Defection of Blue Prize opens up Doubledogdare

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two training factions enjoyed notable success through the first half of the Keeneland spring meet: California and Chad Brown.

Both saw their chances in the Doubledogdare Stakes on Friday at Keeneland get a substantial boost when trainer Ignacio Correas said this week that Blue Prize, who would have been the solid favorite, will be scratched to wait for the May 3 La Troienne at Churchill Downs.

That defection appears to leave La Force, in from California for Paddy Gallagher, and Electric Forest, trained by Brown, as the horses to beat in the Grade 3, $100,000 Doubledogdare. The 1 1/16-mile race drew an original lineup of nine fillies and mares as the ninth of 10 races on a Friday card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

La Force was the runner-up in three straight Grade 1 races last year on her home circuit – the Beholder Mile, Clement Hirsch, and Zenyatta – before ending her season by running eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. The German-bred mare will be making her 5-year-old debut following a steady series of 14 works since mid-December for Gallagher, who will be looking to join West Coast contemporaries such as John Sadler, Jeff Mullins, and Peter Miller in winning a race here this spring.

La Force will again have Drayden Van Dyke aboard when she seeks to improve on a 23-race record that includes a total of 13 seconds, thirds, and fourths, but just two wins.

Electric Forest, with Jose Ortiz riding, will be trying to help Brown win his first Keeneland training title and his second stakes at this meet, following Rushing Fall’s win last Saturday in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley. A Stonestreet Stables homebred daughter of Curlin, Electric Forest was a sharp debut winner here last spring and will be making her first start at 4 following a runner-up finish as the favorite in the Grade 3 Rampart at Gulfstream Park in mid-December. Brown led the Keeneland trainer standings through nine of 16 cards at the meet.

Other threats in this 25th running of the Doubledogdare are Jala Jala, a Mexican-bred star who was a two-back runner-up in the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream; Go Google Yourself, second or better in her last four starts and a winner over the highly accomplished Wonder Gadot in her most recent; and Golden Award, who makes her stakes debut with a three-race win streak, all for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

The balance of the field for the Doubledogdare, which is named for the Claiborne Farm star of the mid-1950s, is Promise of Spring, Moonlit Garden, and Eqho.

The Doubledogdare is part of a late pick four (races 7-10) with a $200,000 pool guarantee. Three allowances (races 3, 6, 8) also are on tap.

Following a couple of warm and dry days in the Blue Grass region, the forecast for both Friday and Saturday calls for highs in the 50s and the likelihood of showers.