Stewart eyes Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for maiden Givemeaminit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – He’s still a maiden, but that wouldn’t preclude Givemeaminit from being one of the favorites for the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, one of six graded stakes that help close the 21-day Churchill fall meet next week.

Givemeaminit was part of Dallas Stewart’s big Breeders’ Cup weekend when he finished fourth in the Juvenile despite never having won so much as a maiden race. Givemeaminit, a Louisiana-bred colt by Star Guitar, was third in the Hopeful at Saratoga and fifth in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

“Hopefully he won’t ever have to run against maidens,” said Stewart, who won the BC Distaff with Forever Unbridled. “I’m not saying that couldn’t happen, but he’s run well enough in these big stakes that we’re hoping it won’t.”

Stewart said Givemeaminit will breeze this weekend, “and if he continues to do as well as he is, we’re running.”

The Nov. 25 KJC and its sister race, the Grade 2 Golden Rod, are the last races on a busy stakes schedule that peaks with the Grade 1 Clark Handicap the previous day.