KENTUCKY
NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 8
by Steve Moody
Thirty-two times a year. Thirty-three if we’re lucky. A scant
6 weeks and two days when local residents figure out how to get
out of at least a half-day of work to make it to the track. You
plan your route to the track to avoid the traffic, plan again
later in the day to avoid it going home.
Thirty-two times when you watch the 11 o’clock news for the
weather forecast and are genuinely disappointed when the
weatherman calls for rain and turns out to be right. Thirty-two
trips to the racetrack and it’s a rarity when you don’t see a
stakes race. Maidens run for a $50,000 purse. While many
racetracks these days resemble ghost towns, finding an empty seat
at Keeneland is like finding money.
Occasionally, finding standing room can be a chore.
Warm-weather fall days with racing in the afternoon and college
football in the evening are incomparable even when the football
portion of your day leaves something to be desired. Betting, beer
and burgoo. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Thirty-two times a year. Thirty-three if we’re lucky.
Keeneland opens its fall meet Friday, a 17-day stand with more
than $10 million in total purse money. Racing will be Wednesday
through Sunday with 1ST race post time each day at 1:15 p.m.
(ET). As usual with the Breeders’ Cup taking place in three
weeks, the stakes schedule is front-loaded to enable contenders
to get one final prep before heading to Lone Star Park.
The first three days of the meet have been dubbed FallStars
Weekend and will be an exceptional three days of racing. Opening
day will be highlighted by the $400,000 Alcibiades S. (G2) for
two-year-old fillies and the $250,000-added Phoenix Breeders’ Cup
S. (G3) for three-year-olds and upward.
The next day, three-year-olds and up meet on the turf in the
$600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1). The $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity
(G1) will test two-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000
Sycamore Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) will feature three-year-olds and
upward at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.
Sunday’s program showcases the $500,000 Spinster (G1) for
fillies and mares on the main track and the $500,000 Galaxy S.
(G2) for fillies and mares on the turf. The Storm Cat S., a
one-mile race on the turf for three-year-olds, also will be on
the card that day.
“Opening weekend is three outstanding days of
racing,” Keeneland’s Director of Racing Rogers Beasley said.
“The fall meet offers something for everyone in the racing world — dirt, turf, sprint, distance races.”
Reduced takeout and guaranteed Pick 4s are on tap for the meet
as Keeneland recently announced several changes to its wagering
menu. There will be a guaranteed Pick 4 and lower takeout on all
multi-race wagers (Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 6).
A $300,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool will be offered each Sunday
during live racing.
“The Pick 4 is becoming a very popular wager,”
Keeneland’s President and CEO Nick Nicholson said. “We hope
people who follow Keeneland racing will enjoy wagering on the
guaranteed Pick 4 every Sunday.”
Making the guaranteed Pick 4 even more appealing to players is
the takeout reduction from 19 to 17 percent.
“The lower takeout means more money is returned to our
customers,” Nicholson continued. “It is a way for us to
give back to our loyal fans.”
In addition, the Pick 6 wager has been changed to a minimum $2
bet from the previous $1. This was done partly to be in line with
most other racing states that require a $2 minimum on the Pick 6.
It also allows the track to possibly generate bigger carryovers
more quickly.
Nine races will be carded on Wednesdays, Thursdays and
Sundays, 10 on Fridays and Saturdays. There are three daily
doubles scheduled each day (Races 1-2, 5-6, and either 8-9 or
9-10). Rolling Pick 3’s begin on Race 1 and there are also three
Pick 4s each day. They begin on Race 2, 4 and either 6 or 7
depending on how many races are carded. A complete view of the
wagering format is available at
http://www.keeneland.com:8000/liveracing/wageringformats.asp
Sense of Style doesn’t scare off competition in
Alcibiades
Despite the presence of the undefeated Sense of Style (Thunder
Gulch) in Friday’s Alcibiades the starting gate will be
nearly full of two-year-old fillies trying to unseat the early
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) favorite. A field of 11 was
drawn Wednesday for the 53rd running of the 1 1/16-mile event.
Sense of Style broke her maiden at first asking at Saratoga,
then came right back to easily win the Spinaway (G2) in her
second start. She was left at the start in the Matron (G1), but
recovered to score by a length with Edgar Prado aboard. The bay
filly posted a bullet work since over the Oklahoma training track
at Saratoga and will clearly be the one to beat on Friday against
10 rivals, the most she’s ever faced in her brief career.
Miss Matched (Formal Gold) was second to the favorite in the
Spinaway and has been given a short rest by trainer John Ward.
Miss Matched was purchased privately after a 12 1/2-length maiden
win by John Oxley and has been working at Keeneland over the last
three weeks. She could have the home-court edge Friday and has a
shot to turn the tables.
Punch Appeal (Successful Appeal) was no match for Sense of
Style in the Spinaway, but bounced back with a strong effort to
win the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies last out at Turfway, her
first try around two turns. She can’t be counted out in the
Alcibiades.
Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band) is only a maiden winner, but was
impressive enough to be purchased privately. She’s in
California-based Doug O’Neill’s barn now and is worth a look at a
price. Corey Nakatani flies in from California to ride.
Crackerjack sprinters battle in America’s oldest
stakes race
The Phoenix Breeders’ Cup will be run for the 152nd time
Friday and may feature the most contentious field ever. The race
is the oldest in America dating back to 1831 when it was run at
the old Kentucky Association track in downtown Lexington.
Clock Stopper (Gilded Time) is the lukewarm favorite, but he’s
drawn outside and his deep-closing style is traditionally not
well suited to Keeneland where inside speed usually rules.
Champali (Glitterman) has won 10 of 19 career starts and owns a
1-0-1 record in two starts at Keeneland. He wasn’t at his best
last time out at Arlington, but did win his previous three
starts. He’s worked well lately and can be expected to bounce
back here.
Canadian Frontier (Gone West) has won five-of-seven starts
this year and is currently riding a two-race win streak. If he
takes that form to the Keeneland track, the five-year-old will have a big chance. Wildcat Heir (Forest Wildcat) has never been worse than
second in eight starts and has worked well since arriving at
Keeneland. The Ben Perkins trainee loves the six-furlong distance
and his tactical speed puts him in the hunt from the start.
Gold Storm (Seeking the Gold) and Super Fuse (Lite the Fuse)
finished 1-2, less than a length apart, in the Arlington Breeders’ Cup Sprint H.
last out and both have to be considered with a
favorable post-position draw. The former will be challenging for
the early lead while the latter will be charging from far back.
Fire up the tote board. Shine the bugle. Le bon temps roulee!