King's preview: Romantica adds spice to Bewitch

Thursday, April 24 preview

Thursday marks the penultimate day of the meet, and Friday will conclude the Keeneland Polytrack era. The synthetic Polytrack surface will be removed and replaced with a dirt track this summer.

Thursday’s feature will be the Grade 3 Bewitch on grass, which attracted many of this winter’s best female turf stayers, as well as the comebacking Romantica, whose last race was a second to Dank in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita Nov. 2.

A Group 1 winner in France last year for Juddmonte Farms, she is the class of the field, although her best distance is 1 1/4 miles, not the 1 1/2 miles of the Bewitch. In two races overseas at 1 1/2 miles last year, she finished in the rear half of the pack, admittedly in Group 1's and on softer ground.

Those looking to try to beat Romantica, who is 2-1 on the line and likely to start at an even lower price, should give consideration to Aigue Marine and Viva Rafaela. The latter ran poorly as the favorite last out at Orchid at Gulfstream, but had previously been second in The Very One there. As for Viva Rafaela, she enters the race in good form and has the speed to enjoy a good trip, either setting or pressing the pace.

A race before the Bewitch in an allowance on Polytrack, Juddmonte has British invader Morpheus, a half-brother to superstar Frankel. He is sure to be overplayed on pedigree alone, and because he hasn't raced in America or on Polytrack, he is a “play against” type.

Bellarmine, Charming Kitten and Patrioticandproud are all preferred over him.

The value play of the day Thursday is Schmooze, an 8-1 shot in race 5 despite having flashy speed figures and established Polytrack form at Turfway. The one thing he hasn’t done is run at Keeneland, though his trainer, Tommy Drury, is doing very well this meet with Turfway-to-Keeneland runners.

A baby race in the opener, the first one carded for fillies, adds further interest to the card.