Keeneland Daily Notebook

KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2006

by Brian P. Turner

The 2006 Spring Meet at Keeneland has come to an end and fans of

Thoroughbred racing have seen some tremendous performances by horses that we will

undoubtedly be hearing from throughout the year. Some of these runners will use

their experience at Keeneland as stepping stones to bigger and better things while others will leave their connections wondering if their performances were

simply aberrations. Will Sinister Minister (Old Trieste) be able to duplicate in

the Kentucky Derby (G1) the blazing turn of foot he displayed in the Blue Grass

S. (G1) where he posted an impressive 116 BRIS Speed Rating while crossing the

wire 12 3/4 lengths clear of the field, or will he be part of a blistering early

pace that will leave him with the mantle of "also ran?"

What about Bushfire (Louis Quatorze), who won the Ashland S.

(G1) here on April 8 in gate to wire fashion? Is she now a top threat to win the

Kentucky Oaks (G1) or will the beaten favorite in the Ashland, Balance (Thunder

Gulch), rebound just as Summerly (Summer Squall) did last year to claim the

prestigious three-year-old filly event?

What about the Nick Zito-trained Wanderin Boy? Was the 120 BRIS Speed rating

he earned against allowance company and the 113 BRIS Speed rating he got in

the Ben Ali S. (G3) indications that things are really coming together for him

as a five-year-old, or he is simply another in a long line of Thoroughbreds who

have an affinity for the Keeneland strip?

Then there is the turf mare Gorella (Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]), who finished a

troubled third, beaten by three parts of a length, in last year's Breeders' Cup

Mile (G1). The four-year-old filly looked absolutely dazzling in her first start

of the year as she easily disposed of an allowance field by 1 1/4 lengths. Was

this her first step toward even greater glory in this year's Mile or perhaps the

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)?

Finally, there were the two-year-olds who began their careers in spectacular

fashion at Keeneland. Trainer Steve Asmussen came into the meet with a whole

barn full of babies that were sitting on ready, including Datrick (Favorite

Trick), who posted a 107 BRIS Speed rating in his first try against competition

while crossing the finish line 7 1/2 lengths clear of the field under nothing

but a hand ride. Then there was the filly Richwoman (Successful Appeal), who

easily demolished her competition by seven lengths without ever once being asked

for her best.

Dale Romans has a live two-year-old himself in One Good Yank (Yankee Victor), who made his debut on opening day with an impressive 4 1/2-length score where he

posted a 102 BRIS Speed Rating. The colt's performance was given even more

credence on Thursday when the third-place finisher in that race, Bring Forth (Langfuhr),

came back to easily clear his maiden condition by 6 3/4 lengths.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of the fine performances we have been

treated to this spring. As for how many of these runners are destined for even

better things, only time will tell.

The central Kentucky track went out in style on Friday as a field of 11 went

to the gate for the featured Elkhorn S. (G3) for four-year-olds and upward going

12 furlongs on the lawn. Surprisingly, Silverfoot (With Approval) was sent to

the post by the betting public as the favorite despite the fact that he

possessed a lifetime record of 7-1-0-0 at the distance. His lone win at the

distance came in the Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3) at Kentucky Downs last fall. The

gray raced well within striking distance throughout in the Elkhorn and fought

gamely to the wire, but was forced to settle for third.

In the end, it was longshot PELLEGRINO (Brz) (Nugget Point [Ire]) who

stalked the pace throughout before taking the lead in the stretch drive and

digging in gamely to fend off all challengers at the end to hit the wire three

parts of a length in front while paying a very impressive $50.20 for the effort.

The dark bay had been on a bit of a down slide since winning the Hollywood Turf

Cup S. (G1) back in 2004, but Pellegrino made his first start for Roger Attfield and his new conditioner had him ready to roll in his first start

this year.

Go Deputy (Deputy Minister) rallied from next to last with a nice turn of

foot through the stretch drive to pick up the place, a nose in front of

Silverfoot.

There were six sprints contested on the main track today and horses on or

near the pace won five of them, but the lone main track route was won by a runner

closing from just off the pace. In addition to the feature, there were two

additional turf routes on the day. One of these was won by a closer and the

other by a horse closely stalking the pace.

While speed definitely prevailed as a whole on the main track this meet, the

bias could change greatly by this fall as Keeneland has announced that they will

be installing the synthetic surface known as Polytrack over the course of the

summer. Not only has the surface shown itself to be much safer to the horses

that compete on it than the standard dirt track, it has also, so far, proven to

be extremely fair and formful which could possibly put an end to the Keeneland

speed bias forever.

As for the turf, horses on or near the pace fared much better than usual at

distances of nine furlongs or better as runners on or near the pace actually

held a pretty decent advantage. At lesser route distances though, horses coming

from off the pace definitely held the advantage.

Rafael Bejarano made one last surge with two winners on the day and Julien

Leparoux could add only one, leaving the pair in a tie for the jockey title with

17 winners apiece. Leparoux was the victim of a bit of bad luck when

his mount in the 6TH, Sanibel Storm (Stormy Atlantic), veered into the rail

while on the lead and under right handed urging in the stretch drive of a two-year-old maiden special weight event. The young jockey was catapulted onto

the safety railing and into the infield. Leparoux finished the day but was

unable to visit the winner's circle one last time, forcing him to share the

riding title. In gaining a share of the title, Leparoux becomes the first

apprentice jockey in the history of Keeneland to capture a riding title.

Nick Zito went winless on the day but held on to win the trainers title with

12 wins for the meet. Todd Pletcher added one to his total today to finish

second with 11, two ahead of Dale Romans in third.

I would like to thank everyone who has followed the Daily Notebook and wish

you nothing but winning tickets until October when it is time to return again to

Keeneland Race Course.

Horses to Watch

4TH - STARLICIOUS (Cape Town) lost all chance when she went to her knees at

the start of this two-year-old maiden special event. Once she was on her hooves

and running though, the bay came with a tremendous rush to move into contention

but tired late to finish fourth. With her blazing turn of foot, a clean trip

could be all it takes next out to propel her into the winner's circle.

7TH - GENERAL JUMBO (GB) (Dansili) finally made it into the winner's circle

for the first time since coming to North America. The dark bay stalked the pace

through early fractions of :23 4/5 and:48 3/5 before making his move on the

turn. The four-year-old colt took the lead and continued on gamely to the wire

for a half-length victory. General Jumbo has looked good in each of his two

starts since moving into the barn of Graham Motion and definitely appears to be

heading in the right direction.