); Simply Ravishing (Albarado, McPeek); Princess Theorem (John Velazquez, Brendan Walsh); Alexandria (Gerardo Corrales, Tim Hamm).

CODE OF HONOR MADE 3-1 FAVORITE IN CLARK – W.S. Farish’s multiple Grade I winner Code of Honor arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday for his final preparation as the 3-1 morning line favorite in Friday’s 146th renewal of the $500,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GI).

The 1 1/8-mile Clark will go as Race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:27 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Shug McGaughey III, Code of Honor enters the Clark following a runner-up effort behind Complexity in the $150,000 Kelso at Belmont Park. This will be Code of Honor’s second race beneath the Twin Spires. He was elevated to second in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (GI) behind Country House.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Crafty Daddy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek 20-1); Title Ready (Corey Lanerie, Dallas Stewart, 15-1); Code of Honor (Velazquez, McGaughey, 3-1); Multiplier (Tyler Gaffalione, Peter Miller, 15-1); Aurelius Maximus (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 8-1); Plus Que Parfait (Robby Albarado, Brendan Walsh, 30-1); Mr Freeze (David Cohen, Dale Romans, 6-1); Bodexpress (Rafael Bejarano, Gustavo Delgado, 8-1); Owendale (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 5-1); Bourbon Calling (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes, 30-1); Coastal Defense (Joe Talamo, Romans, 20-1); By My Standards (Gabriel Saez, Bret Calhoun, 4-1); Phantom Currency (Declan Cannon, Brian Lynch, 50-1); and Silver Prospector (Gerardo Corrales, Asmussen, 15-1). Also-Eligible: In Love (BRZ) (Albarado, Paulo Lobo, 50-1).

CLARK BY THE NUMBERS – Friday’s Clark will run for the 146th time beneath the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs. Below is some additional information about the field for this year’s race:

– Combined Earnings: $12,613,419

– Total Number of Wins: 60

– Fastest 1 1/8 Mile Time: 1:47.80, By My Standards 2020 Oaklawn Handicap (GII)

– Total Number of Stakes Wins: 22

– Field Size: 14 with 1 also-eligible. The last time 14 horses ran in the Clark was 2009.

– Highest Last Race Brisnet.com Speed Figure: 107, Bodexpress in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park

– Highest Brisnet.com Prime Power Figure: 151.8, By My Standards

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE POOL 1 OPENS THURSDAY; RUNS CONCURRENTLY WITH KENTUCKY DERBY SIRE FUTURE WAGER – Godolphin’s undefeated $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Essential Quality is the 10-1 individual favorite among 24 betting interests in Pool 1 of the 2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which kicks off a four-day run at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day.

The pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings” is expected to be the overall first-pool favorite for the 23rd consecutive year and veteran odds maker Mike Battaglia has installed it as the 6-5 favorite.

Here’s the complete Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 field (with trainer and morning line odds): #1 Caddo River (Brad Cox, 30-1); #2 Dr. Schivel (Mark Glatt, 30-1); #3 Essential Quality (Cox, 10-1); #4 Fire At Will (Mike Maker, 30-1); #5 Get Her Number (Peter Miller, 20-1); #6 Highly Motivated (Brown, 15-1); #7 Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O’Neill, 20-1); #8 Jackie’s Warrior (Steve Asmussen, 20-1); #9 Keepmeinmind (Robertino Diodoro, 20-1); #10 King Fury (Kenny McPeek, 50-1); #11 Life Is Good (Baffert, 15-1); #12 Midnight Bourbon (Asmussen, 30-1); #13 Pickin Time (Kelly Breen, 20-1); #14 Red Flag (John Sherriffs, 30-1); #15 Reinvestment Risk (Brown, 30-1); #16 Rombauer (Michael McCarthy, 30-1); #17 Savile Row (Baffert, 20-1); #18 Scarred (Asmussen, 30-1); #19 Sittin On Go (Dale Romans, 30-1); #20 Speaker’s Corner (Bill Mott, 50-1) #21 Super Stock (Asmussen, 30-1); #22 Ten for Ten (Shug McGaughey III, 50-1); #23 All 3-Year-Old Fillies (50-1); #24 All Other 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings (6-5)

The pool, which features $2 Win and Exacta wagering, opens Thursday at noon and will close Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be offered concurrently with the sixth annual Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which provides bettors with a unique opportunity to wager on select breeding stars and their entire crop of juveniles with the hope of winning next year’s Kentucky Derby.

Offspring sired by Into Mischief and Tapit were made the co-individual favorites at 6-1 on the morning line by Battaglia. The overall favorite is the “All Other Sires” betting interest, which was made 9-2.

