Rerun back from layoff in Guilliams Handicap
The curtain comes down Monday at Ellis Park with what has become the traditional meet-ender, the $50,000 Cliff Guilliams Handicap.
Rerun has been made the 123-pound highweight and a lukewarm 7-2 morning-line favorite among nine older horses in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, but the 6-year-old gelding will be returning from a layoff of more than four months when making his first start under the care of trainer Kellyn Gorder. Robby Albarado has the mount.
Other contenders in a well-matched group include Forfeit, Key to Power, Ultimo Trago, and Woodfield Springs.
First post Monday is 1:50 p.m. Central, an hour later than usual, with the Guilliams set for 5:10 as the eighth of nine races.
Monday marks the 31st and final card of a 2015 meet that has seen unusually mild weather in the tri-state region surrounding the track’s Ohio River locale in Henderson, Ky. Into the final weekend, field size was averaging 8.27 horses per race.
The Guilliams is named for the chart-caller and racing columnist who died unexpectedly in April 2008 at age 52.
KEY CONTENDERS
Rerun (Last 3 Beyers: 97-88-87)
◗ This World Thoroughbreds homebred was trained by Chad Stewart in Florida when winning four of 10 starts, ending with a 21-1 upset in the Grade 3 Miami Mile on the Gulfstream Park turf in late April. Since then, he had five works on Stewart’s Ocala, Fla., farm before being turned over to Gorder, who has sent him through five more works at Keeneland in preparation for his comeback.
Forfeit (Last 3 Beyers: 86-80-73)
◗ Improving 4-year-old comes favorably drawn in post 1 when coming off a career-best Beyer Speed Figure effort in winning on the Arlington turf for trainer Ben Colebrook.
Key to Power (Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-80)
◗ Regally bred 6-year-old continues to display consistency and class while proving competitive in just these sorts of grass events; eligible to get a nice stalking trip from post 3 under Brian Hernandez Jr.
Ultimo Trago (Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-93)
◗ Leading earner in the lineup with more than $280,000 arguably has never been better, notwithstanding his recent disappointment as the favorite in statebred company at Arlington; legitimate threat on best.
Woodfield Springs (Last 3 Beyers: 80-79-80)
◗ The Rusty Arnold barn always has thought quite a bit of this G. Watts Humphrey Jr. homebred, who figures as a decent price from the outside post.