Byron King's Keeneland handicapping notebook for April 18
Thursday, April 17, recap
Winning a single race in a day at a track like Keeneland is challenging for any trainer, let alone two races. On Thursday, Graham Motion won three, vaulting him into a tie for leading trainer at the meet with six wins, along with Wesley Ward and Mark Casse.
As if that wasn’t enough, one of those victories came in the featured Appalachian Stakes with Daring Dancer, who defeated a classy field in her first start since last fall, improving her record to 3 for 3.
Under a ground-saving trip by Alan Garcia, Daring Dancer raced a mile on firm turf in 1:36.04, but it was the turn of foot she displayed in winning the Appalachian, the eighth race of nine on the card, that was the most impressive aspect of her race.
She simply blew by the opposition, outkicking two very good 3-year-old fillies in Sweet Acclaim and the favored Recepta.
Motion’s earlier winners were Otokogi, who edged Irish Ninja in a tight photo in a fifth-race maiden contest, and Draw Two, who won for fun in a 1 1/2-mile turf contest in race 6.
Motion used three different jockeys in his three-win day Thursday, with John Velasquez on Otokogi and Joel Rosario on Draw Two.
In non-Motion action, Ward – who had his first two babies go unplaced in the first 2-year-old race of the meet – reclaimed his place as the juvenile training king in race 2. His two starters ran first and second, with Hootenanny dominating on the lead, running 4 1/2 furlongs in a quick 51.15 seconds while defeating uncoupled stablemate Circle the World by 4 1/4 lengths.
The latter was game for second, edging third-place Sky Racer, who made a menacing wide move after a slow break, only to flatten out in the lane.
The biggest surprise was that Hootenanny paid $11.80, and the Ward exacta returned $29.60, due largely to Sky Racer getting hammered to even money.
Horse to watch
Iron Ginny
Trainer: Dave Kassen
Last race: April 17, 1st
Finish: 1st by 1 1/4
Beyer: 79
One race after dominating on dirt for $6,250 claiming, this mare repeated at the $16,000 level for owner-trainer Dave Kassen. Having shown that she can handle the Polytrack, she should be tough this summer in starter allowances at Arlington Park.
Ontrack patrons at Keeneland on Friday will get a chance to meet much of the movie cast and crew from “50 to 1” – plus Mine that Bird, the winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby, who will be at the track.
The movie opens Friday in Kentucky after being released in other states on a gradual basis in past weeks.
Friday’s events at Keeneland kick off at 1 p.m. Eastern with a fan meet-and-greet. Mine Than Bird will later be paraded in the paddock around 2:30, and then the connections and cast will be recognized in the winner’s circle at 2:50.
The racing action Friday also is noteworthy, with an excellent renewal of the Doubledogdare, featuring Polytrack specialist Emollient, who won both the Ashland and Spinster over the Keeneland main track last year.
Spot Plays
Race 3
Bisque (#5, 6-1)
Bisque gets the chance to run on the turf for the first time since a maiden-breaking triumph at Indiana Downs last July, and horseplayers should expect a move forward off his current form. He is better than what he showed in his latest at Turfway on the Polytrack when a distant third to Spiral runner-up Harry's Holiday.
Race 4
Remembermealways (#2, 3-1)
She joins the high-percentage Maggi Moss barn off the claim, and although this one moves up from $10,000 to $25,000 claiming, she has the back class to suggest she is up to the challenge. She is also a past winner on synthetic.
Race 5
War Ready (#6, 6-1)
He was sideswiped at the start of an April 5 race at Keeneland against maiden $50,000 company and ran well to finish a close fifth. Now he is dropped a notch to maiden $40,000 and encouragingly wheeled back quickly to run again on the Polytrack.