Keen Ice launches comeback in first start for Pletcher

ELMONT, N.Y. – Keen Ice was still eligible for his first-level allowance condition when he upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes nearly 14 months ago.

Winless in five starts since and away from the races for six months due to an injury, Keen Ice tries to jump-start his career in an $80,000, second-level allowance race that serves as Friday’s feature at Belmont Park.

The one-mile race drew a field of nine, including Fast Falcon, who finished third in the 2012 Travers behind dead-heat winners Alpha and Golden Ticket.

Keen Ice has not raced since finishing eighth behind California Chrome in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 26. Upon returning to the U.S., he was transferred by owner Jerry Crawford from trainer Dale Romans to Todd Pletcher. Before Pletcher could send him to the track, Keen Ice was sent for an evaluation at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a distal cannon bone fissure fracture in his left hind leg.

Keen Ice returned to training this summer at Saratoga and shows a steady string of works for his return. Pletcher said the horse is using this race to get to the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25 or the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 26.

“The idea is to hopefully get a good comeback race,” Pletcher said. “The question will be how is he going to handle the mile? The way he’s been training, I feel like it should be fine. I’m looking forward to getting him started.”

Besides the Travers, Keen Ice’s only other win came at a one-turn mile as a 2-year-old.

Tiz Shea D, the winner of the Grade 2 Indiana Derby in 2015, and Wake Up in Malibu, a New York-bred stakes winner during the spring/summer meet here, look like the potential speed of this race.

Race 8

KEY CONTENDERS

Keen Ice, by Curlin

Last 3 Beyers: NA-NA-100

◗ Took advantage of hotly contested pace to upset American Pharoah in the Travers in August 2015. Since winning his maiden two years ago, he has competed in 14 consecutive group or graded stakes.

◗ Has worked five furlongs five times since Sept. 3, including three bullet moves.

“He’s gradually gotten better and better with each breeze as he’s gotten fitter,” Pletcher said. “His last four breezes here have been very impressive, strong gallop-outs – what you would expect from a horse that was good enough to beat American Pharoah in the Travers.

◗ Pletcher will remove the blinkers that the colt wore in the Dubai World Cup.

Adulator, by Flatter

Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-93

◗ Coming off a second-place finish in this condition going 1 1/16 miles here Sept. 11. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he doesn’t want to cut him back in distance, but this looks like his best option to get a race before the Discovery on Nov. 12.

“As long as he’s coming at the end some, runs the same way he’s been running,” Jerkens said. “I don’t want to turn him around and get him all rank; he’s done well stretching out and teaching him to settle down, he’s been so much more effective that way.”

Wake Up in Malibu, by Malibu Moon

Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-98

◗ In his last two starts going a middle distance around one turn at Belmont Park, he won the Saginaw Stakes and finished second to Connect in an allowance race. Connect came back to win the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby.