LEXINGTON, Ky. – Whether Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is on hand Saturday at Keeneland matters not. It’s his work beforehand that’s of greatest significance. Mott long ago honed the now-popular process whereby he and his staff bake the proverbial cake for others to present. Depending on the time of year, it’s often in the quiet of Saratoga or Payson Park where Mott trains his horses to peak efficiency, ultimately dispatching them to Kenny McCarthy or another loyal employee to finish off the final chores while Mott himself watches from afar. On Saturday, this method of handiwork of Mott and his son and assistant, Riley, will be showcased at Keeneland, where Caramel Swirl and Obligatory, recent arrivals from Saratoga, both rate as major contenders in the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes. They’re among a bulky field of 13 3-year-old fillies set to go seven furlongs in the ninth of 10 races. Caramel Swirl, with Junior Alvarado riding from post 8, will be looking to rebound as a beaten odds-on favorite from the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks after winning two of her three previous starts, including an eye-catching maiden romp here in April. :: Shop for Keeneland: Get DRF Past Performances, Picks, and more Obligatory (post 13, Florent Geroux) is turning back from a runner-up finish behind the highly regarded Clairiere in the Cotillion on Sept. 25, a Grade 1 event going 1 1/16 miles at Parx Racing. In the spring, the late-running Juddmonte Farms homebred won the Grade 2 Eight Belles going seven furlongs on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs. “Caramel Swirl is doing really well,” Riley Mott said earlier this week from Saratoga. “She has always been a very impressive horse in the morning and has continued to work strongly since her last race. She probably didn’t get the trip she wanted at Charles Town, so hopefully she can give a better account of herself in this race.” Obligatory, a stretch-running gray, “also is training very forwardly,” the younger Mott continued. “Though she’s been successful at this distance, we’re under the impression the Keeneland track can be a bit speed-favoring, so we’re hoping for a strong pace up front for her to run into.” Just how the pace develops in the 23rd Raven Run surely will factor into the outcome. Longshots such as Joy’s Rocket, Strong Silent, and Just Read It figure to be sent hard, while a filly making her first start on dirt, Miss Speedy, also could be in that early mix. How it unfolds from there is anyone’s guess, as there is no clear-cut wagering favorite in what should be an enjoyable renewal. Miss Speedy (post 11, Brian Hernandez Jr.) is one of two in here representing Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, along with Souper Sensational (post 3, Ricardo Santana Jr.), a Curlin filly making her seventh straight start in a graded race while maintaining steady form. :: DRF Bets players get free Daily Racing Form Past Performances and up to 5% weekly cashback. Click to learn more. “Both of our fillies rate a decent chance in there, you’d think,” Casse said from Ocala, Fla. “I’m excited about both of them, honestly.” Other contenders include Cilla (post 7, Tyler Gaffalione), an upset winner over Souper Sensational in the Grade 2 Prioress last month at Saratoga, and Zainalarab (post 9, John Velazquez), whose trainer, Chad Brown, has been on one of his patented torrid streaks in recent weeks. First post Saturday is 1 p.m. Eastern, with the Raven Run set for 5:16. Mostly sunny skies and a high of 63 are in the local forecast. General admission is sold out for Saturday as Keeneland continues to self-limit ontrack attendance to about 20,000 during the pandemic. It’s the only remaining sellout through the end of the meet next Saturday (Oct. 30). Ticket sales are online only. Nine go in Perryville The open counterpart to the Raven Run will be run about an hour earlier Saturday when a field of nine 3-year-olds clash in the $150,000 Perryville (race 7, 4:12), also at seven furlongs. Soup and Sandwich (post 1, Gaffalione) makes his first start since finishing last of 19 in the Kentucky Derby. He is one of the logical players in a well-matched lineup. The gray Live Oak homebred had a late start in regard to the spring classics but was good enough to finish second in the Florida Derby in just his third try. “We asked a whole lot of him in a short amount of time,” Casse said. “He’s good now, though. He’s really turned the corner since we gave him time off after the Derby.” Other top considerations in the Perryville, which has been run 13 times since 1999, include Pickin’ Time (post 5, Corey Lanerie), in from New Jersey off a runner-up finish behind Jackie’s Warrior in the Gallant Bob at Parx; Pipeline (post 6, Velazquez), who has earned back-to-back 97 Beyer Speed Figures for Brown; and Runway Magic (post 9, Hernandez), a last-out allowance winner at Churchill for Tommy Drury. ◗ With the co-featured stakes being run on the dirt, the $3-minimum Keeneland Turf Pick 3 for Saturday comprises races 5-8-10, all of them two-turn allowances with big fields.