|
|
KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2008 by Brian P. Turner Keeneland offered a total of three stakes races for the final Saturday of the meet highlighted by the Lexington S. (G2) for three-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles over the Polytrack. A few among this field were making one last ditch effort to get the graded stakes earnings needed to move on to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May. Tomicito (Street Cry [Ire]) was one of these hopefuls and was sent to the gate as the favorite by the betting public who expected him to move forward off of his even effort in the Florida Derby (G1) where he finished third, beaten by 12 1/2 lengths. In the end though, the bay didn't really live up to the hype and expectations from the betting public. After laying off the pace through hot early fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 1/5, Tomcito lacked the needed punch in the stretch drive and crossed the wire in sixth, beaten by 3 3/4 lengths. BEHINDATTHEBAR (Forest Wildcat) did have the needed late punch. Content to lie next to last early before making his move on the second turn, he finished with a solid turn of foot to claim the victory by a length. The bay has run well in four of his five career starts with his only disappointing effort coming on the dirt in the El Camino Real Derby (G3) where he finished fifth, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths. The colt rebounded with an impressive four-length victory against allowance/optional company at Santa Anita that served as a precursor for today's solid performance. Afterward, trainer Todd Pletcher said the colt was unlikely to compete in the Derby, but Behindatthebar now has the graded stakes earnings needed should his connections decide to go for it. Longshot Samba Rooster (Songandaprayer), who was making his first start for trainer Bob Baffert, attempted to lead the field from gate to wire and held on gamely in the end to cross the wire in second, a half-length clear of Riley Tucker (Harlan's Holiday) in third. Also on Saturday, a field of nine contested the Giant's Causeway S. for fillies and mares, three-years-old and up, going 5 1/2 furlongs over the lawn. DANCEROFTHEREALM (GB) (King Of Kings [Ire]) reeled off her third win in a row with an impressive performance here. The bay was content to lay off the pace early before coming wide with a solid closing move off the turn only to be forced out in the stretch drive. The five-year-old mare continued her charge toward the finish line and got up late to take the victory by a half-length. Just for Keeps (Broken Vow), who had attempted to lead the field wire to wire, crossed the finish line in second but was disqualified to fifth for veering out in the stretch and causing the interference that created issues for Danceroftherealm. This gave second place to Kindling (Boundary), who crossed the wire a neck in front of favorite Jazzy (Arg) (Mutakddim), who was moved up to third. Finally, a field of seven contested the inaugural running of the Fort Harrod S. for four-year-olds and up going 13 furlongs over the Polytrack. JADE'S REVENGE (Quiet American) pressed the pace early through opening fractions of :49 and 1:15 before spurting up to take command on his way to a solid 3 3/4-length victory. The bay was exiting an effort in the Tejano Run S. at Turfway where he disappointed as the heavy favorite to finish seventh, beaten by seven lengths. The five-year-old horse rebounded off of that performance with an impressive effort here, easily handling the field. Save Big Money (Storm Cat) rallied from last to cross the wire in second, a nose in front of High Blues (High Yield) in third. There were a total of five routes contested over the Polytrack Saturday with horses on or near the pace winning four of them. As for the three sprints, all three of these were also won by horses on or near the pace In addition to the Giant's Causeway, there was a turf route contested on the day which was won by a runner stalking the pace. Kent Desormeaux went winless on the day but still leads the way in the jockey standings with 18 for the meet. John Velazquez booted home three winners on the day to move into the second spot with 11. Jamie Theriot was unable to add to his total today but remains in third with 10. Todd Pletcher saddled four winners on the day to storm into the lead in the trainer standings over Bill Mott by a score of 10-7. H. Graham Motion saddled two winners today, moving him into a tie for the third spot with Dallas Stewart. The pair has five winners each. Horses to Watch 3RD -- ROYAL CARD (Chapel Royal) dumped jockey John Velazquez before the start of this 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event before being collared and returned to the starting gate. The two-year-old filly showed that this was just simply a sign that she was ready to run as she pressed the pace early before taking command in the stretch drive on her way to a solid 1 3/4-length victory. 8TH -- DANCEROFTHEREALM was extremely impressive in the Giant's Causeway and definitely looms a threat in her next start sprinting on the grass. Tomorrow's Outlook - Sunday, April 20 Sunday's feature is the Ben Ali S. (G3) for four-year-olds and up going nine furlongs over the Polytrack. A field of seven is set to go to the gate and GO BETWEEN (Point Given) definitely appears to be the one to beat. The chestnut is as consistent as they get as he has hit the board in 18 of 23 career starts and is coming off of a tremendous effort in the Santa Anita H. (G1) where he rallied from 13 lengths off the early lead to finish second, beaten by only three quarters of a length. The chestnut also holds a win over the Keeneland Polytrack as he rallied from just off the pace to win the Fayette S. (G3) here last fall. If Go Between runs his best race, he will be hard to beat in this spot. SIR WHIMSEY (Jump Start) will be looking for his third win in a row with his most recent triumph coming in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) on the first of March. Though this will be the dark bay's first race over an all weather track, he has posted a couple of solid maintenance works here and may just be primed for a big effort. STERWINS (Runaway Groom) has been running well on the grass at Fair Grounds which includes a couple of graded stakes placings. The gray has shown the ability to run on both the turf and the dirt so it is unlikely that the Polytrack will create any issues for him here. The gelding's best puts him squarely in the mix. LEONNATUS ANTEAS (Stormy Atlantic) has never finished worse than second in four starts over Polytrack. The chestnut made his 2008 debut last out in the aforementioned Gulfstream Park where he finished fourth, beaten by 6 1/2 lengths. The colt is capable of moving forward off that effort. MAYAN KING (Stephen Got Even) returned from more than a year layoff to finish fourth last out against optional claiming company at Aqueduct. If the chestnut can regain some of the form he showed in the past, he is capable of crashing the board here. IT'S A BIRD (Birdonethewire) is exiting a third-place effort on the grass at Santa Anita, but the best effort of his career came on the all weather surface at Hollywood. CROSSWORD (A. P. Indy) has been running well against stakes-company at Delta Downs but this will be his toughest test to date. Sunday's forecast calls for isolated thunderstorms with highs in the low 60s. Sunday's Best Plays 2ND -- PRINCESS COMPOSER (Composer) has found a very nice spot to pick up her fourth win in a row in this starter allowance event. The dark bay is exiting a gate-to-wire victory in the Fairway Fun S. at Turfway in which she hit the finish line 1 1/2 lengths in front so she should find this group to be a bit easier. The six-year-old mare has shown the ability to both run on the lead and rally from off the pace which should allow her to be well-placed early regardless of how fast they are going early. Princess Composer tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by nine points and also possesses far and away the best BRIS Class rating. 8TH -- Go Between should be tough in the Ben Ali as he tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by more than six points and a repeat of either of his BRIS Speed ratings this year would be more than enough to clam the victory.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