Here’s the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager field (with morning line odds): #1 American Pharoah (20-1); #2 Bernardini (30-1); #3 Bodemeister (30-1); #4 Candy Ride (ARG) (30-1); #5 Constitution (20-1); #6 Curlin (15-1); #7 Flatter (30-1); #8 Frosted (30-1); #9 Ghostzapper (30-1); #10 Hard Spun (20-1); #11 Honor Code (20-1); #12 Into Mischief (6-1); #13 Liam’s Map (30-1); #14 Medaglia D’Oro (20-1); #15 Munnings (30-1); #16 Not This Time (20-1); #17 Pioneerof the Nile (30-1); #18 Quality Road (30-1); #19 Street Sense (15-1); #20 Tapit (6-1); #21 Tiznow (15-1); #22 Uncle Mo (15-1); #23 Union Rags (50-1); and #24 “All Other Sires” (9-2).

This marks the eighth consecutive year that Churchill Downs has hosted Future Wager pools in November on closing weekend of its Fall Meet. In last year’s wager, eventual Kentucky Derby winner Authentic closed at 50-1 odds and returned $103.60 for a $2 wager. His sire, Into Mischief, closed at 17-1 and returned $36.20.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wagers provide fans of Thoroughbred racing with opportunities to place bets on possible entrants in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) at odds that could be far greater and more attractive than those available on the day of the race. The 147th running of Kentucky Derby, America’s greatest race and the first leg of the Triple Crown, is set for Saturday, May 1, 2021 at Churchill Downs.

Bets can be placed at Churchill Downs Racetrack, TwinSpires.com and other online wagering outlets and satellite wagering centers across North America.

There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week’s four-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately.

More information, Brisnet.com past performances and real-time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be available before the pool opens Thursday online at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wager/future-wager.

STARS OF TOMORROW II PROGRAM DRAWS 146 ENTRIES – Saturday’s Stars of Tomorrow II program at Churchill Downs drew an astounding 146 entries over 12 races.

Led by the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) and $200,000 Golden Rod (GII), the Stars of Tomorrow card helped launch the career of more than 50 Grade I winners including Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Preakness winners Swiss Skydiver and War of Will, Kentucky Oaks winners Rachel Alexandra, Monomoy Girl and Believe You Can and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Along with the duo of stakes events on Saturday’s program, the card will also feature a 1 1/16-mile allowance event for 2-year-olds and a one-mile allowance for 2-year-old fillies. In these same races last year, Kentucky Derby entrant Necker Island recorded a narrow win while eventual Preakness Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver finished second behind fellow Oaks rival Bayerness.

For past performances and more information for Saturday’s card, visit www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping.

TV SCHEDULE – Racing at Churchill Downs continues every Wednesday-Sunday through Nov. 29 daily first post at 1 p.m. (except 11:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day). Below is this week’s TV schedule on the Fox Sports family of networks:

Wednesday: FS2 (12:30-5:30 p.m.) | MSG+ (12:30-5:30 p.m.)

Thursday: FS2 (11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) | MSG+ (11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Friday: FS2 (11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) | MSG+ (11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.)

Saturday: FS2 (11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) | MSG+ (12-6:30 p.m.)

Sunday: FS2 (11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.) | MSG+ (12:30-6:30 p.m.)

INDOOR CONCESSIONS, DINING CLOSED FOR REMAINED OF FALL MEET – In accordance with the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most recent health and safety requirements issued on Wednesday, all indoor concessions and dining rooms will be closed for the remainder of the fall meet. All current ticketholders will be refunded.

Reserved outdoor box seats remain open with proper social distancing at limited capacity per the state’s requirements for venues and event spaces. First floor reserved box seats will be sold at general admission pricing for $5 ($7 on Friday and Saturday). Third floor box seats are $12. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.churchilldowns.com/tickets/. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.

Temperature checks, physical distancing and mandatory face coverings are required upon entrance and movement within Churchill Downs.

Guests will be able to purchase limited food and beverage from concession stands located outdoors on the ground level. No food and beverage is allowed inside spaces of the track or indoors, including the second floor Clubhouse. Additionally, guests are not permitted to bring food and beverage into the facility.

Wearing cloth face coverings at all times is required when not actively consuming food or beverage; simply holding a beverage or food item does not constitute actively consuming.

Following the conclusion of the race meet on Sunday, Churchill Downs will remain closed for simulcast wagering through Dec. 13, which is expiration date of the latest executive orders.

For more information, visit: https://www.churchilldowns.com/tickets/admissions-services/updates.

DOWN THE STRETCH – There was a $171,010 carryover in the 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot for racing on Wednesday at Churchill Downs. First post was 1 p.m. and the Single 6 spanned Races 4-9. There was a $6,386 carryover in the $1 Super Hi 5 in Race 9. … Trainer Bernie Flint is one win away from 500 Churchill Downs victories. He had one entry in Race 3 on Wednesday. … Jockey Tyler Gaffalione held a 32-25 win lead in the standings over Ricardo Santana Jr. Florent Geroux was in third with 20 wins. Trainer Mike Maker held an 18-15 win lead over Steve Asmussen in the standings. Brad Cox and Eddie Kenneally were in third with seven wins. Three Diamonds Farm held a one-win advantage 5-4 over Ken and Sarah Ramsey and Calumet Farm. … For more information about the Churchill Downs Fall Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.