PIN OAK VALLEY VIEW TO BE RUN IN TWO DIVISIONS
Interest in Keeneland’s Pin Oak Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles on turf was so high that the Friday stakes will be run in two divisions. The first division of the race has been carded as the seventh race, and the second division is the ninth race. The original purse of the Pin Oak Valley View was $150,000; Keeneland adjusted the purse so each division will be worth $125,000.
The 119-pound highweight in the first division is Brereton C. Jones’ homebred Silver Reunion, who is coming off a win in the one-mile Riskaverse at Saratoga on September 3 in her turf debut. Graham Motion trains the daughter of Harlan’s Holiday, who will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez and break from post five.
The first division also attracted Martin S. Schwartz’s Rex Regina (IRE), a daughter of King’s Best who is a stakes winner in France and is making her North American debut for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.
Two fillies who last faced each other in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Keeneland on October 9 are returning in the first division. They are Gessler Racing LLC’s Redreamit, who was third in her previous race, and Carl F. Pollard’s Kiss Mine, who ran seventh.
The field for the first division, from the inside, is as follows: Rex Regina (IRE) (Julien Leparoux, 117 pounds), Single Solution (James Graham, 117), Kiss Mine (Tony Farina, 117), Weekend Strike (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Silver Reunion (Ramon Dominguez, 119), Kiawah Cat (Rajiv Maragh, 117), Bluegrass Princess (John Velazquez, 117), Flowerbomb (Calvin Borel, 117), Always in My Heart (Quincy Hamilton, 119), Redreamit (Robby Albarado, 117), Project Rose (E.T. Baird, 117) and Katara (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117).
Two fillies in the second division were assigned top weight of 123 pounds. They are Afternoon Stroll, who races for trainer Tim Hamm’s Blazing Meadows Farm LLC and Rick Claypool and Barbara Hunter’s Keertana.
Hamm trains Afternoon Stroll, who won Keeneland’s Appalachian (G3) in April and since has made four starts. Sixth in Gozzip Girl’s American Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park in July, the Stroll filly was third behind Silver Reunion in the Riskaverse. With Jamie Theriot up, she will start from post two.
Keertana, trained by Tom Proctor, won the Indiana Downs Distaff in July; was second in the Lake Placid (G2) in August to eventual Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) runner-up Shared Account; and is coming off a third-place finish in the Garden City (G1) behind Miss World and Shared Account in September. She will break from post six with Robby Albarado aboard.
The field for the second division, from the inside, is as follows: Unbridled Essence (Paco Lopez, 117), Afternoon Stroll (Jamie Theriot, 123), Direct Line (Victor Santiago, 117), Haka (Rajiv Maragh, 117), Forest Uproar (Robert Landry, 117), Keertana (Robby Albarado, 123), Saucey Evening (Ramon Dominguez, 117), Eye of Taurus (John Velazquez, 117), Aurora Lights (James McAleney, 117), Miss Keller (IRE) (Eurico Rosa Da Silva, 117), Mother Russia (Julien Leparoux, 119) and Cumulonimble (Jesus Castanon, 119). Also eligible is Seniga (Chris Emigh, 117).
The split of the Pin Oak Valley View marks the first time since 1999 that a Keeneland stakes has been run in two divisions. During the fall meeting that year, the Bryan Station Stakes (now a Grade 3 race) was run in two divisions, with Pratella taking the first division and Mingling Glances winning the second division.
MOTT PAIR WORKS TUESDAY
“Everything’s good in this barn,” trainer Bill Mott said Tuesday morning after returning to his barn aboard his palomino pony, Twinkie. Earlier, Mott worked his two horses being pointed at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Mushka and Mr. Sidney, for the first time since each raced on Keeneland’s opening weekend.
Brushwood Stable’s Mushka, who was named the winner of the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) on October 11 following the disqualification of Proviso (GB), went four furlongs in :49. Circle E Racing’s Grade 1 winner Mr. Sidney, who was third in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) on October 10, breezed four furlongs in :49.80.
Mushka is expected in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) on November 6, while Mr. Sidney is a candidate for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) or Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on November 7. Mott said both horses would leave Keeneland for California on November 2.
GALLOPING OUT
Jockey Miguel Mena worked seven horses at Keeneland Tuesday, said his agent, Steve Elzey, and will return to riding on Wednesday. In the first race on Sunday, October 18, Mena was unseated from his mount, She’s Due, when she stumbled leaving the gate. Mena sustained soft-tissue injury to his neck and left thigh and was taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for precautionary X-rays. He was replaced on his remaining mounts that afternoon.
