Lightstream possible for La Brea Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lightstream was transported Monday from Keeneland to Belmont Park and rejoined trainer Brian Lynch, who said he will consider the Grade 1 La Brea in December after initially saying the filly was finished racing this year.

“I’ve had second thoughts on her break,” Lynch said.

The La Brea is a seven-furlong race Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Lightstream added to her outstanding 3-year-old season with a come-from-behind, 1 1/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland. Lynch had said he was inclined to give the Harlan’s Holiday filly a 60-day break afterward before bringing her back at Palm Meadows in south Florida to begin preparations for her 4-year-old campaign.

Noble Bird in Fayette Stakes

Noble Bird, who is between races at his Churchill Downs home base, will be among the horses to beat Saturday when Keeneland closes its 17-day fall meet with the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes.

Noble Bird is using the Fayette as a stepping-stone between his victory in the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic and the Grade 1 Clark Handicap on Nov. 25.

“When we brought him back from Saratoga this summer, the plan was to set our sights on the Clark if he ran big in the Lukas Classic,” said Norman Casse, son of and assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “We breezed him real easy up to the Fayette, but I think he’s going to run another big race.”

At least six older horses are expected for the $200,000 Fayette when entries are drawn Wednesday.

◗ With just four days remaining in the Keeneland fall meet, Julien Leparoux commands the jockey standings with 16 wins and $1,276,244 in mount earnings. Leparoux has won or tied for 10 riding titles at Keeneland.

Among trainers, Mike Maker and Mark Casse are tied with eight wins, while Graham Motion has the top stable earnings with $1,152,227.

◗ Trainer Phil Sims enjoyed a memorable Friday when Promises Broken and Favorite Coach won back-to-back races in the Keeneland slop for his longtime client, owner-breeder Nelson McMakin.

“It’s always special because Keeneland is home,” Sims said. “They were well deserved for Mr. McMakin.”

◗ When Elektrum got up in the final jump to win the Grade 3 Dowager as a lukewarm favorite Sunday, she eased a couple of slumps for California-based trainer John Sadler.

Sadler had been 2 for 40 with a $0.16 ROI in races outside of California over the last five years, including 0 for 17 in Kentucky during that time. His last stakes win on this circuit had been with Mona de Momma in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on the 2010 Kentucky Derby undercard.

◗ Norman Casse said Tamit will not race again this year after the Irish-bred 2-year-old filly posted a flashy debut victory Saturday in a 1 1/16-mile turf race.

“She’ll go to the farm in Ocala in a couple of weeks, and we’ll get her ready for Gulfstream,” he said. “We have a lot of hope for her.”

◗ The next victory for 19-year-old Katie Clawson will be her fifth, meaning she will then have one full year to continue riding with an apprentice allowance. Clawson’s agent, Steve Elzey, said the intent is to make Clawson a contender for a 2017 Eclipse Award. Clawson rode her fourth career winner Friday at Keeneland.

◗ Jose Ortiz is named in five races Thursday at Keeneland in his only appearance since he returned last weekend to his New York base. Ortiz, second in wins (287) this year among North American jockeys, has 10 wins at this meet.

◗ It won’t take long for Keeneland to turn around its stable area after the fall meet ends Saturday. All racehorses are expected out no later than Sunday to accommodate the November breeding stock sale, which begins Nov. 8.

◗ Local fans who had planned to watch and wager on the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup simulcasts at Keeneland need to make other plans. The Red Mile, which consolidated various resources with Keeneland earlier this year, will be the only available public simulcast outlet in this area.