GRADE 1 WINNER FLASHING RETURNS IN LEXUS RAVEN RUN
Godolphin Racing LLC’s Flashing, winner of the Test (G1) on August 8 at Saratoga, is the 123-pound highweight for the 11th running of the $300,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) on Saturday. The seven-furlong race on Polytrack is for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Flashing has won five of eight races with two seconds and has earned $452,560. On May 2, the daughter of A.P. Indy won the seven-furlong Nassau County (G3) at Belmont then she returned to finish third behind Rachel Alexandra in the Mother Goose (G1) at Belmont on June 27.
On September 12, Flashing finished third behind Informed Decision in the Presque Isle Masters (G3) in her most recent race and in her first start on an all-weather surface. Informed Decision, who won the 2008 Lexus Raven Run in track-record time of 1:20.86, took Keeneland’s Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) on October 10.
The field for the Lexus Raven Run, from the rail out, is as follows: Best Lass (E.T. Baird, 117 pounds), Just Jenda (Gabriel Saez, 119), Satans Quick Chick (Leandro Goncalves, 117), Pretty Prolific (Robby Albarado, 117), Jardin (Miguel Mena, 117), Moontune Missy (Calvin Borel, 117), All of Her Twist (Willie Martinez, 117), Flashing (Richard Migliore, 123), Slides Choice (Corey Lanerie, 119), Ivory Empress (Julien Leparoux, 117), Sky Haven (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Lady’s Laughter (James Graham, 117), Strike the Bell (Jamie Theriot, 117) and Don’ttalktome (Terry Thompson, 117). Also eligibles are Saucey Evening (Jeremy Rose, 117) and Devil By Design (Jesus Castanon (117).
JUST JENDA AMONG FINAL KEENELAND STARTERS FOR TRAINER LARRY JONES
Trainer Larry Jones hopes to make his final Keeneland meet a memorable one when he sends out Just Jenda in Saturday’s $300,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2).
The three-year-old daughter of Menifee, who races in the name of Jones’ wife, Cindy, has won half of her eight starts this year, including the Honeybee and Monmouth Oaks, both Grade 3 stakes. In her last start on October 3 she finished fourth to winner Careless Jewel in the Fitz Dixon Cotillion (G2) at Philadelphia Park.
Jones was impressed enough with Just Jenda’s work at Keeneland on Monday, in which she went five furlongs in 1:01.60, to alter his plans and enter her in the Raven Run. It will mark the filly’s first start on Polytrack.
“Actually we were pointing another horse (On the Menu, winner of an allowance at Philadelphia Park, also on October 3) and thought about possibly using ‘Jenda’ as the back up (for the Raven Run),” Jones explained. “Jenda has run hard this year. But after the work, we decided that maybe we’d run Jenda in this spot and use the other horse as the back up.
“Jenda worked well,” he added. “She didn’t work super fast, but she did it the right way.”
“She came home fast,” Cindy interjected.
“And galloped out well,” Larry added.
That interplay is indicative of the couple’s teamwork. Though this fall will mark Larry’s final Keeneland meeting as a trainer, horses such as Just Jenda represent the future.
Jones is winding down a 27-year training career – he announced his retirement last September after his filly Eight Belles suffered a catastrophic injury after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He won his first race at his hometown track of Ellis Park on July 31, 1983, and has trained such stakes winners as champion Proud Spell, Hard Spun, Friesan Fire, Old Fashioned, Payton d’Oro, Wildcat Bettie B. and Island Sand. Through October 20, Jones has won 24 races at Keeneland, including the 2004 Raven Run with Josh’s Madelyn.
Cindy, herself an accomplished horsewoman and longtime assistant for her husband, will assume training duties at the first of the year.
“I’ve told everyone, he’s going to make my notes (on the horses) every morning and the first morning he doesn’t leave me my notes, I’m calling in sick,” Cindy laughed.
