Byron King's Keeneland handicapping notebook for April 16

Sunday, April 13 recap

With a “Horses and Hope Pink Day” theme, Sunday’s activities got off to a quick start, even before the races began. About 25 retired and active female jockeys, including Julie Krone, Donna Barton Brothers, Diane Crump, and Rosie Napravnik, signed autographs and greeted fans.

Fittingly, Napravnik – the active rider of the group – had a rewarding day, winning a pair of races, the second aboard Visionary Ruler and the fifth on Fiftyshadeslighter.

The day also showcased the equine females, with the Grade 2 Beaumont for 3-year-old fillies being the feature – a race Ready to Act won, though not as easily as many expected.

Last early behind a slow pace, she blew by horses on the turn and seemed headed for a comfortable victory. But when it comes to Ready to Act, she makes easy things difficult, particularly for her jockey. This is a filly who dumped Rajiv Maragh when seemingly on her way to victory in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes last fall at Woodbine.

She wasn’t that bad an actor Sunday, but she certainly made winning jockey Javier Castellano work to win on her. Once entering the stretch, she began to lug in, forcing Castellano to cock her head toward the grandstand in an effort to keep her straight.

With Castellano correcting her more than riding her in the lane, she ended up winning by a half-length over Sweet Whiskey, with Katie’s Eyes another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Katie’s Eyes might have been a bit intimidated by Ready to Act’s coming in on her in the lane, putting her in fairly close quarters between Ready to Act and Sweet Whiskey.

Ready to Act returned $5.60 as the favorite after finishing the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet in 1:28.08, a time that netted Ready to Act a modest 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Winning trainer Chad Brown called Ready to Act a “work in progress,” an accurate description.

In other notable action on the card, Excaper and Somali Lemonade won turf races on the card in fast times, both doing so on the lead.

Excaper got away with setting an easy half-mile in 47.95 seconds in race 7, a money allowance for males at mile, and kicked away to win in a quick 1:35.72, earning a 98 Beyer. And a couple of races later, Somali Lemonade, a onetime deep closer, got away with an even softer half in 48.13 seconds in her one-mile turf race and stopped the clock in 1:36.46 despite drifting out in the stretch. She ran a 90 Beyer.

Horse to watch

Gathering
Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard
Last race: April 13, 9th
Finish: 7th by 5 1/2
Beyer: 78
Making her first start since January, she was keen early and placed under a firm hold in a slow-paced race. She ended up racing in the five path virtually from start to finish, not the kind of trip that wins on turf. She should benefit from that start and likely will fare better next out if able to get covered up behind horses on the inside, how horses who have raced in Europe, like her, typically prefer to race.

Wednesday, April 16 preview

A pair of third-level turf allowances highlight the eight-race Wednesday card, with the seventh race drawing Villandry, Kalamos, and Live in Joy, and the fifth race attracting Reflecting, Grand Arch, Moro Tap, Olympic Thunder, and Adios Nardo.

Kalamos is the choice to win the seventh race – to these eyes the better of the two allowances – having performed well in three starts since being imported to the United States. He won on the Polytrack at Keeneland after a bad start last year and then twice finished third in allowances on turf at Gulfstream, with his last race earning him the top last-race Beyer, a 93.

Villandry was given the winter off – typical of a Charlie LoPresti-trained runner – and has the talent to challenge if he’s cranked for his return. He is 2 for 4 on turf, and one of those losses was a close fourth in the Grade 3 River City last fall at Churchill.

Live in Joy chased stakes winners Mr. Online and Hey Leroy in a starter at Gulfstream when third in his last start and was good enough to be stakes-placed last year.

Spot Plays

Race 3
Slick Pardoned Me (#2, 3-1) proved a game winner second off the claim for trainer Tim Glyshaw, who consistently moves up horses who come into his barn. Although this one has been running on dirt, he is 6 for 20 on synthetic tracks – suggesting he should transfer his form to the Keeneland Polytrack. He might also drift up from his morning line.

Race 4
Horses making quick returns after starts over the Keeneland track have a history of performing well at Keeneland, and Frazier’s Pegasus (#10, 2-1) fits the profile, having been third against $40,000 N2L claimers April 6. He now drops to race for $20,000 claiming.

Early scratches for Wednesday
Race 1: #4 Aggrandizement
Race 6: #3 For Goodness Sake
Race 8: #3 Aghamora