Keeneland Opening Day Selections
October 8th, 2009By Jude T. Feld
1st Race) There are several things to like about NACHO CORONA in today’s opener. He is dropping back in distance from a mile and an eighth to seven furlongs, which is a potent angle in Keeneland sprints. He is a four-year-old facing mostly three-year-olds and he’s been running well over a synthetic track similar to Keeneland’s. Most importantly, he is trained by Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard. SODA JERK has never run a bad race. He finished second in his last race, a seven-furlong event at Saratoga and switches to one of Keeneland’s premier jockeys, Julien Leparoux, this afternoon. The “Rusty†Arnold trainee will be the likely favorite and is a formidable foe. THE BIG FINISHER turned in an extremely fast workout over the track last Sunday – a best of the morning :46 flat half-mile, while galloping out in :58 2/5. He could post the upset. MALCOM’S DELITE has also been working well for underrated trainer Charles Lopresti. Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux and Lopresti have combined for two wins in four starts during the last year.
2nd Race) “Speedy†Smithwick recently took over the training of MOTOWN SHUFFLE and promptly drops him to the bottom level. The gelding has been racing poorly over the turf in his last several starts but switches to the Polytrack this afternoon. He has a record of three wins and two seconds in seven starts on synthetic tracks and should run his best race in some time. BIGGERBADDERBETTER is another gelding who drops to a new lowest level today. He has been lightly raced this year but did manage to run second against tougher at Saratoga. He cannot be ignored, especially with Kent Desormeaux in the irons. BOULDER TIGER won a tough starter allowance event at last fall’s meeting here and should appreciate the mile and one-eighth distance of today’s race. MONTENEGRO KNIGHT has had a useful summer at Presque Isle Downs, but will need his best race to win at Keeneland. A wet track would rank him higher.
3rd Race) Trainer Tom Amoss wins with 24% of his recent acquisitions. He saddles LIZA LU, who was claimed by sharp owner Maggi Moss at this level on September 10. A solid :48 2/5 workout over the track on Monday indicates she is fit and ready to roll for her new connections. Jockey Miguel Mena has a whopping 41% winning record for the Amoss stable this year. DANA’S BELL is a solid performer who excels on synthetic surfaces. She figures to get a good trip, right behind the speed, under one of Keeneland’s best riders, Robby Albarado. HADAVISION drops to the lowest level of her career after taking the summer off. She could be tough if she is ready off the bench, but with only two published workouts since July, it is hard to make a case for us to see her best effort. PANTHERA TIGRE comes off an allowance win at Turfway Park. She is realistically placed here and could be the upset special, especially if a hot pace develops.
4th Race) TIGHT PRECISION is a quality filly who is making her 2009 debut this afternoon. Her trainer Tom Proctor is one of the best filly trainers in North America. He seldom cranks up a filly to win first time out or off a layoff but he worked his charge a mile, on September 30 at Arlington Park, indicating it is “all systems go†for this race. Top turf jockey Jose Lezcano only enhances her chances. STRIKING DANCER uncharacteristically went to the lead in her comeback effort at Saratoga. Look for jockey Robby Albarado to be more patient with the Kenny McPeek trainee this afternoon and have her in striking position turning for home. KAPANGA has never been off the board in six lifetime starts. Hot-riding jockey Garrett Gomez takes the mount for trainer Michael Matz and another solid effort can be expected. GRASSY NELLIE has been knocking on the door. Her nice finishing kick should be effective over the Keeneland turf and jockey Julien Leparoux rides the course like he owns it.
5th Race) CALL SHOT just blitzed a maiden field at Arlington Park, in fast time, for sharp trainer Wayne Catalano. The athletic Tale of the Cat colt showed that he has maintained his excellent form by working a sharp :59 2/5 five furlongs here on October 4. The $235,000 Keeneland September Sale yearling is a deserving favorite. HONOR IN PEACE blasted off at Royal Ascot and managed to get beat 43 lengths. Returned to the States by excellent two-year-old trainer Wesley Ward, the son of Peace Rules showed the ability to finish in an allowance race at Saratoga. He has the cozy outside draw this afternoon allowing jockey Miguel Mena the ability to take it easy in the early stages and have something left for the stretch run. PEGASUS PRANCER beat a lighter field at Arlington Park while debuting on September 13. If he improves off that race for trainer Steve Asmussen, the Fusaichi Pegasus colt could certainly have a say in the outcome. LISTON folded like a lawn chair in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga. This is a much easier spot but the Storm Cat colt will need his best race to threaten the winners’ circle.
