Monday, April 13, 2009
NOTE - SUNDAY FOLLOW-UPS WITH TOYOTA BLUE GRASS HORSES ARE POSTED AT KEENELAND.COM
HABAYA TOPS OVERFLOW FIELD OF 12 FOR THURSDAY’S APPALACHIA
DOZEN RUNNERS LOOK PROBABLE FOR SATURDAY’S COOLMORE LEXINGTON
WEEKEND STAKES TAKING SHAPE
MAFAAZ RETURNS TO TRACK; DERBY DECISION REMAINS UNANSWERED
STARDOM BOUND GALLOPS; NO DECISION ON PATENA
ECLIPSE AWARD WINNER PROUD SPELL RETIRED, TO BE BRED TO INDIAN CHARLIE
GALLOPING OUT
SPRING MEETING SPECIAL EVENTS
KEENELAND WATCH LIST: COOLMORE LEXINGTON (G2) CONTENDERS
HABAYA TOPS OVERFLOW FIELD OF 12 FOR THURSDAY’S APPALACHIAN
Shadwell Stable’s Habaya, winner of the Grade 3 Miesque at Hollywood Park on turf last year, will carry high weight of 123 pounds and concede from two to six pounds to her rivals in the 21st running of the Grade 3 Appalachian to be contested at a mile over the Keeneland turf course on Thursday.
Prior to her Miesque score, Habaya had run second in the JPMorgan Jessamine Chase here last October at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Habaya will be ridden by Alan Garcia and break from post position eight.
There is one other graded stakes winner in the overflow field of 12 that includes two also-eligibles, and that is Nelson McMakin’s Hot Cha Cha, who won the Grade 3 Bourbonette on Polytrack at Turfway Park on March 21 in her most recent start.
Two other turf stakes winners are in the field. Dolphus Morrison’s Abbott Hall, beaten favorite in last year’s JPMorgan Jessamine, won the Happy Ticket at Louisiana Downs last year, and Forging Oaks Farm LLC’s April Pride (GB) comes into the Appalachian off a March 8 victory at a mile in the China Doll at Santa Anita.
The field for the Appalachian, from the hedge out, is as follows: Our Dahlia (K. Desormeaux, 119 pounds), More of the Best (G. Gomez, 119), Afternoon Stroll (J. Theriot, 117), Hot Cha Cha (O. Mojica, 119), Abbott Hall (R. Albarado, 119), Fast Tigress (E. Coa, 119), Simplify (S. Bridgmohan, 117), Habaya (A. Garcia, 123), Obsequious (E. Prado, 117) and April Pride (GB) (D. Flores, 121). Also-eligibles are Complicity (J. Leparoux, 117) and Walloon (H. Rosario, 117).
DOZEN RUNNERS LOOK PROBABLE FOR SATURDAY’S COOLMORE LEXINGTON
Lael Stables’ Pitched Perfectly, trained by Barclay Tagg, joined the list of probables for Saturday’s 28th running of the $300,000 Coolmore Lexington (G2) for 3-year-olds.
Keeneland stakes coordinator Tia Borgemenke has 12 horses listed as probable for the 1 1/16-mile event, headed by 2008 Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Square Eddie. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Square Eddie is expected to arrive at Keeneland on Tuesday.
Other probables for the Coolmore Lexington are Advice, Conservative, El Crespo, His Greatness, Jeranimo, Masala, Mythical Power, Omniscient, Parade Clown and one of two runners trained by Nick Zito, Brave Victory or Santana Six. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.
Conservative, trained by Shug McGaughey for Phipps Stable, worked five furlongs Monday morning in 1:01.40, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.60, according to Keeneland clockers.
WEEKEND STAKES TAKING SHAPE
The names of between seven and 10 experienced older runners are expected to pass through the entry box Thursday for Sunday’s 79th running of the $150,000 Ben Ali (G3) at a mile and an eighth on the main track.
