Keeneland Barn Notes — Sunday, Oct. 16

Posted On 17 Oct 2022

By Amy Owens —-

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

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ASMUSSEN WORKS QUINTET OF BREEDERS’ CUP CANDIDATES
BREEDERS’ CUP WORK TAB
BROWN HITS KEENELAND MILESTONE WITH QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP PRESENTED BY DIXIANA VICTORY
ART COLLECTOR LEADS ROSTER OF HAGYARD FAYETTE NOMINEES
TOP TWO FROM SARATOGA GRADE 2 AMONG NOMINEES TO BRYAN STATION
MULTIPLE GRADE 3 WINNERS CAIRO MEMORIES, DOLCE ZEL (FR) HEAD RUBICON VALLEY VIEW NOMINATIONS
SARATOGA SPECIAL WINNER DAMON’S MOUND TOPS NOMINATIONS FOR BOWMAN MILL
ADIRONDACK WINNER NAUGHTY GAL NOMINATED TO MYRTLEWOOD
GALLOPING OUT
HIERONYMUS EXCELS AT THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER
UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES
FALL MEET LEADERS

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ASMUSSEN WORKS QUINTET OF BREEDERS’ CUP CANDIDATES

Trainer Steve Asmussen, who hopes to build on his record of eight victories in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, had five candidates for this year’s event work over Keeneland’s fast main track early Sunday morning.

Grade 1-winning fillies Clairiere and Society worked together in :59.80 for the fastest 5-furlong work of the morning in preparation for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on Nov. 5. Fractions on the work were :11.80, :23.80, :35.60, :47.60, :59.80 and out 6 furlongs in 1:13.20.

Epicenter, a leading contender for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 5, worked 5 furlongs in company in 1:00.20. Fractions on the work were :12.60, :24.60, :37.40, 1:00.20 and out 6 furlongs in 1:14.

Also working were champion Echo Zulu for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) and Grand Love for the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Both worked in company, going 5 furlongs with Echo Zulu timed in 1:02.80 while working with Marsalis and Grand Love in 1:00.60 while working with Bella Runner.

“They put in good, solid moves,” Asmussen said. “They came out of it good and cooled out nicely, and we’ve got Jackie’s Warrior (working) tomorrow. I am extremely pleased with how the preparation has gone. The weather has been excellent. The race track is in good shape and I love the shape they are in.”

BREEDERS’ CUP WORK TAB

Two of trainer Wesley Ward’s Breeders’ Cup candidates worked Sunday morning.

Kimari, considered possible for the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) or the
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.60. Nakatomi, a possible Sprint candidate, worked a half-mile in :48.80.

BROWN HITS KEENELAND MILESTONE WITH QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP PRESENTED BY DIXIANA VICTORY

Chad Brown became the fourth trainer to record 40 stakes victories at Keeneland when Peter Brant’s Gina Romantica won Saturday’s $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana by 1¾ lengths over stablemate McKulick (GB).

“They both are good this morning,” said Brown, who added that both fillies were likely done for 2022 and would head to Florida for a break.

Brown’s victory total trails only Racing Hall of Famers Todd Pletcher (64), D. Wayne Lukas (51) and Bill Mott (47). Three horses have accounted for 11 of those victories with the first three coming in 2009 and 2010 from Silver Timber, who won consecutive runnings of the Woodford (G3) sandwiched around a victory in the 2010 Shakertown (G3).

Rushing Fall won five stakes here for Brown and Dayatthespa captured three.

Saturday’s result gave Brown his seventh 1-2 finish in a Grade 1 race here with three coming in the Jenny Wiley and two each in the First Lady and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. In the 2018 Jenny Wiley, Brown had the 1-2-3 finishers with Sistercharlie (IRE), Fourstar Crook and Off Limits (IRE).

ART COLLECTOR LEADS ROSTER OF HAGYARD FAYETTE NOMINEES

Bruce Lunsford’s homebred millionaire Art Collector, winner of the 2020 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) here, tops a roster of 20 nominees to the 65th running of the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track Oct. 29.

Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector’s 20-race career is highlighted by a victory in the 2021 Woodward (G1) at Belmont.

Another Grade 1 winner among the nominees is Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Defunded, who posted a front-running victory in the Awesome Again on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita. Bob Baffert trains Defunded.

TOP TWO FROM SARATOGA GRADE 2 AMONG NOMINEES TO BRYAN STATION

Donegal Racing’s Ready to Purrform and Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable’s Wit, the 1-2 finishers in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga this summer, top the 32 nominations for the 18th running of the $300,000 Bryan Station (G3) for 3-year-olds going a mile on the Keeneland turf course.

Trained by Brad Cox, Ready to Purrform has compiled a 4-1-1-1 mark in 2022 while racing exclusively on the grass.

Wit, trained by Todd Pletcher, did not make his grass debut until the Hall of Fame. In his most recent start, Wit was a 2¾-length winner of the Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga.

