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KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008 by Brian P. Turner Thursday's featured stakes offering was the Beaumont S. (G2) for three-year-old fillies going about seven furlongs over the Polytrack. A well-matched field of nine went to the gate with Golden Doc A (Unusual Heat) being sent off as the favorite after her recent efforts over all-weather tracks on the West Coast, including a win in the eight-furlong Las Virgenes S. (G1) at Santa Anita. In her last start, though, the chestnut finished second to ARIEGE (Doneraile Court) in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), but the betting public obviously felt that she could turn the tables here. Ariege proved the betting public wrong as she reeled off her second win in a row against her rival by laying off the pace early through opening fractions of :23 3/5 and :47 1/5 before taking command in the stretch drive on her way to a hard fought, one-length victory. Ariege reeled off her second graded victory in a row since moving from the turf to all-weather tracks after making the first five starts of her career on the grass. Prior to the Santa Anita Oaks, the dark bay's best effort on the lawn had come in the La Habra S. (G3), where she finished second, beaten by only a nose. The filly only seems to be getting better with each start, and even greater things may be in her future. Golden Doc A was in contention in the stretch drive but was just no match for the winner and was forced to settle for second, 2 1/2 lengths clear of early pacesetter Passion (Came Home) in third. There were five sprints contested over the Polytrack Thursday with horses on or near the pace winning three of them. As for the two main track routes, both were won by horses stalking the pacesetter. In addition, there were two turf routes contested on the day with closers winning both of them. Kent Desormeaux went winless on the day but still leads the way in the jockey standings with seven for the meet. Garrett Gomez booted home a pair of winners on the day and has sole possession of the second spot with six. John Velazquez rode a pair of nice maidens to victory today, which moves him into a tie for the third spot with Jamie Theriot. The pair has four winners each. Todd Pletcher saddled a pair of maiden winners on the day, which moves him into a tie for the top spot with Bill Mott. The duo has three winners each. Six trainers, including Bobby Frankel and Kiaran McLaughlin, are tied with two winners each. Horses to Watch 4TH - GARDEN DISTRICT (Dixie Union) had a very impressive career debut in this 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event for Pletcher. The two-year-old filly was content to lay off the pace early before moving up to challenge at the top of the stretch. The dark bay was bumped repeatedly through the stretch drive but overcame that adversity to pull clear late for an easy three-length victory. CORBINA (More Than Ready) was on the lead early and very much in contention in the stretch drive when Mine All Mine (Belong to Me) came in on her, forcing her into Garden District on her inside. Eventually, Corbina was shut off entirely and forced to take up. Though she crossed the finish line in fourth, she was placed third due to the interference in the stretch drive and looms a definite threat next out with a clean trip. 6TH - CHARMING (Seeking the Gold) was the second impressive debut winner for Pletcher on the day. The $3.2 million purchase, who is the daughter of multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Take Charge Lady (Dehere), by no means had things her own way in this 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event and won it on class and determination alone. When the gates sprang open, the three-year-old filly bounded out of the gate and onto the lead, guiding the field through opening fractions of :22 4/5 and :46 1/5. Once the field hit the stretch, the chestnut was challenged by Spring Elusion (Elusive Quality), who appeared as if she were going to pass the front runner. Charming was up to the challenge, though, and held off Spring Elusion all the way through the stretch drive to hit the finish line a neck in front. Tomorrow's Outlook - Friday, April 11 A field of 11 is set to go to the gate for Friday's Maker's Mark Mile S., which will be carrying Grade 1 status for the first time in its prestigious 20-year history. This is recognition that is long overdue as some of the best turf milers in the world have gone into the starting gate for this event. Several in this field appear to have a legitimate chance of bringing home the victory and no member of this field looks to be invulnerable. KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) will be trying to repeat in this event after pressing the pace early last year on his way to a thrilling victory where he hit the finish line a neck in front. The gray will be making his first start since last October when he stalked the pace early on his way to a determined one-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), but he has