According to Keeneland stakes coordinator Tia Borgemenke, seven runners are considered as probable.
Headlining that list are two Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winners: Dominican from 2007 and Monba from 2008. Also, Sterwins, winner of last year’s Ben Ali, is considered a probable starter.
Other probables include graded stakes winners Adriano, Grasshopper, Your Round and Parading. Parading tuned up Monday morning for the Ben Ali with a half-mile work in :48.
Possibles for the race include stakes winners Big Glen, Museeb and Sir Whimsey.
A full field of fillies and mares is expected for Saturday’s 13th running of the Giant’s Causeway at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.
Under consideration for the race, according to Borgemenke, are Anachini, Bahama Mama (IRE), Classify, Coy Cat, Diamondrella (GB), Excessive Heat, Genuine Devotion (IRE), Jazzy (ARG), Just for Keeps, Kosmo’s Buddy, Lady Chace, Megadeed, Mrs Petoski, She’s Yummy, Simply Seattle, Streamin Heat and Taletobetold.
MAFAAZ RETURNS TO TRACK; DERBY DECISION
REMAINS UNANSWERED
Shadwell Stable’s Mafaaz (GB) returned to the training track for a jog under exercise rider Miguel Moya two days after running eighth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
“I don’t believe they have made a decision for the Derby,” said Les Reynolds, head traveling lad for trainer John Gosden.
Mafaaz, by virtue of his victory in Kentucky Derby Challenge at Kempton Park in England on March 18, is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 2.
“The boss thought with the shipping at this time of year and with a young horse that he ran a little flat (in the Blue Grass),” Reynolds said. “I am sure he will get with Sheikh Hamdan (al Maktoum) and Rick Nichols (vice president and general manager of Shadwell) soon and reach a decision.”
STARDOM BOUND GALLOPS; NO DECISION ON PATENA
With trainer Rick Dutrow back in New York, assistant Michelle Nevin was on hand at Barn 28 on Monday overseeing the activity of champion Stardom Bound and Patena, who ran 10th in Saturday’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
Nevin, who was the regular morning partner for champion Big Brown last year, was aboard Stardom Bound for a strong gallop Monday morning. Nevin said a decision had not been made yet on when or if Stardom Bound would ship to Churchill Downs for a possible run in the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
As for Patena, “we will probably regroup with him,” Nevin said.
ECLIPSE AWARD WINNER PROUD SPELL RETIRED; TO BE BRED TO INDIAN CHARLIE
Brereton Jones, owner of 2008 champion 3-year-old filly Proud Spell, said Monday morning that the homebred daughter of Proud Citizen has been retired and will be bred to Indian Charlie.
“She had missed a key work for the Apple Blossom because of a little swelling in her ankle,” Jones said. “It is nothing serious, but more of an omen for us because we had been debating whether to keep her in training or retire her.”
Proud Spell ran third in last spring’s Ashland Stakes (G1) before coming back four weeks later to win the Kentucky Oaks (G1). In her lone 2009 start, Proud Spell ran second in an allowance race March 12 at Oaklawn Park.
GALLOPING OUT
For the second year in a row on Toyota Blue Grass Day, an obvious hunch play escaped many bettors at Keeneland. John Goldthorpe’s Tiger Woodman, running during the Saturday round of the Masters golf tournament, won at Keeneland. Trained by Rusty Arnold, Tiger Woodman won for the fifth time in 29 starts in Saturday’s 10th race, a mile and an eighth turf allowance, and returned a $24.20 mutuel.
Last year, Tiger Woodman paid $13.60 in a turf allowance win at a mile and three-sixteenths.
In both Keeneland races, Tiger Woodman defeated Pick Six and Equitable, both of whom went off at shorter odds both times.
Dennis “Peaches” Geier, assistant to trainer Bret Calhoun, said that Chamberlain Bridge and Mr. Nightlinger exited their efforts in Saturday’s Grade 3 Shakertown in good order.
