Well-bred Long River faces seven in Fayette Stakes
Long River is the son of two Breeders’ Cup winners, so what better way to lead into Breeders’ Cup week than with a graded stakes win?
Kiaran McLaughlin is all in favor. He and Godolphin Racing will be represented Saturday by Long River in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes, the closing-day feature of the 17-day fall meet at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
Long River was sired by the 1992 BC Classic winner A.P. Indy and produced by 2006 BC Distaff winner Round Pond. The 4-year-old colt “has had some great races and some that weren’t very good,” McLaughlin said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Long River. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 14-6-4-1 with a $2.52 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with Rosie Napravnik up. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Something similar to his most recent effort might be enough to defeat the seven other older horses he’ll face in the 1 1/8-mile Fayette. Long River forced the pace in the oddly run Jockey Club Gold Cup four weeks ago before settling for third in the Grade 1 race, beaten nearly four lengths by Tonalist. Rosie Napravnik, going for her second straight fall riding title at Keeneland, will be aboard when breaking from post 7.
“We’re happy to get Rosie and hope she can work out the right kind of trip,” said McLaughlin. “We added blinkers two starts ago, and the horse has been showing a little more pace and a little more focus.”
Departing, looking for his first stakes win of the year after winning three derbies last year at 3, is the likely favorite in this 57th running of the Fayette, the ninth of 10 Saturday races. He will break from post 2 with Robby Albarado aboard.
Two allowances directly precede the Fayette as races 7 and 8. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the Fayette going at 5:13. Live action on the Kentucky circuit picks up Sunday with a Stars of Tomorrow card to begin the Churchill Downs fall meet.
Key contenders
Pick of the Litter (Last 3 Beyers: 97-95-100)
* Kitten’s Joy colt has improved steadily and now matches up well Beyer-wise and otherwise with this brand. He comes well drawn on the rail with Corey Lanerie up and surely would factor in with a top try.
Departing (Last 3 Beyers: 98-78-98)
* Per trainer Al Stall Jr., this Claiborne/Dilschneider homebred gelding has continued to train sharply since his runner-up finish behind the BC Classic-bound Cigar Street four weeks ago in the Homecoming Classic. He really needs a come-through effort to become a player again in these ranks.
Coltimus Prime (Last 3 Beyers: 81-93-59)
* Canadian star has struggled in open company, but there’s no arguing that some of his efforts back home have been brilliant. Keeneland is well off the beaten path, so perhaps he’s being sent here for a reason.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Coltimus Prime. Trainer Justin Nixon is 10-4-1-3 with a $3.17 ROI over the past five years going from synthetic to dirt in routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Long River (Last 3 Beyers: 100-86-96)
* Colt with the impeccable pedigree really came to the fore last winter at Aqueduct, but there’s no arguing that he was disappointing in subsequent defeats at Charles Town, Churchill, Monmouth, and Saratoga. McLaughlin is hopeful that the Jockey Club Gold Cup effort foreshadows an upturn.