Bryan Station seven hope to do papa proud
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The Keeneland fall meet has been prime time for Not This Time. Already in the midst of a career year, the stallion is the sire of four graded stakes winners at the meet. He can add to his total on closing day as he is, improbably, the sire of seven of the 12 projected runners in Saturday’s Grade 3, $600,000 Bryan Station Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf.
Not This Time, who raced as a homebred for Albaugh Family Stables and now stands at Taylor Made Farm, is the sire of Rhetorical, winner of the richest race at the meet, the Grade 1, $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile. He is also the sire of Grade 2 Bourbon winner Final Score, Grade 2 Jessamine winner Imaginationthelady, and Grade 2 Franklin winner Time to Dazzle. Incredibly, he swept the trifecta in the Jessamine – only the fifth time a stallion has accomplished that feat in a graded stakes since 2000.
“I had to pinch myself. I couldn’t believe it,” said Jason Loutsch of Albaugh Family Stables. “It was something I’d never seen before. It’s a lot of fun for us as a family just to sit back and watch the babies run. I know we don’t own them all, but it sure puts a smile on your face.”
There could be plenty to smile about on Saturday. Not This Time’s runners in the one-mile Bryan Station – which has three also-eligibles – includes lukewarm morning-line favorite Giocoso at 9-2 and Final Gambit, the co-second choice at 5-1. He is also represented in the field by Grade 1 winner Troubleshooting, Antisocial, Dream On, Mesero, and Tenacious Leader.
Final Gambit, a Grade 3 winner on Tapeta and a creditable fourth in the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, has finished off the board in three consecutive graded stakes on turf. He is cutting back in distance, a move that might seem odd for a closer, but perhaps the shorter distance will create a stiffer early pace to help set up his rally.
Dream On set the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year before fading, but he’s been a bit further back in some of his races this year. Tenacious Leader stalked the pace in second before a close allowance win last out at Keeneland. While he’s not a need-the-lead type, Antisocial has been forwardly placed in some of his better efforts. Golden Afternoon, by Goldencents, could also add to the pace.
Plensa and Giocoso would benefit from having some some pace in front of them. Plensa, a Caravaggio colt who is the co-second choice, got up from 10th early to win the Gun Runner on Sept. 6 at a testing mile at Kentucky Downs.
Giocoso is not a deep closer, but he seems to appreciate having a target. The strapping, well-meant colt seems to have found his niche at a mile on turf, winning the Grade 2 Secretariat at Colonial Downs before finishing second in the longer-playing Gun Runner.
Troubleshooting is stretching out after winning the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs going 6 1/2 furlongs, a distance that plays more like seven furlongs at that track. He ran down Golden Afternoon by a half-length after a troubled start. A better break could have him closer early here.
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Bowman Mill
Also on the stakes slate Saturday is the $250,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-olds sprinting six furlongs. The field has some quick juveniles who are likely to burn up the track.
Spun D M C earned a very good 86 Beyer Speed Figure in his 2 1/2-length debut win at Churchill Downs for Randy Morse.
Gallivant posted an even higher number on the first Saturday of this meet. An Into Mischief colt trained by Ben Colebrook, Gallivant set the pace in a six-furlong maiden race before being run down late and finishing third, earning an 89. His speedy dam, Fancy Dress Party, won multiple times at Keeneland, including a victory in the Grade 3 Beaumont.
Outfielder, a creditable fourth in the Group 1 Prix Morny in France for trainer Wesley Ward, is coming off a win in his dirt debut, a sprint allowance on Oct. 5 at Keeneland. The colt is also pre-entered in both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and Juvenile Turf, and trainer Wesley Ward, as of mid-morning Thursday, had not yet confirmed plans.
Either way, Ward will be represented in the Bowman Mill by Heartily, a debut winner on Oct. 4 with the hot-riding Johnny Velazquez aboard. With Velazquez getting the return call, the colt is well-drawn to use his speed from the rail.
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