Arklow sharp for Sycamore Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It comes just 16 days before the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and yet the Sycamore Stakes on Thursday at Keeneland still might produce a starter or two for the Nov. 3 race.

The connections of Arklow and those of Oscar Nominated have not ruled out running back in the BC Turf at Churchill Downs if their horse turns in a big effort in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sycamore, highlight of a nine-race Thursday card.

Arklow earned a career-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure when he won the Sept. 8 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs under Florent Geroux. Trainer Brad Cox said the 4-year-old has come to such a peak that it might be unwise to pass on the BC Turf solely because of timing.

“We’ll see how everything plays out, but yeah, the horse is going really good right now,” said Cox.

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Arklow, owned by a partnership that includes Donegal Racing, will have Geroux back aboard when he breaks from post 5 in a field of 13 older horses in the Sycamore, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles and around three turns.

Two of the more well-regarded Thursday rivals who finished behind Arklow in the Turf Cup were Bigger Picture (second) and Oscar Nominated (fifth as the favorite), both trained by Mike Maker.

Maker said Bigger Picture (post 6, Tyler Gaffalione) was removed from BC consideration “a while ago,” but that owner Ken Ramsey might want to run back if Oscar Nominated (post 4, Jose Ortiz), an earner of more than $1.5 million, demonstrates he’s willing and ready. In fact, the last Sycamore winner to wheel back in the BC Turf was Kindergarden Kid for the Ramseys and Maker. He ran sixth at 37-1 in the 2012 Turf at Santa Anita.

“I think both horses are sitting on good races,” said Maker. “They’re a couple of old, hard-knocking veterans. They know what the game’s all about.”

The pace in the Sycamore should be an honest one, given the presence of Final Copy, Zulu Alpha, Teodoro, and Harlan Strong, all of whom have shown early-going tendencies. Most of the others are stretch-running types, with the notable exceptions of Arklow and Can’thelpbelieving, both of whom have developed effective stalking styles.

Can’thelpbelieving (post 11, Joe Bravo) will be making his second start since a 13-month layoff. His trainer, Graham Motion, has three wins in the Sycamore, two shy of the race record among trainers of five held by Jonathan Sheppard.

The Sycamore, named for the massive tree situated at the entrance of the Keeneland walking ring, was first run in 1995, when Craig Perret rode the winner, Lindon Lime, for trainer Elliott Walden. Rochester (2001, 2002, 2005), trained by Sheppard, is the lone three-time winner. The 2017 winner was Big Bend at 18-1.

First post Thursday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the Sycamore, the eighth race, set for 4:57. The forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a high of 54.

◗ An oversubscribed field of 3-year-old fillies is entered in the Friday feature, the Grade 3 Valley View at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Daddy Is a Legend, who was scratched last Saturday from the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, could be a slight favorite under Manny Franco.

◗ A 10-race Saturday card highlighted by the Grade 2 Raven Run will be the first half of a Bluegrass doubleheader that ends with the Vanderbilt-Kentucky night football game. Alter Moon and Moonshine Memories are among the top prospects for the Raven Run.