Unitarian eyes marathon double in Sycamore
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For all the outstanding stayers who have passed through Keeneland, none has won the Elkhorn Stakes and Sycamore Stakes in the same year.
Unitarian will try to pull off that elusive double Thursday when he makes his first start since he won the Elkhorn here in April. Unitarian, a cleverly named 4-year-old by Pulpit out of Minimalist, is part of an extremely well-matched field in the 20th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Sycamore.
Bred and owned by Robert Evans of Tonalist fame, Unitarian has had 11 workouts since being sidelined following his 18-1 upset in the Elkhorn at the spring meet. Those works date to Aug. 5 at Belmont Park.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Unitarian. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 13-4-2-1 with a $3.64 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with last-out winners following a layoff of 150 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“He likes the distance, and he likes the course,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “Hopefully, we have him fit enough.”
Fitness is an issue for all, considering the 1 1/2-mile distance of the three-turn Sycamore. Named for the mammoth tree that dominates the paddock landscape at Keeneland, the Sycamore is carded as the eighth of nine races on a Thursday card that also includes two allowances (races 6 and 7).
First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the Sycamore going at 4:42.
KEY CONTENDERS
St. Albans Boy (Last 3 Beyers: 94-92-84)
◗ Based at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, Kelly Rubley has molded this son of Giant’s Causeway into a marathoner whose Beyer Speed Figures and recency suggest a mild upset is entirely possible with a good trip.
Tricky Hat (Last 3 Beyers: 90-93-62)
◗ This Chilean-bred 5-year-old is a textbook grinder and occasionally kicks home the strongest, such as in the John’s Call at Saratoga.
◗ He didn’t have the best of trips at Kentucky Downs last out and has since been sent through three works at Belmont by Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.
Holiday Star (Last 3 Beyers: 94-93-91)
◗ Second by a nose to Tricky Hat in the John’s Call, this Augustin homebred has emerged as a player in the turf-marathon niche and stands to benefit from stretching back out from nine furlongs.
◗ Trainer Graham Motion won this race three years ago with Sanagas when it was rained off the turf.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Holiday Star. Trainer Graham Motion is 23-7-3-1 with a $7.16 ROI over the past five years in turf route graded stakes of 12 furlongs and longer. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Red Rifle (Last 3 Beyers: 94-93-93)
◗ “The farther they go, the better speed holds” is an enduring oxymoron in racing that the connections of this speedy gelding hope applies in this race.
◗ John Velazquez, who has absolutely dominated stakes action here this fall, will try to steal one on this gelding.
Unitarian (Last 3 Beyers: 97-72-90)
◗ Javier Castellano, the 2013 Eclipse Award-winning jockey, will ride in his second appearance of the fall meet.