Rock Fall extended his win streak to four, getting a smart ride from Javier Castellano in winning the $66,470 allowance Saturday by nine lengths. He earned a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure on his way to the stakes ranks for Todd Pletcher.
Trip Notes for April 18-19: Elkhorn, Charles Town Classic, Illinois Derby and more by Michael Hammersly.
HOME RUN KITTEN (#2, ML 5-2) returns to what may be his best game – sprinting on this hillside course. Oh, he can route just fine as proven by those last 3 sharp efforts at a mile (2nd in a Grade 2, 3rd in a Grade 2, 3rd in a Grade 1) but he’s 2 for 3 on this hillside course and should get the right kind of hot pace to bolster his last run.
As of this writing, the scheduled turf races at Keeneland remain on the grass despite steady rain this morning in Lexington. So bear in mind, my “How I’d play today” thoughts, being made late a.m. Sunday, are with the expectation those races will be run on a yielding grass course.
Quiet Hour takes on a field of seven in Sunday's sixth race at Gulfstream Park, the one-mile Sand Dollar Stakes. Since Jan. 1, 2014, trainer Martin Wolfson is winning at a 31 percent clip when saddling a horse switching from sprint to route, for a return on investment of $4.73.
Arties Party Girl (#6, ML 5-1) will return to action in Sunday's third race at Aqueduct, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden claimer. It will be her first start since a third-place finish by three lengths in a six-furlong race March 8 at Aqueduct. The first- and second-place finishers from that maiden claimer came back to win their next starts.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Sunday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
Deep closer QUEEN OF THE SAND (#4, 9-2) and front-runner FANTICOLA (#3, 4-1) are the keys in this filly-mare turf G2 at a mile and a quarter. ’Sand was compromised by the slow pace in her return; Fanticola will lead as far as she can.
The traditional early double holds some appeal, and it could help bolster your bankroll for later in the day.
Interesting late pick four Sunday at Keeneland.
