Almost Famous meets nine in Ky Jockey Club; Madly Truly heads Golden Rod

Almost Famous will seek his first stakes victory when he lines up against

nine challengers in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000

Kentucky Jockey

Club at Churchill Downs. An easy debut winner on September 13, the

two-year-old son of Unbridled's Song exits a smashing six-length triumph over

optional claiming foes on November 9.

"It was easy for him," trainer Pat Byrne said after the colt's last win.

"There's no doubt he's got a lot of talent."

The dark bay has made all three starts under the Twin Spires. Almost Famous

faltered when making his stakes debut in the October 27 Street Sense, checking

in a disappointing fourth, and Byrne concluded that he had "babied" the colt in

the weeks leading up to the race. The conditioner put a fast work into Almost

Famous, added blinkers and brought his well-regarded charge back off of two weeks rest in the

aforementioned optional claimer.

Almost Famous is the co-second lowest price on the morning line among

individual interests in this weekend's first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool at

20-1 and figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the Jockey Club. Corey

Lanerie retains the mount.

The 1 1/16-mile event has also attracted recent allowance winner Laddie Boy.

Two races prior to the Kentucky Jockey Club, a field of 10 juvenile fillies

will square off at 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2, $150,000

Golden Rod

and Madly Truly rates as the one to beat following her victory in the Grade 2

Mazarine at Woodbine.

A daughter of Malibu Moon, Madly Truly placed in her first two stakes

attempts -- one at a sprint and the other on turf -- before breaking through in

the Mazarine at Saturday's distance on Polytrack. The Mark Casse filly has

trained at Churchill Downs most of her career and finished fourth as the

favorite when making her career debut over the track against subsequent Grade 2

Pocahontas winner Untapable. She could easily go favored once again with new

rider Joe Rocco Jr.

Vexed, who was beaten less than a length when second in the October 27 Rags

to Riches at Churchill Downs, is a top rival. The Arch filly broke her maiden

over the track two starts back for Al Stall Jr. and keeps Shaun Bridgmohan in

the irons.