Bassinet S. winner DIXIE DREAMER (Mutakddim) and Arlington-Washington
Breeders’ Cup Lassie
S. (G3) runner-up EX CAELIS (Fusaichi Pegasus) are among the top draws for Friday’s
$400,000 Alcibiades S. (G2) at Keeneland. The 1 1/16-mile event for two-year-old
fillies shares the spotlight on Keeneland’s opening-day card with the $150,000
Sycamore Breeders’ Cup S. (G3), a 1 1/2-mile turf test that has attracted eight
horses.
Dixie Dreamer captured her career bow at Mountaineer Park and placed in her
main-track stakes debut. The Michael Estes trainee notched her
first stakes win last time in the Bassinet, winning the River Downs feature in
front-running fashion. Ex Caelis recorded an impressive maiden score at Saratoga
two starts back and was a heavy favorite in the Arlington-Washington Lassie. The
dark bay youngster is eligible to improve off her runner-up placing for Hall of
Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a six-time winner of the Alcibiades.
SHE SAYS IT BEST (Stormy Atlantic), who recorded her third overall victory
when capturing the Anna M. Fisher Debutante S. by seven lengths two starts back,
is another top contender. The Vickie Foley charge finished second by a head in
the Bassinet most recently. MAGGIE SLEW (Seattle Slew) hails from the last crop
of Seattle Slew and broke her maiden by 6 1/4 lengths two starts back. She
finished a decent fourth to the well-regarded Keeneland Kat (Hennessy) when
making her stakes bow in the Sorority S. last time.
The complete field, from the rail with jockeys, is Dixie Dreamer, Marco
Ccamaque; TRICK’S PIC (Favorite Trick), Gary Stevens; PERFORMING DIVA (Storm
Cat), Mike Smith; RAINBOW POND (Lemon Drop Kid), Javier Castellano; Maggie Slew,
John Jacinto; Ex Caelis, Edgar Prado; JOINT EFFORT (Runaway Groom), Mark Guidry;
MORE THAN PRETTY (More Than Ready), Rafael Bejarano; She Says It Best, Eddie
Martin Jr.; COOLWIND (Forest Wildcat), Eusebio Razo Jr.; and EASY SLAM (Grand
Slam), Corey Lanerie.
All starters will carry 118 pounds.
The Sycamore features a well-matched field of eight, including two-time
winner ROCHESTER (Green Dancer). The hard-knocking nine-year-old gelding exits a
runner-up finish in the Kentucky Cup Turf (G3). Multiple Grade 2 victor
DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet) drops down a little in class after squaring off against
Grade 1 rivals in New York. Group 2 winner VANGELIS (Highest Honor [Fr])
represents trainer Bobby Frankel and is three-time Grade 1-placed in the United
States. BALL FOUR (Grand Slam) will enter the Sycamore in good form for
conditioner Patrick Biancone after finishing second in the Kentucky Cup Classic
(G2) last out.
LET IT THUNDER (Thunder Gulch) will lead the post parade with rider Jesus
Castanon. Next comes TEMPERED STEEL (Tale of the Cat), Bejarano; Rochester,
Stevens; Dreadnaught, Jean-Luc Samyn; Ball Four, Julien Leparoux; NOBLE
MASTERPIECE (Regal Classic), Smith; CLEAR FORECAST (Sky Classic), James Graham;
and Vangelis, Prado.
Dreadnaught and Vangelis will both tote 122 pounds, the rest 120.