Kentucky notebook 10-8

KENTUCKY

NOTEBOOK

OCTOBER 8

by Steve Moody

Thirty-two times a year. Thirty-three if we're lucky. A scant

6 weeks and two days when local residents figure out how to get

out of at least a half-day of work to make it to the track. You

plan your route to the track to avoid the traffic, plan again

later in the day to avoid it going home.

Thirty-two times when you watch the 11 o'clock news for the

weather forecast and are genuinely disappointed when the

weatherman calls for rain and turns out to be right. Thirty-two

trips to the racetrack and it's a rarity when you don't see a

stakes race. Maidens run for a $50,000 purse. While many

racetracks these days resemble ghost towns, finding an empty seat

at Keeneland is like finding money.

Occasionally, finding standing room can be a chore.

Warm-weather fall days with racing in the afternoon and college

football in the evening are incomparable even when the football

portion of your day leaves something to be desired. Betting, beer

and burgoo. It doesn't get any better than that.

Thirty-two times a year. Thirty-three if we're lucky.

Keeneland opens its fall meet Friday, a 17-day stand with more

than $10 million in total purse money. Racing will be Wednesday

through Sunday with 1ST race post time each day at 1:15 p.m.

(ET). As usual with the Breeders' Cup taking place in three

weeks, the stakes schedule is front-loaded to enable contenders

to get one final prep before heading to Lone Star Park.

The first three days of the meet have been dubbed FallStars

Weekend and will be an exceptional three days of racing. Opening

day will be highlighted by the $400,000 Alcibiades S. (G2) for

two-year-old fillies and the $250,000-added Phoenix Breeders' Cup

S. (G3) for three-year-olds and upward.

The next day, three-year-olds and up meet on the turf in the

$600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1). The $500,000 Breeders' Futurity

(G1) will test two-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000

Sycamore Breeders' Cup S. (G3) will feature three-year-olds and

upward at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

Sunday's program showcases the $500,000 Spinster (G1) for

fillies and mares on the main track and the $500,000 Galaxy S.

(G2) for fillies and mares on the turf. The Storm Cat S., a

one-mile race on the turf for three-year-olds, also will be on

the card that day.

"Opening weekend is three outstanding days of

racing," Keeneland's Director of Racing Rogers Beasley said.

"The fall meet offers something for everyone in the racing world -- dirt, turf, sprint, distance races."

Reduced takeout and guaranteed Pick 4s are on tap for the meet

as Keeneland recently announced several changes to its wagering

menu. There will be a guaranteed Pick 4 and lower takeout on all

multi-race wagers (Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 6).

A $300,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool will be offered each Sunday

during live racing.

"The Pick 4 is becoming a very popular wager,"

Keeneland's President and CEO Nick Nicholson said. "We hope

people who follow Keeneland racing will enjoy wagering on the

guaranteed Pick 4 every Sunday."

Making the guaranteed Pick 4 even more appealing to players is

the takeout reduction from 19 to 17 percent.

"The lower takeout means more money is returned to our

customers," Nicholson continued. "It is a way for us to

give back to our loyal fans."

In addition, the Pick 6 wager has been changed to a minimum $2

bet from the previous $1. This was done partly to be in line with

most other racing states that require a $2 minimum on the Pick 6.

It also allows the track to possibly generate bigger carryovers

more quickly.

Nine races will be carded on Wednesdays, Thursdays and

Sundays, 10 on Fridays and Saturdays. There are three daily

doubles scheduled each day (Races 1-2, 5-6, and either 8-9 or

9-10). Rolling Pick 3's begin on Race 1 and there are also three

Pick 4s each day. They begin on Race 2, 4 and either 6 or 7

depending on how many races are carded. A complete view of the

wagering format is available at

http://www.keeneland.com:8000/liveracing/wageringformats.asp

Sense of Style doesn't scare off competition in

Alcibiades

Despite the presence of the undefeated Sense of Style (Thunder

Gulch) in Friday's Alcibiades the starting gate will be

nearly full of two-year-old fillies trying to unseat the early

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) favorite. A field of 11 was

drawn Wednesday for the 53rd running of the 1 1/16-mile event.

Sense of Style broke her maiden at first asking at Saratoga,

then came right back to easily win the Spinaway (G2) in her

second start. She was left at the start in the Matron (G1), but

recovered to score by a length with Edgar Prado aboard. The bay

filly posted a bullet work since over the Oklahoma training track

at Saratoga and will clearly be the one to beat on Friday against

10 rivals, the most she's ever faced in her brief career.

Miss Matched (Formal Gold) was second to the favorite in the

Spinaway and has been given a short rest by trainer John Ward.

Miss Matched was purchased privately after a 12 1/2-length maiden

win by John Oxley and has been working at Keeneland over the last

three weeks. She could have the home-court edge Friday and has a

shot to turn the tables.

Punch Appeal (Successful Appeal) was no match for Sense of

Style in the Spinaway, but bounced back with a strong effort to

win the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies last out at Turfway, her

first try around two turns. She can't be counted out in the

Alcibiades.

Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band) is only a maiden winner, but was

impressive enough to be purchased privately. She's in

California-based Doug O'Neill's barn now and is worth a look at a

price. Corey Nakatani flies in from California to ride.

Crackerjack sprinters battle in America's oldest

stakes race

The Phoenix Breeders' Cup will be run for the 152nd time

Friday and may feature the most contentious field ever. The race

is the oldest in America dating back to 1831 when it was run at

the old Kentucky Association track in downtown Lexington.

Clock Stopper (Gilded Time) is the lukewarm favorite, but he's

drawn outside and his deep-closing style is traditionally not

well suited to Keeneland where inside speed usually rules.

Champali (Glitterman) has won 10 of 19 career starts and owns a

1-0-1 record in two starts at Keeneland. He wasn't at his best

last time out at Arlington, but did win his previous three

starts. He's worked well lately and can be expected to bounce

back here.

Canadian Frontier (Gone West) has won five-of-seven starts

this year and is currently riding a two-race win streak. If he

takes that  form to the Keeneland track, the five-year-old will have a big chance. Wildcat Heir (Forest Wildcat) has never been worse than

second in eight starts and has worked well since arriving at

Keeneland. The Ben Perkins trainee loves the six-furlong distance

and his tactical speed puts him in the hunt from the start.

Gold Storm (Seeking the Gold) and Super Fuse (Lite the Fuse)

finished 1-2, less than a length apart, in the Arlington Breeders' Cup Sprint H.

last out and both have to be considered with a

favorable post-position draw. The former will be challenging for

the early lead while the latter will be charging from far back.

Fire up the tote board. Shine the bugle. Le bon temps roulee!