Hot combo Casse, Leparoux team with Discovered

Trainer Mark Casse and jockey Julien Leparoux were off to a hot start on Keeneland’s opening weekend, and their victories included two stakes with 2-year-olds Heavenly Love and Flameaway. They’ll look to keep the momentum with the younger set when they team up with Discovered in Keeneland’s fifth race Thursday, a $65,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds going a mile on the turf.

The race, one of four for juveniles on the 10-race Thursday card, includes several youngsters who have been flattered by the competition in their initial outings, including Discovered. The John Oxley colorbearer finished second to Catholic Boy, subsequent winner of the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes, on debut. In his next outing, Discovered was sixth in an off-the-turf maiden. He bounced back to finish third in a maiden race at Kentucky Downs behind Tigers Rule, who crossed the line second by a nose to Flameaway in the off-the-turf Bourbon Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland. Tigers Rule was demoted to third for interference in the Bourbon.

Royal Holiday, who starts for Wesley Ward, was second to Tap Daddy in another maiden race at Kentucky Downs. The latter colt crossed the line third, beaten two noses, in the Bourbon and was promoted to second after being bumped by Tigers Rule in the stretch.

Coming out of the same maiden race as Tap Daddy and Royal Holiday are third-place True Loyalty, who has landed on the also-eligible list, and Lion’s Share, who finished sixth with a troubled trip. The Animal Kingdom colt, a $550,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, may appreciate stretching out from six furlongs to the mile for trainer Dale Romans.

Hallie’s Hero, trained by Ben Colebrook, was third on debut. Runner-up Souper Smart came back to win impressively at Churchill Downs.

◗ The ninth race is a $67,000 allowance for 2-year-old fillies that features Waki Patriot, multiple stakes-placed earlier this year for John Hancock. The Beyer Speed Figure of 69 she earned running third in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park is the highest number in the field.

My Peeps has won two of her three career starts, both by open lengths, for Jack Van Berg.

Quick Quick Quick is coming off a maiden victory at Saratoga in which she bested the well-regarded Navajo with a 67 Beyer. The latter subsequently came back to win at Belmont.

◗ The 3-year-old Singing Bullet, who finished third in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes over the summer at Saratoga, steps up to face older horses in Thursday’s eighth race, a $69,000 optional-claiming event. The Adena Springs homebred, trained by Romans, is by Hard Spun and out of multiple Grade 1 winner Life At Ten.

Just Move On finished second to stakes winner Uncontested in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs last out, his first start in 10 months. The field also includes Grade 1-placed Matrooh and graded stakes-placed Frammento.