Bobby's Kitten a 3-1 morning-line favorite in overstuffed Blue Grass Stakes
LEXINGTON, Ky. – An oversubscribed field of 3-year-olds has been entered for Saturday in the 90th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Bobby’s Kitten, making his Polytrack debut after establishing himself as a standout on grass, has been listed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite after being assigned post 5 in the 1 1/8-mile race.
Fifteen were entered, although only as many as 14 can run. Divine Oath is the lone also-eligible as one of three entries for Todd Pletcher, who also is represented by Gala Award and Vinceremos.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
The Blue Grass is worth 170 points toward eligibility to the May 3 Kentucky Derby, with 100 to the winner.
Longshots mostly have dominated recent renewals of the Blue Grass, with no favorite winning since the race was moved to Poly in 2007. The last winning favorite was Peace Rules in 2003.
One of the 2014 longshots is Harry’s Holiday, a $30,000 claim who was beaten by a nose in the March 22 Spiral Stakes in his last start for a multi-way partnership of Louisville-area businessmen.
“This has been a dream, really,” said David Koenig, one of the co-owners of the son of 2002 Blue Grass winner Harlan’s Holiday.
First post Saturday is 12:35 p.m., a half-hour earlier than usual. Four other graded stakes will directly precede the Blue Grass (5:45), which goes as the 11th of 12 races. The last race goes at 6:17.
The Blue Grass will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 as part of the new Jockey Club series of races. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 71.
In other Saturday races
**Grade 1, $300,000 Jenny Wiley (race 10, 5:13): Stephanie’s Kitten (post 2) and Centre Court (post 10) drew on opposite ends of the starting gate in this pivotal race in the filly-mare turf division. The 5-year-old mares already have clashed five times since midway through their 3-year-old seasons.
They’ll be among the favorites in an outstanding field of 10 in a 1 1/16-mile race that also drew Kitten’s Point, Emotional Kitten, Abaco, Cloud Scapes, and Discreet Marq.
**Grade 1, $300,000 Madison (race 9, 4:42): Judy the Beauty returns to Polytrack, her favorite surface, as the likely favorite among nine fillies and mares. John Velazquez will be aboard the 5-year-old mare when she breaks from post 4 in this Beard Course race at seven furlongs and 184 feet.
Other notables include Apropos, Heir Kitty, Better Lucky, and Byrama.
**Grade 3, $100,000 Shakertown (race 8, 4:11): A typical wide-open field of turf sprinters goes in a terrific wagering event, with Havelock trying to improve on his remarkable 4-for-5 record over the local turf course. Thirteen older horses are entered, including Something Extra, Hogy, and Gantry.
**Grade 3, $175,000 Commonwealth (race 7, 3:40): This seven-furlong Poly race has suffered for entries in recent runnings but not this year, as Laugh Track, Dimension, Undrafted, and Longhunter are among 12 older horses.