Keeneland: Big fields for opening-day stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Big fields were entered Tuesday for the opening-day features of the Keeneland fall meet, the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades and Grade 3 Phoenix, back-to-back stakes that anchor a 10-race Friday card.

The $250,000 Phoenix drew a field of 12 and presents a fascinating matchup between horses drawn on opposite ends of the starting gate: Runhappy (post 1), entered off his blazing victory in the King’s Bishop Stakes, and Work All Week (post 12), the defending champion in the North American sprint division.

Maria Borell, trainer of Runhappy, said Tuesday that drawing the often-tricky rail post in the six-furlong Phoenix won’t necessarily prove a disadvantage. Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado has a return call on Runhappy.

“I believe in my horse,” said Borell.

Work All Week won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last fall when getting a perfect trip from post 13 in a 14-horse field.

With jockeys, here is the field for the 163rd Phoenix: Runhappy, Prado; Gentlemen's Bet, Robby Albarado; Barbados, Luis Saez; Holy Boss, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Sharp Sensation, Jose Ortiz; Nates Mineshaft, Rafael Mojica Jr.; A.P. Indian, Daniel Centeno; Alsvid, Chris Landeros; Fast Anna, Channing Hill; Bump Start, Paco Lopez; Waco, Eric Cancel; and Work All Week, Florent Geroux.

Eleven 2-year-old fillies are in the 64th running of the $400,000 Alcibiades, which goes at 1 1/16 miles: Gomo, Mario Gutierrez; Marquee Miss, Geroux; Put Da Blame On Me, Albarado; Decked Out, Kent Desormeaux; Ma Can Do It, Lopez; Little Cherie, Saez; Dream Dance, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Lookout Sister, John Velazquez; Dothraki Queen, Corey Lanerie; Princess Kennedy, Joe Johnson; and Just Wicked, Ortiz.

Conspicuous by her absence from the Alcibiades lineup is Pretty N Cool, who was scratched last weekend from the Chandelier at Santa Anita, ostensibly to run at Keeneland. However, Keeneland racing officials said Tuesday that trainer Bob Baffert informed them he had changed his mind.

Both the Phoenix and Alcibiades are Win and You’re In events toward their respective divisions on the Saturday, Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup card at Keeneland. In all, eight Win and You’re In races will be held within the first five days of the meet.

Three allowances and three maiden-special races also are on the Friday card. In Race 2, Kalamos, the recent 50-1 winner of the Old Friends Stakes, is back in the entries for owner Edward Boerjan in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance.

Friday kicks off “FallStars Weekend,” with five graded stakes set for Saturday and two on Sunday. The Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on Sunday is expected to match the last two Kentucky Oaks winners, Untapable and Lovely Maria. The Spinster is a Win and You're In for the BC Distaff, the feature on the Friday, Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup card.

Friday is the first of 20 days of live racing at Keeneland this month. The “regular” meet runs 17 days, through Oct. 24. Then comes “Prelude to the Cup” on the Thursday before the Breeders’ Cup, Oct. 29, followed by the two Breeders’ Cup days.