Bandua easing into his 6-year-old campaign

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A deep nine-race card, featuring four allowance races and three maiden special weights, is on tap for Thursday at Keeneland.

The fifth race, for $85,000 going 1 1/16 miles on turf, is run under allowance conditions for older horses who have never won $10,000 three times other than in maiden, claiming, starter, or statebred races, or who have never won four races. Those conditions have allowed several stakes performers into this spot, including Bandua, who would loom large for Calumet Farm and Jack Sisterson. He also is cross-entered in an allowance race on Friday.

In either spot, 6-year-old Bandua will be getting class relief after nine straight graded stakes starts dating to 2019. Bandua won the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap last year as a prep for the Grade 1 Arlington Million, in which he finished third after setting the pace. He cut back slightly in distance and was eighth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile at Keeneland, then added distance again for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, also at Keeneland. In that, his most recent start, he stalked the pace, actually poked his head in front at one point, but ultimately faded to 10th.

Imperador was a multiple Group 1 winner in his native Argentina before coming to the United States late last year. He was second in a Churchill Downs allowance for Paulo Lobo, but ninth in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit last November in California in his most recent start.

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Bye Bye Melvin, trained by Graham Motion, won the Grade 3 Saranac last year at Saratoga and placed in two other stakes, including a third in the Bryan Station at Keeneland.

◗ The seventh race, an $85,000 turf sprint allowance, also matches several horses with stakes experience. Maven won the Group 3 Prix du Bois in France in 2019 and posted an allowance win at Keeneland in three starts last year. Guildsman won the Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson last year at Kentucky Downs. Another Miracle was a stakes winner in 2019 at Saratoga and 2020 at Monmouth, while Smart Remark is multiple graded stakes-placed.

◗ The eighth race, an $81,000 dirt sprint allowance for 3-year-olds, will match two lightly raced fillies with parity in their Beyer Speed Figures. Mischiefful, trained by Ian Wilkes, was second in her debut at Gulfstream Park. She won her next outing with an 82 Beyer. Dealing Justice, for Ray Handal, also was a second-out maiden winner, earning an 83. She was then a distant third of three in the Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct.

◗ Searing Chase and Thrill Ride, both of whom are coming off maiden wins on Turfway Park’s Tapeta after beginning their careers unsuccessfully on dirt, figure strongly in the second race, an $81,000 turf sprint.

◗ The three maiden races on this card are the first and third races, both for 2-year-old fillies at 4 1/2 furlongs, and the nightcap, for older fillies and mares on turf. Kaufymaker gets a second shot at her debut in the third race for Wesley Ward. The Jimmy Creed filly had been favored when entered last Wednesday, but was a late scratch in the paddock. She bounced back with a solid half-mile work from the gate Saturday morning.