Ramsey to send horses overseas

Owner Ken Ramsey said he has not yet mapped out an agenda for Thank You Marylou, who outran her 39-1 odds when third in the Filly and Mare Sprint, but he does have long-term goals for several others in his huge stable.

Ramsey said Friday he intends to run Bobby’s Kitten and Luck of the Kitten next June at Royal Ascot, along with as many as four 2-year-olds to be trained by Wesley Ward. He added that Big Blue Kitten will be pointed to the Dubai Sheema Classic in March; Gentleman’s Kitten to the Barbados Gold Cup in February; and Saffron Hall, the winner of the Thursday feature here, to the Dec. 6 Claiming Crown Emerald at Gulfstream.

Meanwhile, it’s been a bittersweet week at Churchill for Ramsey. He and his son, Jeff, were on hand Wednesday to be honored when Sandbar earned the stable its 400th Churchill win, easily the most in track history. Conversely, they suffered a cruel blow when Sisteremos broke down badly in the fifth race Thursday and had to be euthanized.

** Free as a Bird, who was scratched from the BC Turf Sprint after becoming unruly on the charter plane that would have transported her to California, will be given downtime in Florida before “running in the same races she ran in this year,” said Tracey Wilkes, whose husband, Ian Wilkes, trains the 5-year-old mare.

Free as a Bird ended 2014 on a five-race winning streak, all in ungraded turf-sprint stakes. She was not seriously injured in the plane incident, said Tracey Wilkes.

** Lost amid the Breeders’ Cup shuffle was a long-overdue victory here Nov. 1 by Golden Soul, the 2013 Kentucky Derby runner-up behind Orb. The 4-year-old colt won a first-level allowance at 1 3/8 miles on turf, marking just the second time he has won in 18 career starts and the first since a maiden triumph Dec. 30, 2012.

“We were definitely happy to get another win with him finally,” said trainer Dallas Stewart. “I think he’s going to stick to the turf.”

** While the repercussions of the unexpected “indefinite” retirement of Rosie Napravnik are being felt at Churchill, with choice mounts coming open to other jockeys, the same will ring true upon the Nov. 21 start of the Fair Grounds meet, where Jimmy Graham, Richard Eramia, Robby Albarado, and Shaun Bridgmohan will be among those likely to benefit from the absence of the perennial riding queen of the New Orleans track.

** Trainer Ken McPeek said he will not be sending a string of horses this year to south Florida, which had been his longtime winter base. McPeek said he is using Oaklawn Park and Sam Houston Race Park, along with his Lexington farm, partly as a means to keep his horses fresh for next spring.

** Bradester had his third breeze since finishing a disappointing seventh in the Sept. 27 Kelso Mile at Belmont, going an easy five furlongs here Thursday in 1:02.80. Trainer Eddie Kenneally said the 4-year-old colt runs next on Nov. 22 in the $250,000 Delta Mile in Louisiana.

** The only Downs After Dark card of the 26-day fall meet is set for Nov. 14, with the lone stakes of the weekend being the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere the following afternoon.