King's preview: Live longshot in Fayette Stakes

Closing day of the Keeneland fall meet is upon us Saturday, highlighted by the running of the Grade 3 Fayette. And ontrack and offtrack fans could not ask for better conditions, with mild temperatures and partly cloudy skies.

LONG RIVER (#7, 3-1), who went through a long drought this summer after showing promising winter and early-spring form, is the choice to win the Fayette, a 1 1/8-mile race on Keeneland’s new dirt track. He seems to be back in form after a last-out third in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

DEPARTING (#2, 5-2) has made more than $1.5 million and comes off a runner-up finish to Breeders' Cup Classic-bound Cigar Street in the Homecoming Classic at Churchill. But he racked up the bulk of his earnings with favorable placement in many of the lesser derbies around the country last year at age 3.

Those looking for a live longshot might consider PICK OF THE LITTER (#1, 6-1), who ran a close fourth in the Homecoming Classic despite little pace up front to aid his off-the-pace rally. And though this race isn’t loaded with speed, it does have more than the Homecoming Classic did.

Spot Plays

Race 3: DUKE OF LUKE (#9, 10-1) goes from straight maiden to maiden $30,000 company after a distant fifth first out at Woodbine. He shows promising Keeneland works and is the value-oriented selection.

Race 7: BUMP START (#1, 4-1) rallied to be third in the Grade 3 Gallant Bob at Parx behind Favorite Tale and Fast Anna. He has excellent form sprinting on dirt.

Early Changes

1st race
#2 – Sandbar -- SCRATCH
#6 -- Total Immersion -- +2

3rd race
#5 – Hot Prospect – Jockey change to Francisco Torres

6th race
#6 – Stroll to Victory -- SCRATCH

7th race
#4 – Solitary Ranger -- SCRATCH
#6 -- Bourbonize -- SCRATCH

8th race
#3 – Metz -- SCRATCH
#11 – Colonel Krenz -- SCRATCH
#15 – Royal Warrant -- SCRATCH
#16 – Sayler’s Creek -- SCRATCH

10th race
#13 – Let Her Go -- SCRATCH
#14 – Nightlife Baby -- SCRATCH
#15 – Hard Grace -- SCRATCH
#16 – Freesia – SCRATCH