King's preview: Turf races moved to dirt

Wednesday, Oct. 15, preview

As expected following heavy rain Tuesday in central Kentucky, Wednesday’s two scheduled grass races at Keeneland have been moved to the main track. This dramatically changes the leading contenders in both races.

Benefiting most from the fourth race being moved to the main track are two runners: #7 GOLDEN BUT STORMY and #10 DA BEARS, a main-track-only entrant.

GOLDEN BUT STORMY just won a $40,000 non-winners-of-two claimer on dirt at Churchill Downs with a wide, sustained rally, and DA BEARS joins a new barn after winning two straight in the Northeast, taking a maiden $30,000 race at Delaware, followed by a neck victory at Parx against starter $25,000 runners.

The featured seventh now has a standout runner in FRIVOLOUS (#1A), who comes off a couple of close finishes in stakes on dirt. She starts from the far-outside post, but with this race being at 1 3/16 miles, there is a long run to the first turn that should render her outside post far less of a disadvantage than in a shorter route.

Spot Plays

Race 1: LANIER (#7, 3-1) reversed his form in his second start, just missing with a close second. He is favorably drawn in post 7 of 8, giving options to jockey Corey Lanerie to where to best place him. He may drift up from his 3-1 morning line with 5-2 favorite Unrivaled likely to get hammered.

Race 2: VOODOOVILLEE (#3, 7-2) won three in a row before a head defeat last out at Churchill. He lost little in defeat in that race, gamely battling to the wire, and might be overlooked a smidge on a class hike.

Race 8: PULPIT’S LEGACY (#9, 6-1), the day's best, is dropped from richer maiden claimers into a maiden $30,000 contest and returned to dirt, likely his best surface. He goes from a route to a sprint but showed speed last out, suggesting he ought to be able to at least sit midpack early. A recent work at Keeneland was quick for a horse who normally doesn't work fast. His morning line is likely too generous at 6-1 – expect something more like 7-2.

Early Changes

Race 1
#1 Aldean, scratched

Race 3
#2 Ridge City, scratched

Race 4
Moved from turf to dirt
#1 Sayler's Creek, scratched
#1A Branded Hand, runs, no longer a coupled entry
#4 Shorefellow, scratched
#5 Sadler's Warrior, scratched
#9 He's Strike King, scratched

Race 5
#8 Martz, scratched

Race 7
Moved from turf to dirt
#7 Notte d'Oro, scratched
#8 Magic of Reality (FR), scratched
#9 Kitten's Queen, scratched
#12AE Cara's Nay Nay, scratched

Race 8
#1 On Moonlight Bay, scratched
#6 Kite, scratched