Keeneland meet a sign of spring, despite the weather

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s spring, allegedly, in Kentucky, but you can’t tell by sight nor feel. The final spasms of winter’s grasp will make for an uncomfortable opening weekend at Keeneland, where a slew of major stakes will be run amid unseasonable cold and intermittent rain.

The 16-day spring meet opens Friday with Analyze It as a heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes – although it’s not certain the race will remain on turf, since rain and a high temperature of 48 are in the forecast.

It’s not supposed to be much better Saturday, when the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes will be one of five graded races on the biggest day of the meet. There’s supposed to be a break in the rain, but the high will only be in the mid-40s. And then the rain could be back for Sunday, when undefeated Rushing Fall is scheduled to make her 2018 debut in the Grade 2 Appalachian for 3-year-old fillies, one of two stakes on the day.

The good news is that enthusiasm abounds nonetheless among horsemen and fans. A per-day purse structure of more than $700,000 will yield the customary barrage of top-class racing, with many of the top jockeys and trainers from Gulfstream Park, Fair Grounds, and other winter venues here to compete on a regular basis through Kentucky Derby weekend (May 4-5) at Churchill Downs.

:: KEENELAND CLOCKER REPORT: Get workout grades and comments for the spring meet

Entries were drawn Monday for the 10-race Friday opener, with the Transylvania slotted as race 9. Analyze It, among a sizable Chad Brown contingent to arrive this week from Florida, drew the outside post in a full field of 12 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles. The son of Point of Entry is among the most hyped colts among 3-year-old turf runners, having easily won both of his starts, both last year at 2. Jose Ortiz has the call.

The $1 million Blue Grass was expected to get a large field approaching the 14-horse maximum when Saturday entries were drawn Tuesday. Good Magic, the reigning divisional champion, will be favored for Brown when he looks to rebound off a third-place finish in the March 3 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream. Other probable starters in the 1 1/8-mile race include Free Drop Billy, Sporting Chance, Flameaway, Quip, Blended Citizen, and Tiz Mischief. The Blue Grass winner gets 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

The other Saturday stakes are the Grade 1 Ashland, for which Monomoy Girl figures as a heavy favorite in a short field in her final prep for the Kentucky Oaks; the Grade 1 Madison, pitting American Gal, Finley’sluckycharm, and Lewis Bay at seven furlongs; the Grade 2 Shakertown, a turf sprint in which Disco Partner and Bucchero should be favored; and the Grade 3 Commonwealth, featuring Limousine Liberal going seven furlongs in his first start in nearly five months.

Monomoy Girl is trained by Brad Cox, the leading trainer at the recently ended Fair Grounds meet. Cox was among those out early here Monday amid a dank chill.

“We’re all set,” said Cox, referring to a half-mile breeze in 47 seconds by Monomoy Girl here Sunday. “Hopefully, we’ll get just what we need to make it to the Oaks in perfect shape.”

The Appalachian, which goes at a mile on turf, will be accompanied Sunday by another race for 3-year-old fillies – the Grade 3 Beaumont at the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet on the main track. Sunday entries will be drawn Thursday.

The meet runs through April 27, with Churchill starting its spring meet the following night. First post daily is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with Mondays and Tuesdays dark.

◗ The fourth and final pool in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager will coincide with opening weekend at Keeneland, with the pool opening at noon Eastern on Friday and closing at 6 p.m. Sunday. The lineup of 23 individually horses was to be released Tuesday by Churchill officials.

◗ Keeneland will have a new daily pre-race broadcast throughout the meet. The half-hour show will start at 11:30 a.m. Eastern and will be co-hosted by Katie Gensler and Jesse Ullery, who replaces the retired Mike Battaglia as a paddock host on the in-house simulcast signal.