Solitary Ranger top draw in oversubscribed Breeders' Futurity

Solitary Ranger top draw in oversubscribed Breeders'

Futurity

Sixteen juveniles were entered in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000

Breeders' Futurity on Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend, but only 14 will be

allowed to line up in the 1 1/16-mile Polytrack contest. And of those 14,

Solitary Ranger stands out following a 5 1/2-length romp in the

Arlington-Washington Futurity on September 7.

The Wayne Catalano pupil actually began his career at Keeneland during the

spring, running second in a pair of 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weights. Not

until he stretched out to a mile last out at Arlington did the U S Ranger colt

earn his first win, but the time off between that and his earlier starts

obviously did him good.

Solitary Ranger has been working fabulously at Keeneland since his initial

score, recording a pair of bullet moves the last couple weeks. Jockey Florent

Geroux was aboard for the Arlington-Washington Futurity and retains the mount on

Saturday.

While Solitary Ranger will be drawing much of the attention, Conquest Titan

could be overlooked a bit by the betting public.

Trainer Mark Casse is no stranger to shipping in his Woodbine-based runners

and winning at Keeneland. Conquest Titan is just the latest, having posted a 5

1/4-length victory in the Swynford to break his maiden on August 24. The dark

bay son of Birdstone didn't seem to like the conventional dirt at Churchill

Downs in his debut on June 30, but flourished over Woodbine's Polytrack in the

seven-furlong Swynford.

Casse is going for a unique double this weekend, as he will also send out My Conquestadory

in Friday's Grade 1 Alcibiades. No trainer has swept the Alcibiades and

Breeders' Futurity in the same year since Pat Byrne accomplished the task in

1997 with Countess Diana and Favorite Trick, though Casse came close last year

when saddling Alcibiades winner Spring in the Air and Breeders' Futurity

runner-up Dynamic Sky.

"I was confident coming into both races last year and I am more confident

this year," Casse stated before adding about Conquest Titant, "He trains like a

superstar. After his first

race at Churchill Downs, we took him back to Woodbine, where he was training so

well that we put him in a stakes. He won that in complete control."

Eurico Da Silva was aboard for that first victory and ships in to keep the

mount on Conquest Titan in the Breeders' Futurity.

While the Breeders' Futurity contenders are all hoping a win in the race will

help their case for year-end championship honors, a current champion will face

five rivals as she seeks to become the second repeat winner of the Grade 2, $200,000

Thoroughbred Club of America going six furlongs on the Polytrack.

Groupie Doll, honored as the 2012 Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter,

romped by 6 1/2 lengths in last year's TCA en route to a 4 1/2-length triumph in

the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She'll attempt to join Excitable Lady

(1982-83) as the only repeat winner of the race that was inaugurated in 1981.

Groupie Doll owns just two prior starts this year, finishing third in the

August 10 Gardenia at Ellis Park in her belated five-year-old debut before

defending her title in the Presque Isle Downs Masters on September 9. The

Bowman's Band mare will break from the far outside 6 post under regular jockey Rajiv Maragh

for trainer and co-owner Bill Bradley.

Chief among Groupie Doll's rivals are two fillies who are

undefeated at Keeneland -- Gypsy Robin and Judy the Beauty.

The former is three-for-three at Keeneland, including wins in last season's

Raven Run and Beaumont while competing for trainer Wesley Ward. The bay daughter

of Daaher was transferred to Mike Puype's shedrow for her four-year-old campaign

and, like Groupie Doll, shows just two prior races this year. She ran fourth in

her July 18 debut at Del Mar against allowance rivals before taking the C.E.R.F.

at that track on September 4.

Judy the Beauty, on the other hand, owns a quartet of starts in 2013. The

Wesley Ward-owned and trained filly scored in her season opener during

Keeneland's spring meet against optional claiming opponents before running

second in both the Winning Colors and Princess Rooney Handicap. The Ghostzapper

filly put in a nice run to be third in the Presque Isle Downs Masters behind

Groupie Doll last out and will try to improve on that effort Saturday.

Also entered in the TCA is Purely Hot, who had a head lead in the stretch of

the Masters before being caught by Groupie Doll and finishing 1 1/2 lengths

behind in second.

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