Keeneland: We Miss Artie impresses in Dixiana Breeders' Futurity

LEXINGTON, Ky. – We Miss Artie stormed down the track to take Saturday’s $400,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, capping a sensational opening two days at Keeneland for sire Artie Schiller, whose progeny won the track’s two Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds in as many days.

In addition to We Miss Artie, a colt, the filly My Conquestadory won the opening-day Alcibiades. Like My Conquestadory, We Miss Artie won by shifting from turf to Polytrack, and with a powerful closing punch.

Ridden by John Velazquez, We Miss Artie experienced some early traffic problems, forcing him to be steadied early. But the early trouble didn’t prove costly due to a fast pace set by Solitary Ranger and General Jack, who dueled through a half-mile in 46.84 seconds.

After six furlongs in 1:11.94, the leaders were gassed, and the table was set for We Miss Artie to make his run from the back of the pack.

Angled out for the stretch run, the hard-charging We Miss Artie blew past runner-up Smarty’s Echo, who had surged to the lead in early stretch. The winner scored by 2 3/4 lengths, with Arctic Slope another two lengths back in third.

“I saved a little bit of ground on the second turn, and when I pulled him out, he saw the light, and that’s when he started running,” Velazquez said.

We Miss Artie, owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Todd Pletcher, raced 1 1/16 miles in a slow 1:46.91 and paid $21.80.

“It’s not a Kitten’s Joy,” said Ken Ramsey, referring to the progeny of his stallion who run so often in his colors. “But it’s an Artie Schiller, and they run pretty good, too.”

In taking the Breeders’ Futurity, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In race, We Miss Artie earned an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

With We Miss Artie having scored his two victories on turf and now Polytrack, his connections, if they choose, could opt to apply his paid entry fees toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.