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KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2008 by Brian P. Turner Sunday's featured stakes offering was the Lafayette S. for three-year-olds going seven furlongs over the Polytrack. A field of seven went to the gate, with Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) being sent off as the heavy favorite. The bay was exiting an impressive score in his 2008 debut against allowance/optional claiming company at Oaklawn Park in which he stalked the pace early before opening up in the stretch drive for a six-length victory. The betting public obviously felt that effort had him back in the two-year-old form which saw him reel off four wins in a row, including a win in the Saratoga Special S. (G2). In the end, though, it was KEEP LAUGHING (Distorted Humor) who gave trainer Kiaran McLaughlin his second longshot stakes winner in two days. After Little Belle (A.P. Indy) took the Ashland S. (G1) yesterday, Keep Laughing returned today to lay just off the pace early through opening fractions of :22 4/5 and :46 before wrestling away the lead in the stretch drive on his way to a determined victory where he hit the finish line a nose in front. Keep Laughing was making only the third start of his career but he gave some indication last out as to the ability he possessed as he rallied from just off the pace to defeat a respectable maiden special weight field at Gulfstream by 6 1/4 lengths. Though it is a big step from maiden to stakes company, the dark bay handled it well and appears to have a bright future in front of him. Hatta Fort (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) had a very impressive North American debut as he gave Keep Laughing everything he wanted in the stretch drive but was forced to settle for second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of Easton's Gift (Johannesburg) in third. Kodiak Kowboy was never in contention at any point and finished a well-beaten fourth. There were five sprints contested over the Polytrack on Sunday with horses on or near the pace winning four of them. As for the two main track routes, horses closing from off the pace won both of them. In addition, there were two turf routes with horses closing from off the pace winning both of them. Kent Desormeaux rode a pair of winners on the day to take command in the jockey standings with five for the meet. Jamie Theriot booted home a winner on the day and has sole possession of the second spot with four. Javier Castellano and Miguel Mena each added one to their total today and sit in a tie for third with three winners each. McLaughlin, Kenny McPeek, Dallas Stewart and Tom Proctor are in a tie atop the trainer standings with two winners each. Horses to Watch 2ND - JADE DREAMER (Jade Hunter) had a very impressive career debut for trainer Kenny McPeek in this 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event. The bay broke in the air at the start, which left her trailing the field early through an opening quarter that went in :24, and she had only made up one spot on the field by the time they covered a half in :48 2/5. By the time the field hit the stretch, the four-year-old filly had moved into contention and finished gamely late to take the victory by a neck. 4TH - SLY STORM (Storm Cat) was another impressive debut winner on the day in this six-furlong maiden special weight event. The three-year-old filly pressed the pace early through opening fractions of :22 2/5 and :46 before taking command in the stretch drive on her way to an easy 4 3/4-length victory. Outlook for Wednesday, April 9 Wednesday's featured stakes offering is the Madison S. (G2) for fillies and mares, four-years-old and up, going seven furlongs over the Polytrack. A field of 11 is set to go to the gate and no member of this field can be totally dismissed so insist on value before wagering. CARRIAGE TRAIL (Giant's Causeway) could offer a bit of value in her second start back from a long layoff. The bay made her 2008 debut against allowance/optional claiming company on the grass at Gulfstream, where she rallied from just a little off the pace to finish second, beaten by only a half-length. This should have the five-year-old mare tuned up and sitting on a big effort for this event. In her only other start at Keeneland, Carriage Trail rallied from off the pace to defeat a pretty nice allowance field by a length and posted a very solid 101 BRIS Speed rating for the effort. VENTURA (Chester House) will be making her second start in North America after compiling a record of 8-3-3-0 in Great Britain. In her first start after coming across the pond, the dark bay added a score to her totals by winning a 6 1/2-furlong allowance event on the grass at Santa Anita. With Bobby Frankel training and Garrett Gomez in the saddle, the four-year-old filly looms a definite threat. ZADA BELLE (Indian Charlie) holds interesting possibilities as she is a perfect two-for-two in her brief career. After breaking her maiden by nine lengths in October of 2006, the bay left racing and did not return until February of this year when she rallied from five lengths off the early pace to defeat an allowance/optional claiming field at Santa Anita by 4 1/2 lengths. CHANGE UP (Distorted Humor) is exiting a second-place effort in the Hurricane Bertie H. (G3) at Gulfstream in which she was 8 3/4 lengths behind the winner but three lengths clear of her next nearest rival. The chestnut possesses a nice early turn of foot and looms a threat on the lead if she handles the surface. LOOKY YONDER (Johannesburg) rallied from four lengths off the early pace last out to defeat an allowance field at Gulfstream by 3 1/4 lengths. The dark bay won her only start at Keeneland against an allowance field last April, and could surprise here at a fair price. WILD GAMS (Forest Wildcat) has yet to finish off the board in three starts over all-weather tracks, including a win last fall in the Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) here at Keeneland. The bay's best effort puts her squarely in the mix. WINDYINDY (A.P. Indy) has won three of her last four starts dating back to August. The dark bay's lone defeat came right here at Keeneland when she rallied from off the pace to miss by only a nose against allowance company. MINI SERMON (Pulpit) tired to lead the field from gate-to-wire only to come up 2 1/2 lengths short in the Sabin H. (G3) at Gulfstream last out. The gray has hit the board in both starts here at Keeneland, breaking her maiden last spring before returning in the fall to finish third in the Raven Run S. (G2). DAWN AFTER DAWN (Successful Appeal) will return to sprinting after going long against graded stakes company in each of her last three starts, including a win in the La Canada S. (G2) and a second-place effort in the Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1). If she handles the cut back in distance, the bay is a solid threat as well. STREET SOUNDS (Street Cry [Ire]) will be making her first start of 2008 but has never been off-the-board in three starts over Polytrack, including a win in last April's Beaumont S. (G2) here at Keeneland. Interestingly, this win too came in her first start of the year. V. I. P. PRINCESS (Thunder Gulch) has won three of his five starts over Polytrack, including a win against allowance company here last October. Wednesday's forecast calls for a chance of showers with highs in the upper 60's Wednesday's Best Plays 1ST - WINNER'S STORY (Grand Slam) may find the class drop to be exactly what it takes to get back into the winner's circle in this claiming event. The four-year-old gelding has put in respectable efforts against allowance competition in each of his last two starts on the Polytrack at Turfway and should find this group to be a bit easier. Toss in the fact that the four-year-old gelding tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by more than three points and that he broke his maiden here in his career debut and there is a lot to like. 4TH - MY BABY BABY (Bernstein) disappointed bettors as the favorite last out as she finished third, beaten by 8 1/2 lengths, in the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. The three-year-old filly is more than capable of rebounding on the grass against this group. The bay tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by more than 11 points and also possesses the best BRIS Class rating. My Baby Baby has a solid, if not stellar, pedigree for the lawn and appears to be in a prime spot to return to her winning ways.
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