Kasaqui will end year in Fayette Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kasaqui, an Argentine-bred gray, was unknown when he pulled a 30-1 upset in the April 17 finale at Keeneland, defeating eventual graded stakes winner Can’thelpbelieving in a second-level turf allowance. A highly eventful and productive year followed that will end when Keeneland closes its 17-day fall meet next Saturday with the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes.

“We’re going to try him on the dirt,” said Ignacio Correas, who trains Kasaqui for the Wimborne Farm of Diane Perkins. “This will be his last race of the year. We will turn him out afterward and look forward to next year.”

Kasaqui, 6, has earned $363,530 from seven starts this year, none over dirt. After the April allowance win, he clipped heels and fell in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day. Fortunate to escape injury, he then had four terrific efforts, earning Beyer Speed Figures between 98 and 102. He was beaten just a neck when second to Mondialiste in the Arlington Million.

“He has been a very good horse for us,” said Correas, whose 14 wins in 2016 include four at Keeneland.

Kasaqui is among at least six older horses expected for the 1 1/8-mile Fayette, with the other known probables being Noble Bird, Divining Rod, Chocopologie, Hawaakom, and Iron Fist. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.

Landeros, Hill are good bets

With the notable exception of Angel Cruz, whose only two mounts at the Keeneland fall meet have resulted in graded stakes victories, no jockeys are doing better for their faithful backers than Chris Landeros and Channing Hill.

Through Thursday, and with 10 of 17 cards complete, Landeros had compiled an ROI of $6 for every $2 win wager with a 4-for-20 record. Hill was close behind with a $4.73 ROI (5 for 26).

Cruz, meanwhile, drove here from his Maryland base to win the Grade 1 Alcibiades with Dancing Rags on opening day, Oct. 7, and traveled by plane before and after winning the Grade 3 Sycamore aboard Renown on Thursday.

Pick six pays $16,690

There were some rare moments of pick-six mania at Keeneland this week. Sixty-one winning tickets, each worth $16,690 for $1, were sold Thursday on a pick six that drew $1,145,677 in new handle.

Only once in track history had the single-day pick-six handle exceeded that number: on April 25, 2008, closing day of the spring meet, when a mandatory payout was in effect.

The highest pick-six payoff at Keeneland was $317,439 on Blue Grass Stakes Day in April 2007.

Churchill opens next week

Churchill Downs is preparing for a 21-day fall meet that opens next Sunday with the traditional Stars of Tomorrow card for 2-year-olds.

The $300,000 Spendthrift Stallion Stakes, a new seven-furlong race restricted to progeny of sires of the namesake breeding farm, will be among the highlights of a 10-race opener. Co-features are two $70,000, one-mile stakes races, the Street Sense and Rags to Riches.

A second Stars of Tomorrow program will be held Nov. 26. The meet runs through Nov. 27.