Keepmeinmind staying home for rescheduled Southwest Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Keepmeinmind, the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner who had been entered in the Risen Star on Saturday at Fair Grounds, will remain home and run in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Wednesday.

The Southwest has been rescheduled from Monday to next Saturday, Feb. 20, because Oaklawn has canceled racing Saturday to Monday due to a forecast for frigid weather.

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Keepmeinmind has been working regularly at Oaklawn. Diodoro said he’s worried Keepmeinmind might get sick when he leaves the cold weather here for the warm weather at Fair Grounds.

“Just like humans transferring hot to cold or cold to hot, there’s always a chance of getting sick,” he said. “We don’t want to take that chance.”

Keepmeinmind will be launching his season in the Southwest.

Others expected for the Southwest include 2-year-old champion Essential Quality and multiple Grade 1 winner Jackie’s Warrior.