KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2006
by Brian P. Turner
A field of eight three-year-olds went to the gate for Thursday’s featured
Forerunner S. at nine furlongs on the lawn. The Todd Pletcher-trained UP AN OCTAVE (Brahms) was sent to the post by the betting
public as the favorite and rewarded the chalk players by crossing the finish
line a hard-fought half-length in front. The dark bay broke well from the gate
and stalked the pace through early fractions of :23 4/5 and :48 4/5 while being
confidently ridden by John Velazquez, who had him four wide on the turf course.
Once the field hit the stretch, it became quickly apparent that the victory was
far from being in hand as his jockey put the colt under a stiff drive that he
maintained all the way to the wire for the narrow victory.
Yate’s Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe) rallied from off the pace with a game
effort through the stretch to hit the finish line in second. Though technically
still a maiden, the colt had actually won two races previously but had the
misfortune to be disqualified in both. The dark bay made amends here though as
he put in a gallant effort to pick up the place.
Tahoe Warrior (Carson City), another from the barn of Pletcher, took the lead
out of the gate and stubbornly refused to surrender it until late in the stretch
drive, eventually finishing a neck farther back in third.
Sadly, the event was marred by the fatal breakdown of Up An Octave, who went down
shortly after crossing the wire. It was reported that Velazquez was alert after
the fall but complaining of pains in his upper torso, so he was taken to a local
hospital for observation.
The first four sprints of the day were won by horses on or near the lead, and
then a steady rain forced the track to be downgraded to muddy before the 7TH race.
One of the final two sprints on the card was won by a front runner but the other
was won by a horse closing from last. In addition to the feature, there was one
additional turf route on the day which was won by a runner closing from off the
pace.
Julien Leparoux booted home a winner to keep pace with Velazquez
atop the jockey standings. The pair has 12 winners each. Trainer Steve Asmussen
and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan teamed up to win both of the two-year-old filly
races on the card, moving the talented rider into serious contention with 10
winners for the meet.
Pletcher’s somewhat hollow win in the Forerunner moved him into a tie atop
the trainer standings with Nick Zito. The pair has nine apiece. Dale
Romans saddled a winner Thursday and remains in third with seven.
Horses to Watch
2ND – GALLANT DREAMER (Belong to Me) vied for the lead through opening
fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 4/5 but, in the end, came up a half-length short in
this two-year-old filly maiden special event. Though the dark bay crossed the
wire in second, she was 9 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field and should
pose a serious threat in her next start.
3RD – CHIEF WHAT IT IS (Crafty Prospector) possesses amazing early speed and
displayed it in this allowance affair as he led the field through early
fractions of :21 4/5 and :45 1/5. Once he hit the stretch, the bay continued on
gamely to the wire for a 1 1/2-length victory.
4TH – APPEALING ZOPHIE (Successful Appeal) broke from the gate like she had
been shot from a cannon in the second two-year-old filly maiden special event on
the card. The dark bay guided the field through early fractions of :22 and :46
before opening up through the stretch for an impressive 10 1/2-length victory.
Tomorrow’s Outlook – Friday, April 21
Friday’s feature is the Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings S. (G1) for
four-year-olds and upward going 20 furlongs over National Fences. A field of
nine is set to go to the post headed by multiple Grade 1 winners SUR LA TETE
(Sky Classic) and MCDYNAMO (Dynaformer). The pair have squared off before with
Sur La Tete getting the upper hand in each of their last two meetings, one of
which was last year’s running of this same event. Sur La Tete finished second
that day, 3 1/2 lengths clear of McDynamo in third.
Sur La Tete will be making his first start of the year but trainer Neil
Morris always seems to have the gelding sitting on a big one coming off a break.
Friday’s forecast calls for thunderstorms and a high of 70.
Friday’s Best Plays
3RD – JONATHAN QUICK (Unbridled’s Song) comes from the red hot barn of Zito. The dark bay is coming off a third-place effort earlier in the
meet and should be sitting on a top effort in his second start back from a layoff. The four-year-old gelding tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and BRIS Class
rating. His BRIS Early Pace ratings in his last start towers over the field so to
beat him, they are going to have to catch him.
8TH – UNKATZABLE (A.P. Indy) is coming off an easy 4 1/4-length victory
against maiden special company at Oaklawn Park but looks extremely capable of
clearing her next condition here. The four-year-old filly will be trying a route
for the first time, but her pedigree indicates that she should have little
trouble with the transition. Unkatzable tops the field in BRIS Prime Power, and
her last race BRIS Pace Ratings indicate that she should have things her own way
on or near the lead early with plenty left in the tank to hit the finish line in
front.