What Say Thee has done well off Maker claim

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After the front-loaded start to the Keeneland spring meet, a quieter second half of the meet begins with Wednesday’s eight-race card. The nominal feature is a $110,000 allowance on the turf, and conditions appear favorable for turf racing this week, after several inches of rain here forced many events off the grass last week.

The favorites for the 1 1/8-mile allowance bookend the full field, with Weyhill Road, at 9-2, on the rail under Jose Ortiz; What Say Thee (5-2) and Luis Saez next door in post 2; and Porquerolles (7-2) outside in post 12 under John Velazquez.

What Say Thee has been a good claim for Mike Maker since being picked up for $35,000 out of a win Dec. 31 at Gulfstream. He promptly won a starter allowance. He was seventh in a March 3 allowance, but was beaten just more than two lengths after being hopelessly blocked most of the stretch.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Weyhill Road was another 1 3/4 lengths beyond What Say Thee in that allowance, his first start against winners, and his first start of the year after winning his maiden in October 2023 at Keeneland for Shug McGaughey.

Porquerolles was a game winner of his debut Feb. 15 at Gulfstream, coming between horses and battling the length of the stretch for a nose win. Trained by Graham Motion, what he lacks in experience compared to the other two choices he makes up in versatility. He possesses more tactical speed and is less dependent on race shape than What Say Thee and Weyhill Road, both late-runners.

After 15 stakes races were contested the first two weekends of the Keeneland meet, there are just four remaining on the schedule – the Grade 3, $300,000 Doubledogdare on Friday; the Grade 2, $350,000 Elkhorn and Grade 3, $300,000 Ben Ali on Saturday; and the Grade 3, $300,000 Bewitch on Friday, April 26, closing day.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.