Keeneland: Brilliant Speed a nose best in Blue Grass

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Brilliant Speed, rallying down the center of the track under Joel Rosario, got up in the final stride to edge Twinspired by a nose in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland.

The finish was so tight that it took several minutes for placing judges to determine the order of finish. The winning margin appeared to be an inch or two.

“That was close,” Rosario said with relief in the winner’s circle after the race.
Twinspired ran extremely well in defeat, just failing to last. He was followed across the wire by fellow longshots King Congie and Newsdad.

Favored Santiva, in traffic for much of the race, never threatened and was unplaced.
The winner, a 3-year-old son of Dynaformer owned and bred by Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud, raced 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.92 on Keeneland’s synthetic surface. He paid $40.20.

Brilliant Speed, second in the Dania Beach and Hallandale Beach Stakes this winter at Gulfstream this winter for trainer Tom Albertrani, had raced on turf in five straight races since last fall.