Silver Max preps for Shadwell Turf Mile

Silver Max was among the handful of workers over the Keeneland turf course Thursday as activity continued to build toward a 17-day fall meet that begins Oct. 3 at the Lexington, Ky., track. He was timed in 1:01.40 for five furlongs.

Silver Max will be rematched with Wise Dan in the first $1 million race in Keeneland history, the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 4. Silver Max won the Shadwell last fall over Polytrack when the race was rained off turf and remains the only horse to defeat Wise Dan in the last 14 starts for the reigning two-time Horse of the Year.

Among the other stars expected to race during opening weekend is Close Hatches, currently the top female runner in North America. She will run in the Oct. 5 Spinster.

◗ Entries were drawn Friday for the fifth and final program of the Kentucky Downs meet in south-central Kentucky. Two $200,000 stakes, the Ladies Marathon and Turf Dash, highlight a 10-race program Wednesday that starts at 1:35 p.m. Central.

◗ Global View, a dull fourth in the inaugural Dueling Grounds Derby on Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs, is getting 60 days’ rest at Glen Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla., before gearing up for a 4-year-old campaign next winter, Glen Hill president Craig Bernick said via Twitter.