Pleuven back from long layoff in Thursday turf feature
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After more than a week of ideal spring weather in the bluegrass region, forecasters are calling for a good possibility of rain Thursday and Friday. If the three races carded for grass Thursday at Keeneland are forced onto the main track, Phil Sims isn’t sure whether he’d go ahead and cinch up a racing saddle on an interesting 5-year-old named Pleuven, one of the contenders in the nominal feature, a $67,000 classified allowance at one mile.
Pleuven will make his first start in more than a year and his first for Sims, the local trainer best known for his feats with the $1.4 million earner Don’t Tell Sophia.
“He’s ready to go either way,” said Sims.
Pleuven was sent to Sims over the winter after his longtime client, Nelson McMakin, acquired him privately. “He’s not a real big horse, but he’s trained well,” said Sims.
With Julien Leparoux to ride, Pleuven is slated to break from post 8 in a race that will have no more than nine starters. Two horses returning from layoffs, Vyjack and Ghurair, are among the other contenders in the seventh of nine races. Rise Up and One King’s Man will start only if the race is moved to the dirt.
One other allowance (race 8) directly follows the feature on a program that also includes two starter allowances (races 5 and 9) and a 2-year-old dash (race 3). First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the feature going at 4:24.
KEY CONTENDERS
Pleuven, by Turtle Bowl
Last 3 Beyers: 102-95-87
◗ Formerly trained by Chad Brown, this French-bred gelding won his last two starts, both on the Gulfstream Park turf in early 2015, before going on his lengthy hiatus.
Vyjack, by Into Mischief
Last 3 Beyers: 80-102-101
◗ Bill Mott has shifted his focus to grass since assuming the training of a 6-year-old who ran 18th in the 2013 Kentucky Derby and has earned more than $1.1 million.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Vyjack. Trainer Bill Mott is 13-3-2-0 with a $3.70 ROI over the past five years going dirt to turf in routes following a layoff of 120 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Ghurair, by Elusive Quality
Last 3 Beyers: 96-96-95
◗ Late-striding 6-year-old has sandwiched three so-so stakes efforts around a pair of allowance victories since shipping back from England and into the care of Brown.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Ghurair. Trainer Chad Brown is 34-12-8-1 with a $2.48 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with Javier Castellano aboard domestic shippers following a layoff of at least 90 days. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Under Control, by Northern Fleet
Last 3 Beyers: 91-91-89
◗ An April 10 start over the local course and a favorable inside draw make this 8-year-old a threat for Graham Motion, whose stable is revving up for a hot streak after a slow winter.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Under Control. Trainer Graham Motion is 16-1-2-1 with a $0.31 ROI over the past five years in turf routes within 14 days of a previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Rise Up, by Rockport Harbor
Last 3 Beyers: 91-93-82
◗ This millionaire 5-year-old will start only if the rain comes and the track is off, but if he does, he should be very tough to catch with Jimmy Graham riding for Tom Amoss.