Shining Copper looks to step forward in allowance

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 17-day Keeneland fall meet hasn’t even reached its midpoint, yet only five of 17 stakes will remain prior to Sunday’s nine-race card.

Such is the nature of a front-loaded meet that supplies runners to the Breeders’ Cup, although what’s left over would be the envy of most other racetracks.

Case in point: Three turf allowances worth a potential combined total of more than $200,000 dot the nine-race Sunday card, which starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The card includes a high-end route (race 4) in which every entrant has stakes experience. Here’s a quick look at each of those Sunday allowances:

Race 4 (2:45): Shining Copper stands to improve on a badly needed last start at Kentucky Downs as the probable favorite in this 1 1/16-mile turf race with a $73,000 purse. An earner of nearly $600,000, the one-time “rabbit” for turf champion Big Blue Kitten finished a decent third behind Applicator and Flatlined in the Sept. 6 Tourist Mile, which was his first race in 13 months. That might be enough foundation for the 7-year-old gelding to get the best of a compact lineup that also includes Edge of Reality, Marengo Road, Net Gain, and Special Ops – all stakes winners.

Edge of Reality and the heavily traveled Cooptado are the first starters of this meet for New York-based trainer Tom Morley.

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Race 6 (3:51): Brielle’s Appeal will be looking to validate a sharp debut win at Kentucky Downs when wheeling back for a first-level condition for trainer Al Stall Jr. in this $67,000 race at 5 1/2 furlongs. The 3-year-old daughter of English Channel will face eight other fillies and mares, all with more experience. The most notable opponents are Kaylen’s Revenge, Miss Vicki, and Mongolian Shopper.

Race 8 (4:57): An oversubscribed field of filly and mare turf routers vying for a $67,000 purse includes the uncoupled Mark Casse pair of Summer Luck, runner-up to Daddys Lil Darling in the Dueling Grounds Oaks last month, and La Sola Ranger, beaten a nose for this same first-level condition three Sundays ago on the Churchill Downs turf. In all, 16 are entered, but only 12 can start.

Purses for allowances and maiden-specials at Keeneland include a certain percentage in bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.

Sunday is Kids Club Family Day, with families given free admission and reserved-seating access when accompanied by children 12 and under. After Sunday, Keeneland goes dark for two days before another five-day week begins Wednesday with an eight-race card.