King's review: Big crowd, mixed card

Wednesday, April 23 recap

At some tracks on Wednesdays, there can seem that as many horsemen as fans are in attendance. But never at Keeneland, where racing remains immensely popular and where 12,164 people attended Wednesday’s eight-race card.

The first three races were claiming or maiden-claiming races, all contested going two turns on the Keeneland Polytrack.

Thatboathassailed ($11.20) proved victorious in the opener, for $10,000 claimers, improving upon a fourth-place finish earlier in the meet, and edging fellow quick returner Dynamic Royal, who had finished in front of him when they met April 4. The victory from Thatboathassailed gave jockey Alex Jimenez, Turfway’s leading rider, his first victory of the Keeneland meet.

Maiden $20,000 claimers then raced in the second, and the pace was a crawl. Early leader Risk and Return went the opening six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:17.22, and yet couldn’t hold off Sunquero ($14.80). The race was run like a turf race, with no pace and a fast finish.

The next race, for open $16,000 claimers, was won by front-running Quietdetermination ($11.80), who set a much faster six-furlong split of 1:13.80 on his way to stopping the clock in a sharp 1:44.83 for 1 1/16 miles. The winner scored first off-the-claim for trainer Brad Cox, and Brian Hernandez Jr. picked up the mount from a suspended Leandro Goncalves.

The quality kicked in for race 4, an allowance turf sprint won by Liz Pendens ($19) in a tight photo with Laser Cat. The top four finishers came from well off the pace, with the speed horses weakening after being involved in a fast opening quarter.

Simon Eyes ($15.80) came out on top in a blanket finish in race 5, giving trainer Wesley Ward his seventh win of the meet, one fewer than trainer Mark Casse’s meet-leading eight victories. Jeffrey Sanchez rode the winner in a race in which few, if any, seemed worth the $40,000 claiming tag.

Sea Queen ($8.60) survived a claim of foul to take the sixth race, a stakes-quality allowance for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. She received a perfect ground-saving trip from Joel Rosario, and was fortunate to stay up after clearly impeding sixth-place Spring Again by cutting her off and forcing her to be steadied in the stretch.

Chrissy Field ($7.60) also received a perfect trip in winning the seventh race under Corey Lanerie. Well positioned in a pocket on the inside behind a contested pace, she shot through an opening coming into the stretch and maintained a clear advantage.

The card ended with Pink Nightie ($9.60) winning her second straight race, taking the eighth by 2 1/4 lengths despite losing ground with a wide trip. Unraced until her 4-year-old year, she keeps improving and should be a force right back in a second-level allowance on the turf.

Horses to Watch

Lawn Party
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Last race: April 23, 6th
Finish: 2nd by 1
Beyer: 81

She was disadvantaged by her post, the 12 hole, in the sixth race, a first-level turf allowance that drew numerous horses with stakes potential. Unable to tuck in much, she raced 59 more feet than the ground-saving winner, according to Trakus, and yet lost by only a length. A better trip results in a victory next time out.