Keeneland Daily Notebook

KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2007

by Brian P. Turner

Thursday's featured stakes offering was the Beaumont S. (G2) for

three-year-old fillies going about seven furlongs over the Polytrack. A well-matched field of seven went to the gate, with Forever Together (Belong

to Me)

being sent off by the betting public as the post-time favorite. The gray was

looking to run her career mark to a perfect four-for-four and was coming off an

impressive victory in the Forward Gal S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park where she

stalked the pace early on her way to an easy two-length victory.

In the end, the day belonged to STREET SOUNDS (Street Cry [Ire]), who

bounded out of the gate to vie for the lead with Eternal Grace (Gilded Time) and

Palace Pier (Out of Place) while Forever Together was content to settle just off

the pacesetters through an opening quarter that went in :23 1/5. When they

completed a half in :45 2/5, Eternal Grace began to back out of it

while Forever Together looked ready to pounce. Once they came off the turn,

Street Sounds showed that she still had some gas left in the tank as she took

the lead and dug in gamely. Forever Together slowly began to gain ground on the

leader through the stretch drive, but it was too little too late as she came up a

neck short of Street Sounds at the wire.

Street Sounds had put in her best efforts on the grass, including a 3

3/4-length victory in the Selima S. at Laurel Park, but showed that the

Polytrack was no problem as she turned in a very nice performance to pick up her

first graded stakes victory.

Palace Pier began to tire in the stretch drive but held on well to

cross the wire 1 3/4 lengths farther back in third.

There were a total of six sprints contested on the Polytrack today with

horses on or near the lead winning four of them. As for the two routes, one was

won by a horse stalking the pace and the other by a closer. The lone turf route

on the day was won by a runner pressing the pace.

Julien Leparoux booted home a winner on the day and still leads the way in

the jockey standings with eight for the meet. Edgar Prado added one to his total

today to take sole possession of the second spot with six. Garrett Gomez went

winless on the day but remains in third with five.

Michael Matz added two to his total today while Patrick Biancone added one,

leaving the pair in a tie atop the trainer standings with three winners each.

Seven separate trainers, including Todd Pletcher and John Ward Jr., have two

winners.

On a side note, horseplayers have had trouble putting the pieces of the

puzzle together in the Pick 6, which has left a very nice carryover of $77,844

for Friday's card.

HORSES TO WATCH

2ND - ONE HOT WISH (Bring the Heat) put in perhaps the most visually

impressive performance by a two-year-old ever witnessed at Keeneland in this 4

1/2-furlong maiden special weight event. The chestnut bounded out of the gate

and onto the lead as she opened up two lengths on the field in a quarter that

went in :21 2/5. Once she hit the stretch, the filly unleashed a powerful turn

of foot with the greatest of ease to cross the finish line 12 1/4 lengths in

front in what is initially being reported as a new world record time of :48 4/5.

4TH - UPCOMING STORY (Tale of the Cat) easily broke her maiden in her second

career start in this seven-furlong event. The chestnut was content to

lay close to the pace through opening fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 1/5 before

coming off the turn with a six-wide move that propelled her to the lead. From

there, the three-year-old filly opened up on the field to cross the finish line

4 1/4 lengths in front under little more than a hand ride.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Friday, April 13

Friday's featured stakes offering is the Maker's Mark Mile S. (G2) for

four-year-olds and up going eight furlongs on the grass. A very impressive field

of nine is set to go to the gate headed by SHOWING UP (Strategic Mission), who

has picked a tough spot to make his 2007 debut. After finishing sixth, beaten by

10 lengths, in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1), the chestnut made the move to

the lawn. He proceeded to reel off four wins over the course of his next five starts,

including two wins against Grade 1 company. The four-year-old colt has been

working well for his return to the track and trainer Barclay Tagg wins with 18

percent of his starters when he brings them back from layoffs longer than 90

days. Some may question whether eight furlongs is too short, but Showing Up has won at a

variety of distances over the course of his brief career so the distance should

be no problem.

KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) appears to have the best chance of upsetting the

favorite and his 6-1 morning line is very enticing. The gray returned from a

layoff in March to stalk the pace early on his way to a game victory in the

Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) at Santa Anita, an effort which should have all the kinks out

of him after the winter layoff. The four-year-old colt has a record of 6-5-0-0

at the distance and one of those victories came right here at Keeneland when he

stalked the early pace on his way to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Bryan Station

S. last fall. REMARKABLE NEWS (Ven) (Chayim) has run well in each of his two

starts at Keeneland, including a second-place effort in the Shadwell Turf

Mile S. (G1) last October. The chestnut went on a vacation after that but

returned with a nice tune-up against allowance/optional claiming company at Gulfstream,

where he pressed the pace throughout before digging in gamely late to hit the

finish line a neck in front. The five-year-old horse has compiled a lifetime

record of 12-7-3-1 on the grass which makes him hard to ignore.

BAYEUX (Red Ransom) rallied from seven lengths off the pace to come up only a

neck short to Kip Deville in the Kilroe Mile. The bay has looked good

in each of his three starts since arriving in North America, including a win

in the River City H. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The gelding does his best running

from off the pace and appears to be the one most likely to run them down in the

end should a pace duel develop. SKY CONQUEROR (Sky Classic) will be making his

first start since finishing third in the Canadian International S. (Can-G1) last

fall at Woodbine. The chestnut has been working forwardly for his return to

racing right here at Keeneland and he is definitely capable of having an impact

if he is ready to roll after the layoff.

OLD DODGE (Brz) (Dodge) put in a very nice performance last out while

finishing third in the Appleton H. (G3) at Gulfstream as he rallied from off the

pace to finish third, beaten by three parts of a length. A repeat of that effort

could get him a share of the purse. PURIM (Dynaformer) is a very nice horse but

might find the company here to be a bit too tough. The dark bay would need a

major move forward to have an impact here.

FREE THINKING (Unbridled) last raced in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at

Churchill in November, where he finished 11th, beaten by 12 lengths. The bay is a

bit erratic but can throw in some nice efforts on occasion. STORM CALLER (Stormy

Atlantic) has been working at Keeneland for quite some time now but he appears

to be overmatched against this group.

Friday's forecast calls for a chance of showers with highs in the mid-50s.

Friday's Best Plays

2ND - STAR CREST (Frisk Me Now) overcame a troubled trip, where she was forced

to check, to miss by only a half-length last out at this level at Turfway Park.

The dark bay posted an 84 BRIS Speed rating in that event, which is the best

"Last Race" Speed rating in this field, and she also tops the field by

more than three

points in BRIS Prime Power. The six-year-old mare has demonstrated a versatile

running style over the course of her career, which should allow jockey Leparoux

to have her well placed regardless of the pace scenario out on the lead. Given

all of this, her 4-1 morning line is very enticing.

6TH - DON'TWAIT TOOLONG (War Chant) will be returning to Keeneland in an

attempt to improve off his very nice effort here last fall where he finished

third to Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Teuflesberg (Johannesburg) in a maiden

special weight event. The bay tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and is near the

top of the field in BRIS Class rating. His BRIS Speed rating here on the

Polytrack is also near the top of the field. The three-year-old colt has been

working on the grass at Palm Meadows, which should have him dead fit and sitting

on a big effort.