5/26/11
Last updated: 5/25/11 7:03 PM
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Keertana has finished off-the-board only four times from her 25 starts
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Multiple Grade 3 queen KEERTANA (Johar) will take on boys for the
first time in her 25-race career when she lines up in the gate of
Saturday’s $100,000
Louisville H. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The dark bay mare will break
from post 4 under jockey Jose Lezcano in the field of 10 while going 1
1/2 miles in her second straight race.
The Tom Proctor trainee first tried 12 furlongs on April 28 at
Keeneland, where she pulled off a 1 1/4-length victory in the Bewitch S.
(G3) over yielding ground. The five-year-old has plenty of experience
winning on firm turf as well, taking The Very One S. (G3) at Gulfstream
in February and last year’s Glens Falls S. (G3) at Saratoga, and loves
the Matt Winn Turf Course. She just missed by a half-length when third
in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) under the Twin
Spires, and also placed third in the Mint Julep S. (G3) last June.
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Keertana has captured three of her four starts this season, with her
only loss once again coming as a third, this time in the Hillsborough S.
(G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in March. She’ll tote the second highest weight
in the Louisville field when Lezcano weighs in at 117 pounds.
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Musketier captured the Elkhorn one day after Keertana’s Bewitch victory
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Only one horse has been assigned more than Keertana, and that contender is
recent Elkhorn S. (G2) victor MUSKETIER (Ger) (Acatenango), who will carry 122
pounds including jockey Jesus Castanon. The gray only raced three times in 2010,
taking that year’s edition of the Elkhorn as well as placing in the Sycamore S.
(G3). The Roger Attfield veteran has already run that many times this season,
placing in both the Mac Diarmida S. (G2) and Pan American S. (G3) to start his
nine-year-old campaign. Musketier will be trying Churchill’s turf for the first
time in this spot, but has already proven his ability at winning over 1 1/2
miles.
Looking to defend his title in the Louisville will be FREE FIGHTER
(Out of Place), who has been well-beaten his two tries so far this year.
The chestnut gelding hasn’t won since taking this race a year ago but
will be getting the services of Churchill veteran rider Calvin Borel
this time around.
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Also entered
are Elkhorn fourth SIMMARD (Dixieland Band), who captured an allowance/optional
claimer two back; GUYS REWARD (Grand Reward), placed in the American Turf S.
(G2), Commonwealth Turf S. (G3) and Transylvania S. (G3) last year; and Elkhorn
sixth-placer BEARPATH (Dynaformer), second in the 2010 Louisville following a
seventh-place run in the Elkhorn.
