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KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008 by Brian P. Turner Thursday's feature was the Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings Hurdle S. (NSA-G1) for four-year-olds and upward going 20 furlongs over national fences. A field of six went to the gate, with Sweet Shani (NZ) (Kashani) being sent off as the favorite. When the flag was dropped, Sweet Shani bounded out onto the lead and had opened up nine lengths on the field by the time she had covered a mile. The gray continued on with a clear lead until late in the stretch when SOVEREIGN DUTY (Kingmambo) drew even and got up just in time to hit the finish line a neck in front while giving trainer Jonathan Sheppard the one-two finish. Sovereign Duty was making his second start of the year after winning an allowance/optional claiming event at Camden on March 29. The bay ended 2007 with signs of what could be coming this year, though, as he hit the board in each of his last two starts of the year, both of which were Grade 1 events. Best Attack (Bahri) moved up to challenge in the stretch drive but tired late and faded to finish another three lengths back in third. Thursday's 7TH race was an allowance event for fillies and mares, four-years-old and up, going about seven furlongs over the Polytrack. The coupled entry of ASPIRING (Seeking the Gold) and Full of Ideas (Thunder Gulch) were sent to the gate as the favorite and rewarded their backers by finishing first and second, respectively. When the gates sprang open, Aspiring bounded out of the gate and onto the lead, guiding the field through early fractions of :24 and :47 1/5 before extending her advantage through the stretch drive to cross the wire 7 1/4 lengths in front. Full of Ideas stalked the pace early but was no match for her stablemate late as she crossed the finish line a distant second, three quarters of a length clear of Street Chant (Street Cry [Ire]) in third. Just Hoping (Gulch) crossed the finish line in fourth, completing the trifecta. There were eight sprints and no routes contested over the Polytrack Thursday with horses on or near the pace winning six of them. Today's feature was the only turf offering. Kent Desormeaux booted home four winners on the day and still leads the way in the jockey standings with 17 for the meet. Jamie Theriot added one to his total and currently sits alone in second with 10. Garrett Gomez added one to his total as well and remains in third with nine. Bill Mott saddled a winner today and still leads the way in the trainer standings with seven for the meet. Todd Pletcher went winless but remains in second with five along with Dallas Stewart, who added one to his total. Horses to Watch 1ST - FREE SPACE (Aldebaran) found the drop in class to be exactly what she needed to get into the winner's circle in her second career start. The three-year-old filly was content to stalk the pace early through an opening quarter that went in :22 3/5 before dropping farther off the pace in a half that went in :46 2/5. Once the field hit the stretch though, the chestnut closed with a tremendous turn of foot to easily defeat this maiden claiming field by 3 3/4 lengths. 4TH - RALLYING CRY (War Chant) had a very nice North American debut for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor in this six-furlong allowance event. The dark bay was content to lay off the pace early through opening fractions of :22 2/5 and :45 2/5 before finishing with a nice turn of foot through the stretch drive to cross the wire in front by a neck, stopping the clock for the six furlongs in 1:09 3/5. It will be interesting to see what the connections have in mind next for the colt. Tomorrow's Outlook - Friday, April 18 A field of seven is scheduled to go to the gate for Friday's Doubledogdare S. (G3) for fillies and mares, four-years-old and up, going 1 1/16 miles over the Polytrack. PANTY RAID (Include) appears to have found a pretty nice spot to make her 2008 debut as she attempts to improve upon her perfect two-for-two record over the Keeneland Polytrack. The four-year-old filly captured an allowance event here last spring before returning in the fall to rally from off the pace to capture the Spinster S. (G1) by a half-length. The dark bay has been working steadily for her return to the track and should be ready to roll as she begins her four-year-old campaign. MERIBEL (Peaks And Valleys) will be returning to Keeneland for the first time since capturing the Valley View S. (G3) in October of 2006. The five-year-old mare is coming off a third-place effort on the grass in the Endeavour S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs where she rallied from 11 lengths off the early pace to miss by only three-quarters of a length at the wire. That was the dark bay's first start of the year, and she is more than capable of moving forward off that effort. CARRIAGE TRAIL (Giant's Causeway) will be making her second start of the meet as she is coming off a sixth-place finish in the seven-furlong Madison S. (G2) where she ran evenly throughout only to come up 4 3/4 lengths short at the end. The five-year-old mare may appreciate the stretch out she gets in this one. Those looking for value may consider INDESCRIBABLE (Pleasant Tap), who will be making her first start since finishing fifth in the El Encino S. (G2) at Santa Anita in January. Prior to that effort, the chestnut had reeled off three wins in a row, including an 8 1/2-length victory against allowance competition here last October. I'M IN LOVE (Zafonic) is exiting a troubled showing in the Orchid H. (G3) on the grass at Gulfstream where she was bumped and steadied at the start before crossing the wire in eighth, beaten by more than 15 lengths. The dark bay is capable of better and could surprise here. MARQUEE DELIVERY (Marquetry) has always been a fairly consistent sort but absolutely demolished an allowance/optional claiming field by 9 1/4 lengths last out at Turfway. A repeat of that effort would put her in the mix here. SAY YOU WILL (Ire) (A.P. Indy) finished second last out in the La Canada S. (G2) at Santa Anita and broke her maiden here at Keeneland last spring. The bay rates a chance should the top choice falter. Friday's forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high near 70. Friday's Best Plays 3RD - CHEROKEE QUEEN (Cherokee Run) had a very solid career debut on the grass at Gulfstream in which she rallied from 6 1/2 lengths off the early pace to capture the lead in the stretch, only to come up a head short at the wire. The dark bay is more than capable of moving forward off that effort, where she posted a last race BRIS Speed rating that towers over this field. The three-year-old filly is near the top of the field in BRIS Prime Power and her BRIS Class rating also ranks with the best of this group. 8TH - EXTREME SUPREME (Deputy Minister) could surprise here at a respectable price in his second start off the layoff. The bay made his 2008 debut last out sprinting at Gulfstream, where he finished third beaten by 7 1/4 lengths, but he will be stretching back out today to a route distance, where he is better suited. The five-year-old horse has run well here in the past and the fact that Desormeaux takes the call hurts his appeal none at all. Extreme Supreme possesses some of the best BRIS Speed ratings in the field and he is near the top of the field in BRIS Class rating.
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