RUFFIAN WINNER SWIFT TEMPER TOPS FIELD OF 11 FOR JUDDMONTE SPINSTER
Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, whose brilliant summer campaign included victories in the Ruffian (G1) and Delaware Handicap (G2), will face 10 other fillies and mares Sunday in the 54th running of the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at 1 1/8 miles over Keeneland’s main track.
The Juddmonte Spinster is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) to be run November 6 at Santa Anita. Spinster winners that have gone on to win what was then the Breeders’ Cup Distaff are Princess Rooney (1984), Sacahuista (1987), Bayakoa (ARG) (1989 and 1990) and Inside Information (1995).
Trained by Dale Romans, Swift Temper also finished second in the Personal Ensign (G1) and the Fleur De Lis (G2) and this spring won the Sixty Sails (G3). The 5-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway will break from post position eight and be ridden by Robby Albarado, who won this race in 1998 on Banshee Breeze.
The Spinster has attracted a diverse field from all over the map. Stronach Stable’s Ginger Brew, the dominant 3-year-old in filly in Canada last year, comes in from Woodbine where she won the Bellemahne in her most recent start. Brian Kahn and the Richard J. O’Neill Trust’s Tizfiz, winner of the San Gorgonio (G2) this winner at Santa Anita, has captured turf stakes in her most recent starts at Remington Park and Mountaineer. Juddmonte Farms’ Proviso (GB) makes her United States debut for trainer Bobby Frankel after a European campaign that included a third-place finish behind Goldikova in the Prix de Rothschild (G1).
The Juddmonte Spinster will be the ninth race on Sunday’s 10-race card with a 5:43 p.m. post time.
The field for the Juddmonte Spinster, from the rail out, is as follows: Teamgeist (ARG) (Calvin Borel, 123 pounds), Tejida (Corey Nakatani, 123), Dawn After Dawn (Jesus Castanon, 123), Proviso (GB) (Rajiv Maragh, 123), Be Fair (Chris Emigh, 120), Tizfiz (Corey Lanerie, 123), Ginger Brew (John Velazquez, 123), Swift Temper (Robby Albarado, 123), Champagne Eyes (Miguel Mena, 123), Indescribable (Julien Leparoux, 123) and Mushka (Kent Desormeaux, 123).
INTERACTIF HEADS FIELD OF 13 FOR SUNDAY’S BOURBON
Wertheimer and Frere’s Interactif, winner of the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga, headlines a field 13 juveniles entered for the 19th running of the $125,000 Bourbon (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the Haggin Turf Course.
The Bourbon, which goes as the eighth race Sunday with a 5:10 p.m. post time, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) to be run November 7 at Santa Anita.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Interactif was a debut winner going five furlongs on the dirt at Monmouth Park on July 5. Following an eighth-place finish in the Sanford (G2), Interactif was switched to the grass and responded with his 4 ½-length score in the With Anticipation.
Interactif was slated to run in last Sunday’s Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park but was scratched when rain forced the race to come off the turf. Interactif will break from post position four under Kent Desormeaux, who was aboard in the With Anticipation victory.
Pletcher has won the Bourbon twice, with Bittel Road last year and Twilight Meteor in 2006.
The field for the Bourbon, from the hedge out, is as follows: Scottkeith’skitten (Julien Leparoux, 117 pounds), Modern Cowboy (Robby Albarado, 117), Billions Boy (Rajiv Maragh, 117), Interactif (Kent Desormeaux, 123), Asphalt (Corey Lanerie, 117), Turf Melody (Jeremy Rose, 117), Activity Report (Jamie Theriot, 117), Exhi (John Velazquez, 117), Family Foundation (Junior Alvarado, 117), Codoy (Leandro Goncalves, 117), Raging Wit (Jesus Castanon, 117) and Guys Reward (Miguel Mena, 117). On the also-eligible list is Harrods Creek (Larry Melancon, 117).
TOP TWO ASHLAND FINISHERS HEAD LIST OF 12 QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP INVITEES
Derby Daze Farms and Mark Hoffman’s Hooh Why and Farnsworth Stables’ Gozzip Girl, the 1-2 finishers in this spring’s Ashland Stakes (G1), head a list of a dozen 3-year-olds invited to the 26th running of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup to be run Saturday, October 17, at 1 1/18 miles on the Haggin Turf Course.
Since her Ashland triumph, Hooh Why has won one of five starts, the La Lorgnette on May 17 at Woodbine, and placed sixth in the Ontario Coleen on August 30 in her lone turf start.
Gozzip Girl, a two-time grass stakes winner prior to the Ashland, has added grass victories in the Sands Point (G2) and American Oaks Invitational (G1) to her resume this year.
Other Grade 1 grass winners invited to the race are Charles Fipke’s Internallyflawless, heroine of the Del Mar Oaks, and Waratah Thoroughbreds’ Miss World, winner of the Garden City at Belmont Park.
Other invitees are Acting Lady, Blind Date, Hameildaeme (GB), Hot Cha Cha, Mary’s Follies, Shared Account, Starlarks (IRE) and Well Monied.