“They are both doing good,” Geier said of the duo that ran third and fifth, respectively. “There is a chance both could run in the Aegon Turf Sprint. The plan now is to ship everybody to Churchill (Downs) on the 20th.”
Mr. Nightlinger, winner of last year’s Shakertown, won the five-furlong Aegon Turf Sprint (G3) last year.
Trainer Ken McPeek saddled two winners at Gulfstream Park on Sunday to raise his career total to 993. McPeek has saddled 99 of those winners at Keeneland. McPeek has two horses entered at Keeneland on Wednesday.
Saturday’s payoff on the Maker’s Mark Mile-Toyota Blue Grass double returned $217.80 for a $2 investment. The winning combination was 1-8, pairing Mr. Sidney in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) and General Quarters in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1).
SPRING MEETING SPECIAL EVENTS
Wednesday, April 15 - Keeneland Handicapping Contest Presented by Formulator Web - Place a mythical $2 win and place wager on Keeneland races 3-9. Entry fee is $10 with a guaranteed $2,500 pool. Limit three entries per person. First 200 participants receive a free Daily Racing Form.
Wednesday, April 15 - Saturday, April 18 - Budweiser Clydesdales - Photo opportunity at the Grandstand South Gate from Noon-1 p.m. Special appearance on Keeneland’s main track on Saturday, April 18 (weather permitting). Register through Wednesday to win a personal photo session with the Budweiser Clydesdales at Keeneland, along with lunch for four in Keeneland’s Equestrian Room and a trip to St. Louis to tour Anheuser-Busch.
2009 KEENELAND SPRING MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Saturday, April 11)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Julien Leparoux 46 15 8 5 $839,410
Kent Desormeaux 43 9 6 7 701,385
Miguel Mena 41 6 4 7 303,955
Rene Douglas 26 5 3 4 190,965
John Velazquez 25 5 3 3 414,655
Garrett Gomez 21 5 3 3 343,403
Corey Lanerie 27 3 4 1 375,660
Jamie Theriot 26 3 1 3 138,405
Shaun Bridgmohan 24 3 0 2 112,230
Tony Farina 12 2 1 1 57,530
Eibar Coa 8 2 0 1 597,470
Javier Castellano 2 2 0 0 100,665
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Bill Mott 21 4 3 4 $538,395
Wesley Ward 10 4 3 0 140,255
Michael Maker 19 3 4 3 129,415
Barclay Tagg 8 3 2 1 128,370
George Arnold II 13 3 1 1 133,575
Ken McPeek 11 3 1 1 160,916
Ian Wilkes 11 3 1 1 121,820
Jonathan Sheppard 6 3 1 1 387,070
Shug McGaughey 9 2 2 3 117,855
Christophe Clement 7 2 2 0 120,923
Charles Lopresti 6 2 1 1 73,255
Steve Asmussen 5 2 0 1 61,385
J. Keith Desormeaux 4 2 0 0 78,000
Daniel Smithwick Jr. 4 2 0 0 54,755
Fred Seitz 2 2 0 0 65,295
KEENELAND WATCH LIST
Coolmore Lexington (G2) Contenders
Horse Trainer Barn
Advice Todd Pletcher 6
Worked 4 fur in :48.20 on 4/12 at Kee
Brave Victory Nick Zito 9
Conservative Shug McGaughey 33
Worked 5 fur in 1:01.40 on 4/13 at Kee
El Crespo Rusty Arnold 60
His Greatness Marco Salazar 19
Jeranimo Mike Pender Arrives 4/14
Masala Todd Pletcher 6
Worked 5 fur in 1:00.20 on 4/12 at Kee
Mythical Power Bob Baffert
Omniscient Steve Asmussen 36
Parade Clown Katherine Ball 31
Pitched Perfectly Barclay Tagg 24
Worked 5 fur in 1:02.60 on 4/11 at Kee
Santana Six Nick Zito 9
Square Eddie Doug O’Neill Arrives 4/14