Keeneland Daily Notebook

KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2006

by Brian P. Turner

A pair of graded stakes races was featured on Friday's card at Keeneland and

was highlighted by the Maker's Mark Mile S. (G2). A mere field of six went to

the post for the eight-furlong grass event, with Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) champion

Artie Schiller (El Prado [Ire]) being sent to the post as the overwhelming

favorite as he attempted to defend his title in this event. The bay never

appeared to be comfortable during the early stages of the race, though, as he

stalked pacesetter Gulch Approval (Gulch) through early opening fractions of

:24 and :47 4/5.

Artie Schiller moved up to take the advantage as they entered the stretch

drive while Gulch Approval faded to finish last. Despite not appearing to be in

top form, the five-year-old horse found another gear and appeared to be well on

his way to the finish line when MIESQUE'S APPROVAL (Miesque's Son) began closing

through the stretch drive, gobbling up ground with every stride. The pair hit

the wire together and when the photo was developed, it showed Miesque's Approval

to be the winner by a nose.

Miesque's Approval has looked like a different animal since moving into the

barn of Martin Wolfson. In only his second start for his new conditioner, the

bay pulled off a shocker in the Sunshine Millions Turf S., where he rallied from

well off the pace to pick up the victory by three parts of a length at odds of

nearly 49-1.

Good Reward (Storm Cat) was content to lay off the pace early before moving

up to challenge in the stretch of the Maker's Mark Mile. The bay couldn't hold on late, though, and

finished another two lengths back in third.

Friday's other stakes offering found a field of 12 going to the gate for the

Shakertown S. (G3), which was contested at 5 1/2 furlongs on the lawn. Soaring

Free (Smart Strike) was the morning-line and post-time favorite as he attempted

to win this event for the third year in a row. The dark bay broke from the gate

well and stalked the pace early through a quarter that went in :21 3/5. However,

time may

be catching up with the seven-year-old gelding as he just didn't seem to

have the late punch he once possessed and faded late to finish sixth.

In the end, it was ATTICUS KRISTY (Atticus) who rallied from off the pace,

closing with a nice turn of foot late, to hit the finish line a neck in front.

The chestnut raced well in his only other appearance at Keeneland as well as he

came up only a neck short in the 5 1/2 furlong Woodford County S. last fall. In

his most recent effort, Atticus Kristy finished fourth in the Turf Dash S. at

Tampa Bay Downs.

Around The Cape (Carson City), the third-place finisher in the Turf Dash,

stalked the pace throughout and held on gamely to the end to finish second. It

was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Man of Illusion (Aus) (Encosta De Lago), who

overcame a troubled trip to finish third.

There were five sprints contested on the main track Friday with horses on or

near the pace winning three of them. As for the three main track routes, horses

on or near the pace won all of them. The only two turf races on the day were the

stakes which were won by horses closing from off the pace.

Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez combined their talents for

three wins on the day, which moves Pletcher into a tie for the second spot with

Dale Romans in the trainer standings. The pair has six winners each. Nick Zito

picked up a win on the day and still leads the way with eight winners for the

meet.

As for the jockeys, Julien Leparoux booted home one winner and still

has a hold on the top spot in the standings with eight winners thus far.

Velazquez's three winners on the day catapulted him into the second spot with

seven winners to date. Shaun Bridgmohan and Rene Douglas are in a tie for third

with six winners each.

Horses to Watch

5TH - GRAND RIDGE (Grand Slam) looked absolutely spectacular in this maiden

special event. The dark bay was 8 1/2 lengths off the lead in a half that went

in :45 2/5 but came wide to quickly gain ground on the front runners before

taking over in the stretch and gliding to the wire 5 3/4 lengths clear of the

field. It was a visually impressive performance by a filly that could prove to

be any sort.

7TH - Man of Illusion was the victim of a nightmare trip in the Shakertown S.

as he broke very slowly then was forced to steady just before the turn. Once the

bay got rolling again, he was faced with a wall of horses before switching to

the outside and closing well late to finish third.

10TH - HIDDEN FORTUNE (Gone West) had a tremendous career debut for Pletcher

in this maiden special event. The bay took the lead out of the gate and guided

the field through opening fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 4/5. Once the

three-year-old filly hit the stretch, she opened up and hit the wire 14 lengths

in front while stopping the clock for the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 3/5.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Saturday, April 15

A total of three graded stakes races are on tap for Saturday, which is the

featured day of the meet and will be highlighted by the Blue Grass S. (G1). A

field of nine three-year-olds is set to go to the gate for the nine-furlong

event and for many it is do or die time if they hope to gain a spot in the

starting gate for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on the first Saturday in May. Graded

stakes earnings are now a must and many in this field will be on the outside

looking in should they not pick up a large check here.

FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway) has been installed as the morning line 8-5

favorite but this is far from being life or death for him as he has more than

enough needed earnings to be a part of that field. The chestnut has a career

record of 7-5-1-1, which includes two Grade 1 victories, and he is coming off a

win, via disqualification, in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

STRONG CONTENDER (Maria's Mon) is one among the field who must have the

earnings if he is to make it to Louisville. The chestnut is a perfect two for

two in his brief career but this includes only a maiden score and an allowance

win. Trainer John Ward had entered his charge in the Lane's End S. (G2) at

Turfway Park back in March but he failed to draw into the field. Instead of

running him in the Rushaway S. that same day in an attempt to gain experience at

two turns, Ward interestingly opted to wait to give the colt his acid test here.