The Joneses have pared their large public stable, which at one time numbered some 114 horses, down to 20 horses owned by themselves and a few select friends. Larry said though he plans to curtail his hours at the barn, he will continue to provide hands-on support for his wife’s stable by hauling horses, mucking stalls and doing his favorite task, galloping horses.
“We’ve been very lucky,” Larry said. “We’ve been able to buy some fairly reasonably priced horses throughout our career that have gone on to make a lot of money. And thank goodness we’ve kind of worked ourselves into a situation where we can afford to do it for ourselves and a few select owners who are friends and will still be our friends when we’re no longer racing.
“We’re just trying to take a lot of the hassle out of it and enjoy it,” he continued. “This is still a great game. I got the opportunity to try the large-volume stable and found it’s just not for me. But we appreciate all the opportunities every owner gave us. Hopefully, we were successful at it, and did them a good job. But this life is not a dress rehearsal; we got to do it right this time.”
According to Cindy, she and Larry feel “it’s time to get out of the limelight and have fun.” Right now that means celebrating their first Christmas in 10 years with family at their log home in Henderson, Kentucky.
BREEDERS’ CUP-BOUND FILLY SHE BE WILD WORKS
Nancy Mazzoni’s She Be Wild, who is scheduled to make her next start in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 6 at Santa Anita, worked Tuesday for the first time since she finished second in the Darley Alcibiades (G1) on Keeneland’s October 9 opening day. With Julien Leparoux aboard, the Offlee Wild filly breezed five furlongs in 1:02.80.
“She worked good,” said trainer Wayne Catalano. “We were happy with her. Julien had her nice and relaxed. She finished up good, and galloped out strong.”
Leparoux will ride She Be Wild in the Juvenile Fillies. Catalano said the filly is scheduled to work again at Keeneland on October 29 and leave for California on November 2.
‘PERFECT’ WEEK COULD SET UP FOR ATTFIELD
Among the many outstanding horses that have competed at Keeneland is Perfect Soul (IRE), who won the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) in the fall of 2003 and returned the following spring to take the Maker’s Mark Mile (G2). Perfect Soul, who was named Canada’s champion grass horse of 2003 and earned more than $1.5 million in his career, was trained by Canadian Hall of Famer Roger Attfield for owner-breeder Charles Fipke. He now stands at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.
Today, the Perfect Soul connections return with Perfect Shower, a 3-year-old Canadian-bred colt by Perfect Soul who will make his first start since capturing the Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at odds of 46-1 on August 2. Perfect Shower will break from post 12 in the eighth race, a 1 ½-mile allowance for 3-year-olds and older horses.
“We were just looking for a 1 ½-mile race,” said Attfield from Canada. “He’s coming around well, wants to run 1 ½ miles. It’s hard to find
1 ½-mile race this time of year.”
Assistant Sue Lorimer is handling Attfield’s horses at Keeneland, and he hopes to be at the track on Friday when he will run a filly in each division of the Pin Oak Valley View (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race on turf. Those fillies are John D. Gunther’s Flowerbomb, who will start in the first division, and Three Chimneys Racing LLC’s Miss Keller (IRE), who will race in the second division.
On Sunday, Soul of Nataka, another Fipke homebred trained by Attfield, will race in the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes, Attfield said. Winner of Woodbine’s Carotene Stakes on October 4 in her most recent start, Soul of Nataka is a 3-year-old daughter of Perfect Soul.
GALLOPING OUT
Jockey James Graham’s Keeneland season will end on Sunday, October 25, with four days remaining in the fall meeting. Graham will be returning to New Orleans, where his wife, Lisa, is scheduled to give birth to the couple’s second child the following day. “Family first, then racing,” said Graham, who is Keeneland’s fourth-leading rider with six wins prior to the start of racing today. On October 17, Graham scored his first career Grade 1 victory when he rode Hot Cha Cha to win Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup.
KEENELAND FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Wednesday, October 21-24 – Keeneland will host the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales at the track through October 24. Fans can have their photo taken with the Clydesdales everyday 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.)
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