proven that he can fire off the layoff before. The five-year-old horse is a perfect two-for-two on the Keeneland lawn, and has been working steadily for his return to the track. If he is ready to roll after the layoff, Kip Deville is more than capable of repeating as champion. COSMONAUT (Lemon Drop Kid) will be making his first start since winning the Tampa Bay S. in early February where he pressed the pace throughout on his way to a game three parts of a length victory. The gray has also had success at Keeneland in the past and missed by only a neck in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) here last fall. The six-year-old horse followed that up with a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile, where he crossed the finish line only two lengths behind Kip Deville. Provided they aren't blazing on the lead early, Cosmonaut stands a legitimate chance as well. EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck) is exiting a determined victory in the 11-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf S. (G1) in which he stalked the pace early before crossing the wire a neck in front. The biggest question for the dark bay would be his ability to handle the cut back in distance, but he did lead the field from gate-to-wire in his 2008 debut, which came in an eight-furlong allowance/optional claiming event. The six-year-old horse has also shown the ability to rally from off the pace, which should allow him to be well-placed early regardless of the pace scenario. WAR MONGER (War Chant) appears to be the one that would benefit most from a quick early pace as his best efforts have all come while closing. The bay is exiting a third-place effort in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) at Santa Anita, where he was a bit closer to the pace that usual, and he definitely looms a threat here if he returns to his old running style. SHAKIS (Ire) (Machiavellian) made his last start here last fall in which he was the victim of a troubled trip in the aforementioned Shadwell Mile. The dark bay was attempting to make a nice closing move but had nowhere to go. However, once he got in the open, he displayed a nice turn of foot and crossed the wire in third, beaten by four lengths. If he is ready after the layoff, the eight-year-old horse stands a chance as well. OUT OF CONTROL (Brz) (Vettori [Ire]) and THOUSAND WORDS (GB) (Dansili [GB]) are part of an uncoupled entry for trainer Bobby Frankel, and either of them are capable of turning in a huge effort. Out of Control made his 2008 debut in the aforementioned Kilroe Mile where he finished fourth, beaten by 4 1/4 lengths. The multiple Grade 2 winner is more than capable of moving forward off that effort and his best puts him squarely in the mix. Thousand Words will be making his third North American start after a respectable but unremarkable career across the pond. In his latest effort, the bay rallied from more than eight lengths off the pacesetters to defeat an allowance/optional claiming field by 1 1/4 lengths. ZANN (Dynaformer) is coming off a troubled effort in the Gulfstream Park Turf in which he had absolutely nowhere to go in the stretch drive and finished fifth, beaten by seven lengths. In the past, the dark bay had been in contention with the best of this group so it wouldn't be wise to dismiss him. THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song) had no excuse last out in the Gulfstream Park Turf but could crash the board here if he turns things around. RUFF AND READY (More Than Ready) is a perfect four-for-four on the grass, including a 5 3/4-length victory against fellow Florida-breds last out. This will be the chestnut's toughest test to date, though. PARADING (Pulpit) has run well here on the grass at Keeneland in the past but he will need a career-best effort to claim the victory here. Friday's forecast calls for thunderstorms and a high near 70. Friday's Best Plays 3RD - CHIPPEWA COURT (Doneraile Court) has been claimed five times in her last six starts and will now be making her first start for trainer Cody Autry in this 6 1/2-furlong claiming event. The dark bay has a nice turn of foot but has shown the ability to lay off the pace when needed, which will allow her to be well-placed regardless of how fast they are going on the lead. The four-year-old filly tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and anything close to a repeat of the BRIS Speed rating she earned last out should be all it takes to claim the victory here. 10TH - OCEANOGRAPHY (Aptitude) may be ready to finally get over the hump in this 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event. The four-year-old colt came close to getting the job done last out as he rallied from just off the early pace to miss by a half-length at the wire on the grass at Santa Anita. The bay tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by more than five points and he also possesses the best BRIS Class rating. Toss in the fact that he has Frankel and Garrett Gomez in his corner and there is a lot to like.
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