King's preview: Elkhorn deep with contenders

Friday, April 25 preview

The Keeneland spring meet comes to an end Friday, and so too the synthetic era at Keeneland. The track’s Polytrack surface will be removed this summer and replaced with dirt.

The most intriguing race Friday is not on the Poly, but on the turf – with the running of the featured Elkorn at 1 1/2 miles. It drew 14 entrants and contention runs deep.

The value-priced handicapping nod goes to Tricky Hat, who gave Grade 1 winner Boisterous a challenge in an April 5 return in a rich allowance. Although that race was shorter, last year he won the Laurel Turf Cup going the Elkorn’s distance of 1 1/2 miles.

Hangover Kid is also appealing and could be overlooked as well. He comes off two straight seconds, one of which came in his first race of the year, when he rallied to lose by a length in a fast allowance going a mile March 1.

Temeraine is another contender, but is unlikely to offer the betting value of Tricky Hat and Hangover Kid. He was third most recently in the San Luis Rey at Santa Anita, but the race might not have been as good as appears at first glance. Only five horses ran, and favored Vagabond Shoes was pulled up with an injury.

Although jockey Julien Leparoux has sewn up the riding title, the race for leading trainer and leading owner is still wide open heading into closing day.

Ken McPeek and Mark Casse are in the lead in the training standings with nine wins apiece, closely followed by Wesley Ward with eight winners and Graham Motion with seven.

Though Ward trails McPeek and Casse, he has the most starters Friday, running seven horses in six races.

Four owners are tied with three victories– Ken and Sarah Ramsey, John Oxley, Gary Barber, and Maggi Moss.

The Ramseys have strength in numbers, with five starters Friday. Oxley has one starter, and Barber and Moss are without entrants.

The Ramseys could end up winning the final Polytrack race of the Keeneland era in the nightcap with Dreaming of Kitten, a daughter of their sire Kitten’s Joy, whose progeny typically like the Polytrack.

There are mandatory payouts Friday in the pick five and Super Hi Five, though neither wager brings a carryover into closing day.

Early Keeneland Scratches

Race 1: #5 Lost Kodiak

Race 2: #2B Flummox, #5 Winter's Gift

Race 3: #4 Corporate Culture

Race 5: #3 Mister Lucky Cat

Race 8: #2 Chosen, #5 Flashy Gal