Bendable headed to Raven Run at Keeneland

Bendable is bound for the $250,000 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 22 after winning her stakes debut in the $75,000 Beverly Lewis Stakes at Los Alamitos last Sunday.

The Raven Run field will not include Enola Gray, who lost for the first time when second in the Lewis Stakes. Enola Gray will stay in California for a three-race campaign through the end of the year, said trainer Phil D’Amato.

Bendable and Enola Gray have the same year-end goal – the $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Santa Anita, which is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 26.

The Grade 2 Raven Run for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs will be the graded stakes debut for Bendable, who races for Claiborne Farm and is trained by Richard Mandella.

Mandella downplayed the chances of Bendable starting in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, saying the La Brea was a more logical long-term goal.

“We’re happy to have a stakes winner,” he said.

Bendable ($9) disputed the pace throughout the six-furlong Lewis, beating 1-5 Enola Gray by 2 1/4 lengths. Enola Gray won her first three starts, including two races for California-bred 3-year-old fillies – the Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in May, and the Fleet Treat Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in July.

Owned by Nick Alexander, Enola Gray led throughout her first three races, but never reached the front in the Lewis.

“She came out of her race just fine,” D’Amato said. “We got beat. We got outrun. We learned something about her in the process. I watched her cool out and she acted like she didn’t run.

“I think she’s more effective at 6 1/2 [furlongs] or seven. We’ll regroup and maybe change our game plan a little bit. Our ultimate goal is the La Brea.”

D’Amato said Enola Gray will run in the $100,000 LA Woman Stakes, a Grade 3 for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 9, and the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 13.

D’Amato had mentioned the Raven Run Stakes as a possibility for Enola Gray before the loss in the Lewis.