Arnold has Leinster fresh for Woodford

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Leinster is making just his third start of the year in the Grade 2, $150,000 Woodford Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland – and not by design. With the coronavirus pandemic disrupting racing schedules nationwide – including cancelling the Keeneland spring meet and postponing the following meet at Churchill Downs – he found himself in a holding pattern while training in Florida.

But the unplanned break may be a blessing in disguise as Leinster now eyes a graded stakes win on his favorite course, which will host the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in four weeks’ time.

Speaking in late summer, trainer Rusty Arnold said: “One thing the pandemic did for me this year was keep me from over-racing these horses. So I’ve got fresh horses going into the fall.”

The Woodford, for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlong on grass, is one of two graded stakes for sprinters on the Saturday card at Keeneland. The other is the Grade 2, $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America for fillies and mares on dirt, which awards the winner a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 7. The Woodford, race 6, kicks off a $300,000 guaranteed pick 5 made up entirely of graded stakes, while the Thoroughbred Club of America, race 7, is the first leg of a $400,000 guaranteed pick 4.

Leinster, 5, had a solid 2019 campaign after winning his maiden that April in an allowance race at Keeneland. He won the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga with a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, tops in this field. He then finished third in the Grade 3 Runhappy Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, second by three-quarters of a length in the Woodford, and seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Leinster returned this year from a layoff of well over six months to finish second to Extravagant Kid in a May 29 allowance at Churchill Downs. He then won the Grade 2 Shakertown on July 11 at Keeneland’s short summer meeting, defeating stablemate Totally Boss by a head.

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“It was probably the first time in my life I was begging for a dead heat,” Arnold said.

Tyler Gaffalione rode Leinster in his last six starts, starting with the Troy. However, he stays with Extravagant Kid, whom he also rode in his most recent start, for the Woodford. Luis Saez picks up the mount on Leinster, who drew post 8 in the field of 9.

Gaffalione will need to work out a trip on Extravagant Kid, who drew the rail and will be running late. After finishing fifth in the Shakertown, he and Gaffalione finished second by a neck in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs to Diamond Oops. Diamond Oops was the morning-line favorite for the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes on Friday at Keeneland.

“He never lets us down,” trainer Brendan Walsh said of Extravagant Kid. “He’s been a model of consistency. He ran a really nice race on Oaks Day just to be nipped right at the wire. He seems like he’s doing great since, so I’m expecting as good a run as ever from him. If he gets the right trip, there’s no reason why he can’t be there, or thereabouts, at the finish.”

Just Might, Chaos Theory, and Fast Boat made up the trifecta in the Colonel Power Stakes in February at Fair Grounds. Four months later, Chaos Theory won an allowance-optional claiming race at Churchill Downs, and was claimed for $62,500 by trainer John Sadler. He promptly won the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar.

Just Might finished ninth in the Shakertown, then third behind Diamond Oops and Extravagant Kid in the Twin Spires. Fast Boat was fourth in the Shakertown.

Pace battle in TCA

One race later, the six-furlong Thoroughbred Club of America could set up as a battle on the front end between Sneaking Out, who drew the rail in the field of seven, and Lady’s Island, who drew the outside post.

Sneaking Out is coming off consecutive graded stakes victories in California for Jerry Hollendorfer, taking the Grade 2 Great Lady M. in July at Los Alamitos, and then the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap in August at Del Mar. She earned Beyer Speed Figures of 92 and 96, respectively, in those two efforts, with the 96 the highest last-out number in this field.

“This filly has won two graded stakes, and we felt like she deserved a shot against the best,” Hollendorfer said. “It is an important race before the Breeders’ Cup.”

Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for the Del Mar victory, has the call Saturday.

Lady’s Island, who ships in for trainer Danny Gargan, has not missed the board in six starts this year. She is coming off a strong runner-up effort to Come Dancing in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga, beaten three-quarters of a length while earning a 92 Beyer. Gaffalione will be aboard Lady’s Island.