Keeneland: Amoss high on Sum of the Parts

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sum of the Parts was a 3-year-old who ran a decent fourth at 29-1 last year in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Whether or not his odds are shorter when the Sprint is renewed Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, Tom Amoss likes his chances.

“He’s coming up to it the right way, and I think he’s got a right to improve off his last race,” Amoss said after Sum of the Parts breezed an easy half-mile Saturday in 50.80 seconds over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland. “This move was very similar to what he did here before the Phoenix.”

Sum of the Parts led gate to wire in repeating in the Grade 3 Phoenix on Oct. 4, marking his first victory since he won the six-furlong race in virtually identical fashion in 2012. A dark bay colt by 2004 BC Sprint winner Speightstown, Sum of the Parts twice has earned 100 Beyer Speed Figures – in the 2012 BC Sprint and in his latest triumph.

“He’ll have one more easy work over the Poly next Saturday or Sunday,” Amoss said.

Sum of the Parts was among a handful of notable workers on a busy Saturday morning in Kentucky. At Churchill Downs, the work tab was led by the defending BC Classic winner, Fort Larned, who breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds over a fast track – a setup for Tuesday, when the horse will breeze again with Brian Hernandez Jr. back aboard, probably at five furlongs, trainer Ian Wilkes said.

“He’s ready to do more,” Wilkes said. “I’m very happy with his progress.”

Other Churchill workers included Gentlemen’s Bet (BC Sprint), who went five furlongs in 1:01.20 in company with his Ron Moquett stablemate Right to Vote. Gentlemen’s Bet was fourth as the 2-1 favorite behind Sum of the Parts in the Phoenix.

“I really think going back to the dirt is going to be huge for us,” Moquett said.

Also at Churchill, Laugh Track (BC Sprint), the Phoenix runner-up, went five furlongs in 1:00.60, while Rosalind (BC Juvenile Fillies) went a half-mile in 49.80 seconds in company with her Ken McPeek stablemate Arctic Slope, who has been withdrawn from BC consideration and will point to the Kentucky Jockey Club at the end of the Churchill fall meet, McPeek said.

Back at Keeneland, Smarty’s Echo (BC Juvenile), the runner-up in the Oct. 5 Breeders’ Futurity, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 with jockey E.T. Baird up.

Wide-open Fayette Stakes

A big field with no standout has been a recurring theme for many races at Keeneland this fall, including most stakes. Fittingly, the last of 17 stakes figures to sport that look when the Grade 2, $200,000 Hagyard Fayette Stakes closes the meet next Saturday, with a large lineup and no clear favorite.

Willcox Inn probably is the most accomplished prospect in a field expected to approach the Polytrack limit of 14 starters. The 5-year-old horse closed steadily to be a creditable third behind Silver Max and Wise Dan in his most recent start, the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 5.

These are the other 3-year-olds and up expected when entries are drawn Wednesday: Braveman, Finnegans Wake, Hattaash, Lea, Major Marvel, Mezzano, Nikki’s Sandcastle, Ol Army, Perfect Afleet, Set the Sail, Villandry, and Winning Cause.

Hendrickson back in business

Lori Hendrickson, whose entire 10-horse stable was destroyed last Oct. 29 by a barn fire in La Grange, Ky., has returned to training with several horses at Keeneland. This week, she could be sending out her first starter since July 2012.

Hendrickson, 43, has been working in the sports-apparel business with her husband in recent months but told Keeneland publicity last week that she just can’t stay away from the horses.

“Everybody says you can never walk away from it,” she said. “I think I really believe it now.”