Thatcher Street, Granny's Kitten get class relief in allowance

After several starts in stakes races, Thatcher Street and Granny’s Kitten will drop into allowance company Wednesday as Keeneland goes into the final days of its fall meet amid close races for trainer and jockey titles.

The second race on the card is a $70,000 turf allowance for older horses that drew several with proven stakes form, including Thatcher Street. He made his last four starts in stakes company for trainer Ian Wilkes, beginning with a victory in the Opening Verse Stakes in May at Churchill Downs. He then finished third in the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill, the Warrior Veterans Stakes at Indiana Grand, and the More Than Ready Mile at Kentucky Downs. Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount again.

Granny’s Kitten also spent most of this year in stakes events. Granny’s Kitten placed in three consecutive stakes for trainer Mike Maker and jockey Florent Geroux before besting fellow Pennsylvania-breds in the Alphabet Soup at Parx Racing last out.

Maker goes into the meet’s final four days tied with Mark Casse atop the trainer standings with eight wins apiece. Julien Leparoux leads Geroux in the jockey standings, 16 wins to 11.

Just behind Maker and Casse in the trainer standings is Graham Motion, with seven victories, including a meet-record-tying four stakes wins. His barn sends out Tale of Life, who was sixth in a stakes last out and gets back on turf after several starts on dirt.

◗ Wednesday’s card also includes a $62,000 conditioned turf allowance for fillies and mares carded as the eighth race. Moonlight Sky comes in off a pair of runner-up efforts against similar company at Indiana Grand and Kentucky Downs for the Casse barn; the most recent start earned her a 75 Beyer Speed Figure, the top last-out mark in this field.

◗ The 3-year-old filly Cause Ioya, from the family of several stakes horses for Team Block, steps up to face winners for the first time off a maiden win at Arlington Park in her third career start. Geroux will ride.

◗ The well-bred Untapped is sure to be favored in the day’s fifth race, a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies stretching out to 1 1/16 miles. A full sister to Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Untapable, Untapped was third in her debut last month at Churchill Downs going a mile. Her 73 Beyer for that effort is the top number in this field. Geroux has the call.