Keeneland Daily Notebook

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.