Two allowances anchor Thursday card

LEXINGTON, Ky. – And on the fifth day, there wasn’t a stakes race – or something quite different from the first four days of the Keeneland fall meet.

Horseplayers delving into a nine-race Thursday card will have to settle for back-to-back allowances as nominal features, with both races drawing the big fields seen since the meet began last week. Through the first three days, field size averaged 10 starters per race.

Thursday’s race 7 is a $64,000, second-level turf route in which Luck of the Kitten, the runner-up in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, will be making his second start following a lengthy layoff.

“He got a lot out of his comeback race at Kentucky Downs,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “He ought to be more of a factor with that one under his belt.”

Race 8 is a $62,000, first-level, main-track sprint for fillies and mares. Graham Motion, who enjoyed a spectacular opening weekend by winning the Grade 1 Alcibiades with Dancing Rags and the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile with Miss Temple City, will team with jockey Jose Ortiz with one of the likely choices, Etiquette, a 10-length maiden winner of her most recent start at Laurel Park.

First post Thursday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Stakes action returns Friday with the Grade 3 Franklin County Stakes for filly-and-mare turf sprinters. The Saturday card will be highlighted by the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, the final Grade 1 race of the meet.

KEY CONTENDERS (race 7)

Luck of the Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy

Last 3 Beyers: 74-NA-82

◗ Ramsey homebred had been away more than 14 months when resurfacing last month in a Kentucky Downs sprint, finishing eighth with some traffic trouble in an effort Ward believes will prove very useful on this stretch-out, especially given his rail draw.

Above the Bar, by Majestic Warrior

Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-85

◗ Consistent 6-year-old came from off the pace in his latest, in contrast to his usual front-running ways, and could benefit from similar rating under Corey Lanerie in a race with plenty of speed.

KEY CONTENDERS (race 8)

Etiquette, by Tapit

Last 3 Beyers: 80-68-70

◗ Breakthrough victory in her first start under Motion’s care may have signaled that she’s up to handling the requisite class raise, which comes with the benefit of a favorable outside post to give Ortiz some tactical leeway.

Breaking Bread, by Quality Road

Last 2 Beyers: 82-77

◗ Three-year-old from the Al Stall Jr. stable was good enough to win a Saratoga maiden special weight race in her last start, and the interim works back at Churchill Downs suggest she’s ready to keep climbing the class ladder.