The morning line on Strong Contender is a very suspect 4-1 as with all the hype

surrounding this horse, it would be surprising to see his odds anywhere above

2-1.

BLUEGRASS CAT (Storm Cat) has lost only once since entering the barn of Todd

Pletcher and that was in his last start when he finished second in the Tampa Bay

Derby (G3). The bay picked up a couple of nice victories last fall in the Nashua

S. (G3) at Belmont Park and the Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct. It appears that his

place in the Derby starting gate is secure.

Multiple Kentucky Derby winning trainers Nick Zito and Bob Baffert each have

a runner in the field that they are hoping to get to Churchill Downs but they

will need banner efforts here today to do so. Zito will be sending out LITTLE

CLIFF (Gulch), who finished fourth last out in the aforementioned Tampa Bay

Derby. The dark bay has shown improvement in each of his starts this year and

all of Zito's runners thus far for the meet have been sitting on ready. The colt

broke his maiden here last fall so he has already shown that he can handle the

Keeneland strip.

Baffert will be sending out SINISTER MINISTER (Old Trieste), who is coming off

a second-place finish in the California Derby. The bay broke his maiden for a

claiming tag before moving into Baffert's barn in January so it will truly be a

bit of impressive training if the conditioner can get Sinister Minister into the

winner's circle here.

Saturday's 8TH race on the card will be the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup S.

(G2) for three-year-olds and upward going seven furlongs on the main track. A

field of 12 has been entered for the event with SUN KING (Charismatic) being

named the 3-1 morning line favorite. The dark bay has not run in a sprint race

since his career debut in August of 2004 where he ran a well-beaten fourth

against maiden special company at Saratoga. Still, the four-year-old colt is

trained by Zito which means he must command respect.

The last time VICARAGE (Vicar) was at Keeneland, he put in a devastatingly

impressive performance as he absolutely crushed the field in the Perryville S.

(G3) by 10 lengths, posting a career best 118 BRIS Speed Rating in the process.

Though he will be making his first start of the year, Vicarage's trainer Pletcher wins 29

percent of his starts bringing his runners back after layoffs of longer than 90

days. The dark bay should be close to the pace early and will definitely be a

factor in the stretch drive.

Those looking for a price might consider KAZOO (Tabasco Cat), who will be

shipping into Keeneland off an impressive four-length score at Aqueduct in the

Toboggan H. (G3). The chestnut will definitely be on or near the lead early

which will benefit him over this strip and he has had success at Keeneland in

the past.

The final graded stakes offering of the day is in the 7TH as a field of nine

fillies and mares, four-years-old and upward, is set to contest the Jenny Wiley

S. (G2). Contested at 1 1/16 miles on the lawn, the Jenny Wiley has attracted a

very competitive field which is headed by WEND (Pulpit), who has been named the

5-2 morning-line favorite. The bay made her first start of the year in March in

the Honey Fox H. (G3) at Gulfstream where she took the lead out of the gate and

led to the wire for a one-length victory. Wend is a perfect four for four at the

distance and only missed by three parts of a length to eventual Breeders' Cup

Filly & Mare S. (G1) champion Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) here last fall

here in the Galaxy S. (G2). The mare has a versatile running style, which

should allow jockey Edgar Prado to have his way on or near the lead early and

leave her plenty in the tank for the drive to the wire.

Standing in her way will be the Bobby Frankel-trained MIRABILIS (Lear Fan),

who is coming off a third-place effort, beaten by three parts of a length, in

the Buena Vista H. (G2) at Santa Anita. Prior to 2006, the bay had been

stationed in France and has faced some extremely tough competition over the

course of her career. Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, a solid 22 percent turf rider,

has made the trip in from the West Coast for the mount, only adding to the list

of things to like.

Those looking for a price might consider MISS MAMBO (Kingmambo), who faced

some solid competition herself in Europe. The dark bay has one start to her

credit this year, an allowance win at Gulfstream, and should be sitting on a top

effort for trainer Christophe Clement.

Saturday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a slight chance of

thunderstorms and a high in the upper 70s.

Don't forget that there will be a National Pick 4 Saturday featuring stakes

races from both Keeneland and Oaklawn Park. Leg One will be the Instant Racing

Breeders' Cup S. from Oaklawn followed by the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup, the

Blue Grass, and then the Arkansas Derby (G2).

Saturday's Best Plays

1ST - RED CHERRIES SPIN (With Approval) tops the field in BRIS Prime Power in

this claiming event and has the best BRIS Speed Rating on the dirt among the

field. More importantly, the gray possesses the best Last Race Early BRIS Pace

Rating in the field which means she should be able to bolt out to an easy lead

and let the Keeneland speed bias carry her through the stretch.

4TH - PRIZE CAT (Sir Cat) is another who should appreciate the bias at

Keeneland. The bay is coming off a solid maiden special score at Gulfstream

where he stalked the pace early before pulling away late for an easy two-length

score, posting a Last Race BRIS Speed Rating that tops the field. In addition,

Pletcher wins 28 percent of his starts in the "Maiden Winner Last Race" trainer

category.