Hawksmoor will start next in Keeneland's First Lady

Trainer Arnaud Delacour bypassed the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine last Saturday with Hawksmoor and is pointing her to the Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady at Keeneland. The one-mile turf race will be run Oct. 7.

Delacour opted for the First Lady because Hawksmoor ran well over the Keeneland course in the Queen Elizabeth II while making her United States debut last fall. She finished third, beaten a head by Time and Motion and Harmonize in that race after leading in the stretch.

“She raced so well at Keeneland in the QE II we thought the First Lady would be a good race for her,” Delacour said.

Hawksmoor is 2 for 3 this year with victories in the Grade 3 Beaugay and Grade 2 New York at Belmont Park. She was being pointed to the Diana at Saratoga, but developed a fever and missed a week of training.

In her most recent start, she bid for the lead on the far turn on the Grade 1 Beverly D. on Aug. 12 at Arlington Park, but weakened to finish seventh, beaten 3 1/4 lengths.

On Saturday, Delacour worked Hawksmoor in company with graded stakes winner Divining Rod over the Tapeta surface at the Fair Hill Training Center. Hawksmoor was timed for six furlongs in 1:12.20. Divining Rod was given a five-furlong time of 1:00.

“They both worked well,” Delacour said. “Hawksmoor has been galloping strong.”