Keeneland’s current leading rider, Robby Albarado, also is scheduled to resume riding on Wednesday, said his agent, Lenny Pike. On Saturday, Albarado was unseated at the start of the sixth race when his mount, My Baby Baby, stumbled. The rider, who suffered contusions to his face, did not ride the rest of the card and took off all his mounts on Sunday.
Lars Becdelamotte, assistant to trainer Wayne Catalano, said Nancy Mazzoni’s She Be Wild is scheduled to leave for California on November 2. She Be Wild, runner-up to Negligee in Keeneland’s Darley Alcibiades (G1) on October 9, is to make her next start in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 6.
On Sunday, October 18, trainer Richard Estvanko scored his first Keeneland victory when he sent out David D. Walters’ One That Got Away to win the fourth race. Rafael Mojica Jr. was aboard the 3-year-old daughter of Kafwain, who won the $16,000 claiming race by 1 ¼ lengths.
There is good news to report on Wee Bit Fancy, who was pulled up by jockey Willie Martinez near the end of Sunday’s second race. According to Dr. Bryce Peckham, chief racing veterinarian for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Wee Bit Fancy dislocated her right front ankle, which was popped back into place before she was loaded on the equine ambulance. Since the injury ends her racing career, owner/trainer Glenn Wismer has agreed to donate the six-year-old mare by Dominique’s Cat to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center in Nicholasville, where she will eventually be available for adoption.
BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES RETURN TO KEENELAND
Keeneland will host the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales at the track October 21-24. Fans can have their photo taken with the Clydesdales this Wednesday through Friday from Noon-1 p.m. at the Grandstand South Gate. A special appearance by the Clydesdales on Keeneland’s main track is scheduled for Saturday, October 24. (All appearances are weather permitting.)
WEDNESDAY HANDICAPPING CONTEST
Each Wednesday, Keeneland and its partner Daily Racing Form will host a $2,500 Handicapping Contest on races 3-9. Entry fee is $10; the first 200 participants receive a free Daily Racing Form.
KEENELAND FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Saturday, October 24
Breakfast with the Works – Take a behind-the-scenes look at racing’s stars during Breakfast with the Works, from 7 – 8:30 a.m. Enjoy a Southern-style breakfast and free children’s activities. This Saturday, representatives from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital will be featured in the paddock demonstration at 8:45 a.m. Presented by WLEX-18.
Handicapping Seminar – Hosted by Caton Bredar; begins at 11:30 a.m. trackside.
Sunday, October 25 – Military Family Day – All active and inactive members of the military and their families will receive free General Admission with a military ID. Help Keeneland and Military Missions collect items for holiday care packages for Kentucky’s deployed soldiers.
2009 KEENELAND FALL MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Sunday, October 18)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Robby Albarado 56 10 10 3 $679,931
Kent Desormeaux 43 8 2 19 $778,686
Julien Leparoux 52 7 9 8 $554,221
James Graham 46 6 4 3 $477,465
Rajiv Maragh 21 5 6 1 $949,459
Jamie Theriot 42 4 4 0 $259,650
Calvin Borel 42 3 3 6 $157,929
Jeremy Rose 18 3 3 4 $204,700
Shaun Bridgmohan 30 3 3 2 $153,364
E.T. Baird 14 3 2 3 $ 88,763
Jesus Castanon 36 3 2 2 $131,509
Javier Castellano 8 3 2 0 $204,749
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Ken McPeek 37 7 6 6 $661,960
George Arnold II 17 4 4 2 $289,926
Hugh Robertson 11 4 2 0 $ 94,555
Todd Pletcher 15 4 1 1 $271,089
Michael Maker 13 3 2 1 $100,423
Tom Proctor 10 3 1 1 $ 83,138
W. Bret Calhoun 5 3 1 0 $126,957
Graham Motion 15 2 3 4 $242,972
Merrill Scherer 11 2 3 3 $ 61,060
Dale Romans 12 2 3 0 $ 95,257
Dale Bennett 10 2 0 2 $ 52,921
Jonathan Sheppard 7 2 0 2 $219,885
Philip Sims 8 2 0 1 $337,207
Current Meet Leading Owners
Name Wins
Augustin Stable (George Strawbridge Jr.) 2
Darley Stable (Mohammed al Maktoum) 2
Glen Hill Farm (Leonard Lavin) 2
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 2
IEAH Stables (Michael Iavarone) 2
Melnyk Racing Stables Inc (Eugene Melnyk) 2
Ken & Sarah Ramsey 2
Wertheimer & Frere (Alain & Gerald Wertheimer) 2