Keeneland Daily Notebook

KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

Wednesday's 8TH race was an allowance event for fillies and mares,

three-years-old and upward, going eight furlongs over the Keeneland turf course.

BRIDAL PATH (Alphabet Soup) was sent off as the favorite in the field of nine

and rewarded her backers by rallying from last, closing with a game determined

drive through the stretch to hit the finish line 1 1/4 lengths in front. It had

been well over a year since the gray had visited the winner's circle, but she

has been running consistently as she has hit the board in seven of her last nine

starts.

Goodsprings (Weikiva Springs) took the lead out of the gate, leading the

field until the stretch, but she could not hold off the winner and was forced to

settle for second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of Beat the Band (Lord Avie) in third.

There were four sprints contested on the main track today and horses on or

near the pace won three of them. As for the three main track routes, two of

these were won by horses closing from off the pace. In addition to the 8TH race,

there was one additional turf route today which was won in gate-to-wire fashion.

Rafael Bejarano booted home two winners and continues to lead the way in the

jockey standings with eight winners for the meet. Robby Albarado guided home

three today and has sole possession of the second spot with six, two ahead of

Edgar Prado in third.

As for the trainers, J. Larry Jones now holds down the edge with three

winners for the meet, but there are six other trainers hot on his trail with

two winners each.

Horses to Watch

3RD - WIREBENDER (Flight Forty Nine) seems to have benefited from his two

starts over the all weather track at Turfway Park as he entered this claiming

event dead fit. The chestnut vied for the lead through the early stages of the

race, contesting early fractions of :22 and :46 3/5, before continuing on gamely

through the stretch to hit the finish line 2 3/4 lengths clear of the field.

6TH - READY TO TALK (More Than Ready) was content to lay off the pace through

the early stages of this two-year-old filly turf allowance event. Once the field

came off the turn, the bay closed with nice strides through the stretch but

could not run down the front runner who had been on an uncontested lead early.

Ready to Talk crossed the finish line in second, beaten by a nose.

7TH - SOUL SEARCH (A. P. Indy) rallied from off the pace in this allowance

event to provide trainer Neil Howard with the 1,000th win of his career. The

dark bay was content to lay off the pace early through opening fractions of :23

2/5 and :48 1/5 before bulling her way through the pack in the stretch drive to

record an impressive 7 1/2 length victory.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Thursday, October 13

Thurday's feature is the Bryan Station S. for three-year-olds going eight

furlongs on the grass. T. D. VANCE (Rahy) could prove to be tough to handle in

this event as he is coming off of a victory in the National Museum of Racing

Hall of Fame S. (G2) at Saratoga in early August. The bay has reeled off two

stakes victories in a row and holds three wins from five tries on the lawn. REY

DE CAFÉ (Kingmambo) finished three lengths behind T. D. Vance last out in the

Hall of Fame and could be capable of turning the tables with a top effort.

CLASSIC CAMPAIGN (Rahy) has twice come up on the short end of the stick against

Rey De Café but was the victim of troubled trips on both occasions. The gelding

has a win in his only try over the Keeneland grass and Stevens has been enlisted

for the ride, which could be enough to get this one to the wire in front.

Thursday's forecast calls for plenty of sunshine and highs in the upper 70s.

Thursday's Best Plays

4TH - MAPP HILL (Valid Expectations) will be making his first start since

taking the victory in a claiming event at Arlington Park back in July. The dark

bay tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and his best BRIS Speed ratings are at

the top of the field. The gelding will be taking a bit of a class drop from his

last start, but trainer Asmussen is a solid 25 percent in the "Down One Class"

trainer category and wins 26 percent of the time in the "Winner Last Race"

category.

5TH - BAMMEL (Coronado's Quest) will be stretching out to a route for the

first time in his two race career after finishing second last out in a

six-furlong maiden special event at Turfway Park. The two-year-old colt posted a

BRIS Speed rating in that event which towers over those whom have started among

this field and his pedigree indicates that he should benefit from the stretch

out. Bammel's BRIS Pace ratings indicate that he should be on or near the lead

early in this field and still have plenty left for the run to the wire. Asmussen

trains this one as well and wins 22 percent of his starts in the

"Sprint-Sprint-Route" trainer category, adding to the list of things to like.