Keeneland: Raven Run better option for Strike the Moon than Breeders' Cup

Strike the Moon, winner of the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks last month in her most recent outing, likely will bypass the BC Filly and Mare Sprint in favor of the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run at Keeneland next Saturday, Oct. 22, trainer Mike Trombetta said this week from Laurel Park in Maryland.

“I figure we’re 5-1 or less in the Raven Run, and 30-1 in the Breeders’ Cup,” said Trombetta. “We put her on a van this morning (Wednesday), and I’m going to have Julian Pimentel work her Saturday morning after he rides the stake there Friday. If she works really well, we’ll go in the Raven Run and just forget about the Breeders’ Cup.”

Strike the Moon, owned by Larry Johnson, has 3 wins and 4 seconds from 8 career starts and surely would be one of the favorites in the seven-furlong Raven Run.

Reed loses apparent 17-1 winner

Eric Reed thought he was a winner with his first starter back since he served a three-week suspension for a medication violation in Pennsylvania. But no.

Right Sassy, under the wire first for Reed and jockey Junior Alvarado in the Wednesday opener at 17-1, was disqualified and placed eighth for stretch interference, leaving Reed quite disappointed.

“That was a tough one, especially coming back from my days,” he said.

Tippie Tap, a first-time starter trained by Leigh Delacour, was awarded the victory at 11-1.

Rare white horse set to debut

A rare white Thoroughbred will make her career debut here Friday when Patchen Princess breaks from post 1 in the sixth race.

Patchen Princess, a 2-year-old filly by Pioneering, is from a long and proud line of white Thoroughbreds bred and raced by the Patchen Wilkes Farm of Warren Rosenthal. Her dam, Patchen Beauty, was produced by an unraced white dam, Precious Beauty, who traced her lineage to White Beauty, a 1963 foal and the first-ever white Thoroughbred registered by The Jockey Club.

Flat Out on the grounds at Churchill

Flat Out, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, arrived Tuesday evening at Churchill following an uneventful flight from New York. He will train toward the Nov. 5 BC Classic out of Barn 47 in the far end of the Churchill stable area along the mile chute.

“I’ll probably give him an easy work this weekend,” said trainer Scooter Dickey.

Weather turns more fall-like

The weather here Wednesday provided a contrast to the brilliant sunshine and mid-80s temperatures that graced the opening three-day weekend. Gray clouds hovered over the track, with temperatures hovering in the mid-60s, with an ontrack crowd, quite predictably, down sizably from the weekend, when attendance totaled more than 60,000.

A slight warming trend is forecast into Sunday, but by the middle of next week, a cold front is supposed to come through, with low temperatures dipping into the 30s and highs of only about 50.

◗ Keeneland has been named the winner of the International Simulcast Award for best simulcast production at a recent simulcasting conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. The track’s department of broadcast services, headed by G.D. Hieronymus, won the award for coverage of the Giant’s Causeway Stakes in April. It is the fourth time Keeneland has won the award (2003-08-09).

◗ Wednesday was the annual Make-A-Wish Day at Keeneland, with children suffering from life-threatening illnesses taking part of the action by presenting winner’s trophies after each race. A spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation said it takes about $6,000 to make a child’s wish a reality and urged racegoers to help in their worthy cause.