Shadwell Stable’s Alwajeeha won the 2008 running of the race. Entries for the 2009 renewal will be taken Wednesday.
MAIDEN MAKES LONG JOURNEY TO TAKE SHOT AT GRADE 1 GLORY
Not many horses have broken their maiden in a Grade 1 race, but that is a notation that trainer Alexis Barba applies to Make Music for Me after Saturday’s running of the $500,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity.
Rather than stay home in Southern California and run in last Sunday’s Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G1), Barba sent Make Music for Me to Keeneland, where he will break from post position seven under Tyler Baze in the 1 1/16-mile race.
“The owners (Ellen and Peter Johnson) are from Wisconsin, and they liked the bigger purse,” Barba said, referring to the $300,000 purse of the Norfolk.
Although a maiden, Make Music for Me finished second in the Best Pal (G2) at Del Mar and the Del Mar Futurity (G1). The son of Bernstein trailed only Lookin At Lucky in those Del Mar races; Lookin At Lucky came back to win the Norfolk at Santa Anita.
“We were not ducking Lookin At Lucky and I thought he had a good chance to beat him at Santa Anita,” Barba said. “But I liked having the extra week and trying something new appealed to me.”
Barba felt she had a quality horse on her hands even before he ran.
“I knew before he started by the way he trained,” Barba said. “You just hope they have the courage to continue on and so far it appears he has.”
Make Music for Me worked seven furlongs at Hollywood Park in 1:25.20 on Saturday and then shipped to Keeneland on Wednesday.
“He has always been a nice work horse and Saturday he worked extremely well with Tyler on him,” Barba said.
The Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to be run November 7 in Barba’s neighborhood at Santa Anita.
FIRST LADY MILE MAY BE RIGHT UP TIZAQUEENA’S ALLEY
Of all the impressive stats that form the past performance data for Darley Stable’s Tizaqueena, the one that stands out with regard to Saturday’s 12th running of the $400,000 First Lady (G1) is this: Going a flat mile, the 4-year-old daughter of Tiznow has won four of five starts with one second.
“I feel like the mile is her best distance,” trainer Michael Stidham said. “She can sit off the speed, while going longer she winds up on the lead and I don’t think that is what she wants.”
Tizaqueena’s most recent victory came in the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs on May 2. Since then, she ran third in the 1 1/16-mile Mint Julep (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 6 and then second in the Modesty (G3) on July 11 and fourth in the August 8 Beverly D. (G1), both at 1 3/16 miles at Arlington Park.
“The break after the Beverly D. was by design,” Stidham said. “She had had a pretty solid summer, so we freshened her up and pointed to this.”
Tizaqueena will break from post position four in the First Lady and is reunited with jockey Jamie Theriot, who has been aboard for all five of Tizaqueena’s victories.
The victory in the Distaff Turf Mile came over a course labeled “good” and with rain in the forecast for the weekend, less than firm conditions are likely.
“The turf was a little soft at Churchill Downs and I don’t think it will bother her at all,” Stidham said.
The First Lady serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) to be run November 6 at Santa Anita.
GALLOPING OUT
Fall meeting records for victories by a trainer and jockey, respectively, are D. Wayne Lukas with 22 during the 16-day meeting of 1989 and Pat Day with 45 during the 19-day meeting of 1991.
Last fall’s leaders were Robby Albarado, who won his first autumn riding title with 22 victories, and Mike Maker, whose nine victories netted his first Keeneland training title. Albarado won spring riding titles in 2002 and 2003.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey won their first outright owners title last fall with eight winners. The couple had shared leading fall owner titles in 2000, 2002 and 2007 in addition to an outright spring title in 2006 as well as a shared title in 2004.
PICK FOURS HIGHLIGHT OPENING WEEKEND
This fall, Keeneland will again offer its popular $200,000-guaranteed Pick Four wager on races 7-10 every Friday during the meeting.
A $250,000-guaranteed All Stakes Pick Four, comprising the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2), First Lady (G1), Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), will be featured on opening Saturday, October 10.
Both the Friday Pick Four and the All Stakes Pick Four are presented by TVG.
Throughout the meeting, Keeneland will offer 50-cent pick four and trifecta, 10-cent superfecta and $1 Super High Five wagers. Rolling daily doubles will begin with the first race and continue through the day’s card.
SWINGING AT SUNSET FOLLOWS FRIDAY RACES
Keeneland will celebrate FallStars Weekend with its trackside party “Swinging at Sunset,” featuring a 17-piece jazz orchestra, immediately following the last race on opening Friday.
Patrons are welcome to join in the swing dancing fun alongside members of the local HepCats Swing Dance club, or enjoy multiple bars and food offerings trackside. Grey Goose will serve its signature opening weekend drink, “FallStars Fizz,” mixed with a glowing swizzle stick.
Swinging at Sunset is presented by Stoll Keenon Ogden and WLEX 18.
The event is free with a $5 race-day General Admission.