Stardom Bound set for turf debut

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Seven older females are entered as would-be challengers to Forever Together when she makes her 6-year-old debut Saturday as the defending champion in the best race on the Blue Grass undercard, the Grade 2 Jenny Wiley Stakes (race 8), but one of her more noteworthy opponents may wait for an easier spot some 24 hours later.

Stardom Bound, the 2-year-old filly champion of 2008, will be entered back in a turf allowance Sunday at Keeneland, trainer Rick Dutrow said. Owned in partnership by the IEAH Stables syndicate, Stardom Bound is set to make her grass debut in either race.

IEAH also has Salve Germania in the Jenny Wiley.

"The IEAH people aren't crazy about running the two against each other," Dutrow said. "They'll make the call about what we do. Whatever we do, I'm very happy with the filly, and I'm sure she's going to run big in either spot."

Forever Together, with Julien Leparoux to ride, was assigned post 2 in the $200,000 Jenny Wiley, which goes at 1 1/16 miles. The gray mare has won 9 of 20 starts and more than $2.8 million for Augustin Stable and trainer Jonathan Sheppard.

Two other graded stakes also are on tap Saturday, easily the biggest day of the spring meet.

The Grade 2, $250,000 Commonwealth Stakes (race 7) drew a field of just five older horses, all of them from East Coast stables. Ravalo, fourth as the pacesetter in the seven-furlong Commonwealth last year, is the leading earner in the field with $817,885.

The Grade 3, $100,000 Shakertown Stakes (race 6) shapes up as a matchup between Chamberlain Bridge and Silver Timber, who drew alongside each other in posts 1 and 2, respectively. A field of seven is entered in the 5 1/2-furlong turf race.

Hall saddles first Keeneland winner

Several horsemen enjoyed the first Keeneland wins of their careers here opening day, including Will Hall, a 49-year-old trainer who ran his first horse in 2000. Hall's elation in greeting Kantstopdancin in the winner's circle after the sixth race on that April 2 card was tempered somewhat by his thoughts of Luke Kruytbosch, the late Churchill race-caller who was a very close friend. Kruytbosch died in July 2008.

"This is like a dream come true," said Hall, who will have his first starter since that memorable race when he runs Sneaky Dreams in the fourth race Friday. "I just hope somebody upstairs was watching."

Others notching Keeneland firsts on opening day were trainer Clay Bischoff and apprentice rider Freddie Lenclud.

Telling drops into turf allowance

A Grade 1 winner snuck in on the others in the fifth race Friday, a $68,000 classified allowance. Telling, winner of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga last summer at 33-1 under Javier Castellano, drew the outside post in a field of seven in the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

Telling, trained by Steve Hobby, resumed training at Oaklawn Park this winter after getting a brief timeout following a last-place finish in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Turf. Castellano has the mount back.

* Ellis Park recently reopened for simulcasting after going dark for nearly five months. The Henderson, Ky., track closed Nov. 8. Owner Ron Geary said off-season simulcast operations have been unprofitable, except for when Keeneland and Churchill are open.