MULTIPLE GRADE 3 WINNERS CAIRO MEMORIES, DOLCE ZEL (FR)
HEAD RUBICON VALLEY VIEW NOMINATIONS

David Bernsen and Schroeder Farms’ Cairo Memories and Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Robert LaPenta and Michael Caruso’s Dolce Zel (FR) both two-time Grade 3 winners, top a list of 43 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 32nd running of the $300,000 Rubicon Valley View (G3) to be run Friday, Oct. 28 at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Trained by Bob Hess, Cairo Memories won the Providencia (G3) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Honeymoon (G3) this spring at Santa Anita and most recently finished third in the Del Mar Oaks (G1).

Dolce Zel has been training at Keeneland for trainer Chad Brown. Winner of the Lake George (G3) at Saratoga and the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, Dolce Zel finished third in the Lake Placid (G2) in her most recent start.

SARATOGA SPECIAL WINNER DAMON’S MOUND
TOPS NOMINATIONS FOR BOWMAN MILL

Michele and Cliff Love’s Damon’s Mound, a winner of two of three starts including the Saratoga Special (G2), tops a roster of 22 nominations for the third running of the $200,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-olds going 6 furlongs on the main track Oct. 29.

Trained by Michelle Lovell, Damon’s Mound would be cutting back to a sprint following a sixth-place finish in the Iroquois (G3) run at 1 1/16 miles.

Also nominated is Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Havnameltdown, winner of the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar. Trained by Bob Baffert, Havnameltdown finished second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his most recent start.

ADIRONDACK WINNER NAUGHTY GAL NOMINATED TO MYRTLEWOOD

Holy Cow Stable’s Naughty Gal, winner of the Adirondack (G3) at Saratoga in August, headlines a roster of 19 2-year-old fillies nominated to the third running of the $200,000 Myrtlewood to be run Oct. 28 at 6 furlongs on the main track.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Naughty Gal would be cutting back to a one-turn distance following an off-the-board finish in the 1 1/16-mile Pocahontas (G3) in her most recent start.

Among the other nominees is Hoolie Racing Stable’s Somebody’s Problem. Trained by Greg Foley, Somebody’s Problem has won two of three starts with her most recent start producing a 4¼-length victory in the Prairie Meadows Debutante.

GALLOPING OUT

“We’re not done yet,” trainer George Leonard III said of California Angel, who finished fourth in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana beaten a neck and head for second. “We will be back at the end of the month for the Rubicon (Valley View).”

The Grade 3 test, that carries a purse of $300,000, will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the grass. …

Trainer Todd Fincher’s string of horses at Keeneland increased to three with the arrival of Joe Peacock Jr.’s Sheriff Brown. The stakes-winning half-brother to Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) candidate Senor Buscador is being pointed to the $350,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) to be run at 1 5/8 miles as part of the Breeders’ Cup undercard on Nov. 4.

Senor Buscador is scheduled to have his first work since winning the Oct. 1 Ack Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs on Monday morning.

HIERONYMUS EXCELS AT THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER

Named for former Keeneland Director of Broadcast Services G.D. Hieronymus, the 5-year-old multiple stakes winner Hieronymus won the competitive trail division at this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover, which concluded Oct. 15.

The Makeover, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, is the largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world for recently retired racehorses. Keeneland is a major sponsor of the competition, which features 10 disciplines, including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, jumping, polo, ranch work and freestyle.

Godolphin, who bred and raced Hieronymus, sponsored the competitive trail class in the name of its Godolphin Life Care racehorse rehoming program. Among the horses in the class was champion and multiple Keeneland stakes winner Whitmore, who placed ninth.

Hieronymus, who was trained and ridden at the Makeover by Isabel Wells, is a son of Girolamo. Brad Cox trained him to win five races in nine starts, including three stakes at Fair Grounds and Canterbury Park, and earn $207,652.

UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES

$350,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2), 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs (entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 19; race Saturday, Oct. 22) – Colorful Mischief (trainer Todd Pletcher), Desert Dawn (Phil D’Amato), Fingal’s Cave (David Donk), Last Leaf (Eddie Kenneally), Midnight Stroll (John Terranova), Republique (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Smash Ticket (Rob Atras), Union Lake (Terranova), Wicked Halo (Steve Asmussen).

$250,000 Perryville (L), 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs (entries taken Wednesday, Oct. 19; race Saturday, Oct. 22) – Artorius (Chad Brown), B Dawk (Doug O’Neill), Gunite (Steve Asmussen), Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart), Nabokov (Brown), Of a Revolution (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Pinehurst (Brendan Walsh), Provocateur (Todd Pletcher).

$300,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3), fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1½ miles on the turf (entries taken Thursday, Oct. 20; race Sunday, Oct. 23) – Core Values (Vicki Oliver), Luck Money (Arnaud Delacour), Mia Martina (Graham Motion), Sister Otoole (Motion), Stand Tall (Rusty Arnold), Temple City Terror (Brendan Walsh). Possible: Virginia Joy (GER) (Chad Brown).

FALL MEET LEADERS

Through Oct. 15 (7 days of 17-day season)

Jockey

Starts

Wins

2nd

3rd

Purses

Florent Geroux

$796,644

Luis Saez

$740,754