Royal Son returns from layoff, tries turf again
Royal Son, briefly considered a Kentucky Derby contender this year, and a handful of other minor stakes competitors add some luster to Thursday’s nominal feature at Keeneland, a $60,000 conditioned allowance at a mile on the turf for 3-year-olds and up. The meet’s fifth card is its first without a stakes event.
Royal Son, trained by Todd Pletcher, briefly stood out among Kentucky’s classic hopefuls early this year, as he wired the field in Turfway Park’s John Battaglia Memorial to win by a widening 5 1/4 lengths. He advanced to the track’s major prep, the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes, but only managed to finish fifth.
In his most recent outing, Royal Son finished fifth in the Grade 2 American Turf – his only start on turf – on May 2 at Churchill Downs. He thus appears at Keeneland off a layoff of more than five months.
One Step Salsa, trained by Mike Maker, and Natchez, trained by Jose Fernadez, are both up-and-coming runners. One Step Salsa has won his first three starts, while Natchez has won two of three.
The veteran Any Given Royal was graded stakes-placed three years ago but still looks to have some starch in him; he is coming off a three-length optional-claiming score at Woodbine for trainer Brian Lynch. Tuba was a minor stakes winner on the Fair Grounds turf this year, while Los Borrachos and Quality Bird are both stakes-placed.
KEY CONTENDERS
Royal Son (Last 3 Beyers: 77-82-98)
◗ His career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 98 earned while winning the Battaglia is by far the top recent number in the field.
◗ He finished fifth in the American Turf, his lone start on the surface, but is a stakes winner on synthetic.
◗ He is making his first start since May 2 but shows a steady work pattern over the last 60 days.
◗ This gelding, who scored his biggest victory on the front end, is ideally positioned in post 3 under John Velazquez.
Natchez (Last 3 Beyers: 78-45-55)
◗ He is trying turf for the first time; he won his last start in an allowance race that was taken off the turf July 28 at Indiana Grand.
Quality Bird (Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-71)
◗ He finished third in the Centaur Stakes – beaten a nose for second – last out at Indiana Grand.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Quality Bird. Trainer Ian Wilkes is 27-1-0-2 with a $0.32 ROI over the past five years in turf routes at Keeneland. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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One Step Salsa (Last 3 Beyers: 81-84-80)
◗ His last win came at 1 1/16 miles, but he shortens up to a mile here.
◗ He has never run a Beyer lower than 80, which places him in solid contention here if he does not regress.
Bourbon Happens (Last 3 Beyers: 78-51-74)
◗ He is coming off a 3 3/4-length allowance score on the Ellis Park turf with a career-best Beyer.