Wilkes has Four Graces tighter for Raven Run

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’d be easy to blame the latest defeat for Four Graces on her taking part in a sustained duel that seemed to set the table for a come-from-behinder.

But Ian Wilkes declines to do so. Wilkes, who on Saturday will send out Four Graces in the Grade 2, $200,000 Raven Run at Keeneland, gives “total respect” to Sconsin, the Greg Foley-trained filly who rallied to defeat Four Graces when last they met in the Grade 2 Eight Belles on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

“Greg’s filly beat us, and I don’t want to take anything away from her,” said Wilkes. “I mostly blame myself and some other circumstances” for that result.

Four Graces, a Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred, has lost just two of her six starts. She and Sconsin will be rematched in the seven-furlong Raven Run, which, while restricted to 3-year-old fillies, is a possible stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, a seven-furlong race to be run over the same track three weeks later.

The seven-furlong Eight Belles devolved into a ferocious head-and-head battle between the two favorites, Four Graces and Mundaye Call. Sconsin, a 7-1 shot, flew past them both down the stretch, with Four Graces finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind her in second while Mundaye Call faded to fourth.

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Wilkes said he didn’t have Four Graces quite fit enough for what occurred and that he has tried to ensure the daughter of Majesticperfection will show more staying power this time.

“She’s run some fast fractions before and still finished up well,” said Wilkes, referring to how Four Graces emerged from an early duel to easily the win the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland in July. “I didn’t work her quite hard enough before the Eight Belles – she’s a talented horse, the kind you can work a little quicker. For this race we’ve been a little more aware of that.”

Besides the Eight Belles top two, other notable names in what is expected to be a big field are Venetian Harbor, Finite, Tonalist’s Shape, Secret Keeper, and the Chad Brown pair of Center Aisle and Secondary Market.

Magic Attitude done for year

Magic Attitude, third as the 8-5 favorite last Saturday in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over the Keeneland turf, is finished racing for the year and will get some time off before gearing back up for a 4-year-old campaign, said trainer Arnaud Delacour.

“She had four straight Grade 1 races, and those are tough races,” said Delacour.

Owned by the Lael Stables of Barbaro fame, Magic Attitude won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks last month during a season that marks her as one of the top filly-mare turf prospects of 2021.

Harvey’s Lil Goil won the QE II, the sixth and final Grade 1 of this 17-day fall meet.

◗ The ageless Perry Ouzts is making the occasional cameo at Keeneland in the aftermath of passing Chris McCarron for sixth on the all-time wins list.

Ouzts notched career win no. 7,142 last Friday at his home track, Belterra Park. He had one mount here Sunday and also was named on one mount Wednesday and one Friday.

Ouzts, 66, is the leading active rider, ahead of Edgar Prado (7,079). Russell Baze is by far the all-time leader with 12,842.