6th Race) Trainer Kenny McPeek holds the aces in this contest. He saddles both ORCHESTRATOR and CAUTIONARY TALE. The former has finished second in her last two trips to the post and has the benefit of racing around two turns. The outside post could be a hindrance but it is difficult to pick against her. The latter has only one race under her belt – a six furlong maiden event over a sloppy Saratoga main track. McPeek is talented on the stretch-out however, so this filly cannot be taken lightly. FUGITIVE ANGEL had an eventful trip versus top two-year-old grass filly Hatheer, while making her racing debut at Saratoga. Sharp trainer H. Graham Motion adds blinkers to her equipment today. If they do the trick to keep her focused, the famous green and white Augustin Stable silks could be in the winners’ circle. BEAUTIFUL SONG has been running well on the turf but tries Polytrack today. She is improving and dangerous.
7th Race) Like Tight Precision in today’s fourth race, QUITE THE LADY has superior form but she is making her 2009 debut. Her speed figures as a two-year-old far exceed those earned by the fillies who have raced this year. She has been training for months but in a rather pedestrian fashion. The Todd Pletcher-trained miss is hard to bet on given her short price but she is also very hard to bet against. FILM CHARM finally got her picture taken after a string of three straight second-place finishes. She looks like the logical second choice and might win again if the favorite stubs her toe. DIAMOND SONG broke her maiden going seven furlongs at Keeneland last fall. She is two races into her comeback and a filly’s third race back is often her best. She should be moving well in the drive and could catch ‘em all with a big try.
8th Race) The Phoenix (G3) is the oldest stakes race in the United States. This year’s edition features top three-year-old sprinter CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN versus last year’s winner SING BABY SING and a very competitive cast of challengers. CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN is a talented gelding who was purchased at Keeneland as a yearling for $25,000. He has now banked over $620,000, making him quite a bargain. He never runs a bad race and is in superb form but he must give weight to older horses and most three-year-olds find that handicap hard to overcome. SING BABY SING ships around the Midwest and picks up check after check. Last year, he shipped into Keeneland off a decent second-place finish in a stakes race at Zia Park and pulled off a $55 upset. A second-place finish at Remington Park is his 2009 prep. Could lightning strike twice? This year’s Zia to Keeneland shipper is EZ DREAMER. Winner of last month’s Premier Stakes at the New Mexico oval, the son of In Excess boasts dangerous early speed and the ability to finish. PAST THE POINT will be flying in the lane under jockey Garrett Gomez and could nail the field late at a solid price. He worked well here on Monday.
9th Race) SHE BE WILD has won all three of her starts, from 4 ½ furlongs to a mile, all on the Arlington Polytrack. Her trainer, Wayne Catalano, is among the nation’s best and jockey Garrett Gomez sees fit to make the trip from California to ride her. The daughter of Darley stallion Offlee Wild posted a solid maintenance work here on Sunday and seems primed for another move forward in the Darley Alcibiades (G1). BEAUTICIAN has been chasing Hot Dixie Chick, who is arguably the best two-year-old filly in the country right now. It would not be a stretch to imagine her in the winners’ circle today. SCREEN LEGEND, from Tom Proctor’s barn, comes off a decent third in the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3). She is still a little green but has a bunch of talent. AMEN HALLELUJAH sports some flashy speed and pace figures from an allowance sprint at Arlington. She is not really bred for two turns but she seems to be on the upswing and she would enjoy a wet surface.
10th Race) Stretching out and trying turf after two 5 ½ furlong victories was a little confusing for PROJECT ROSE. She was not disgraced however, finishing only 3 ¾ lengths behind the talented filly, Maram. Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard has had plenty of time to prepare her for this event and having Kent Desormeaux aboard is a definite plus. BANKER’S CHOICE owns a victory on the Keeneland turf and should find this slight dip in class from stakes competition to her liking. KISS MINE often gets a piece of the pie. The Pucker Up (G3) was too long and too tough for her, so she should run better in this more sensible spot.
