Floriform, Cellist take meaningful class drop

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Floriform and Cellist finished behind Shirl’s Speight last time out at Tampa Bay Downs. Shirl’s Speight emerged to win the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on April 15 at Keeneland to remain unbeaten this season. He thus flattered his foes, who drop out of graded stakes company Wednesday at Keeneland for a softer spot in a $120,000 turf allowance for horses who have never won $10,000 twice other than or who have never won three races.

Floriform is eligible to improve in his second start off a long layoff for Bill Mott. He finished third, beaten two lengths by Shirl’s Speight, in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay on Feb. 5, his first start since winning a Keeneland allowance in April 2021.

Cellist was seventh, but beaten less than five lengths in the Tampa Bay. He has made five straight stakes starts for Rusty Arnold. That run began when he won the Audubon Stakes last year at Churchill Downs over Palazzi, who he faces again here. He also was third in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and the Dueling Grounds Derby.

Skyro was second by a half-length in a Gulfstream Park allowance March 13. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92, trailing only the 94 from Floriform as the top last-out number in this field. Skyro gets the services of Tyler Gaffalione, who comes into the final three days of the Keeneland meeting as the leading rider. Gaffalione, who leads Irad Ortiz Jr. by wins, 16-13, has six mounts for Wednesday. Ortiz has four, including Absam in this allowance.

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◗ Keeneland’s Wednesday card also includes a pair of maiden special weight events on the turf, beginning with the fourth race, a $100,000 turf sprint that has drawn an overflow field. Stonestreet Farm and trainer Wesley Ward have an Irish-bred first-time starter, Chardy Party. Ortiz is named to ride.

Stonestreet has won three races this meet, including the Giant’s Causeway with Campanelle and the Limestone with Ruthin, both fillies trained by Ward, who leads the meet standings.

Ward, who has nine winners at the meet – one more than Brad Cox – sends out another first-time starter in Doozy Batz, who he owns himself.

◗ The well-bred Spare Cash and American Pyramid have both flashed ability and speed in their brief careers. The two will likely vie on the lead as they look to break through in the day’s eighth race, a $100,000 maiden for fillies and mares going a mile on the turf.

Spare Cash, by the multi-purpose sire Quality Road and out of the Grade 3-winning turf mare Cash Control, has been second or third, beaten a half-length or less, in three straight maiden races on Turfway’s Tapeta. Gaffalione rides for Cox.

American Pyramid is running back for Wayne Catalano after finishing second going seven furlongs on a wet-fast track on opening day. The filly is out of Miss Sky Warrior, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, but is by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who has proven a good turf sire.