LEXINGTON, Ky. - The leaves are turning. The burgoo is steaming. The horses are jumping out of their hides.
Workers are trimming the hedges, polishing the furniture, testing the toteboard, tapping the kegs.
The unmistakable sights, smells, and sounds of a Bluegrass autumn are in the air, which can only mean one thing in this corner of the world:
Keeneland is open for live horse racing again.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ken McPeek is becoming known as a trainer who can get horses to win early, having done so in recent years with
2-year-old stakes winners such as Tejano Run, Grand Deed, and She's a Devil Due.
This fall, the 2-year-olds have been running especially well for McPeek. Not only does he have two prospects for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Harlan's Holiday and Repent, but he has what he thinks could be a serious contender for the BC Juvenile Fillies in Take Charge Lady, who is unbeaten in two starts.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A 16 percent takeout on all bets. Coordinated post times with New York. A pick five. Imaginative wagers like the four stakes pick four. Color-coded saddle cloths. Replay kiosks. A vastly improved simulcast production.
Consider all these changes and innovations that have been implemented at Keeneland since Nick Nicholson became track president, and one thing is clear: This ain't your daddy's Keeneland.
"If you listen to people, they'll tell you what you need to do," said Nicholson.
ELMONT, N.Y. - After Exog-enous's half-mile work on Wednes-day, trainer Scotty Schulhofer declared his filly ready to run in Saturday's $750,000 Beldame at Belmont Park, where she gets a rematch with Flute, the leading 3-year-old filly in the country.
Exogenous was timed in 47.25 seconds, handily, over Belmont's main track.
Over the weekend, Schulhofer had a scare when Exogenous had some puffiness in one of her legs. When the swelling subsided it turned out to be nothing more than a minor skin irritation.
ELMONT, N.Y. ? Capsized, whose career has been punctuated by layoffs, has taught trainer Lisa Lewis patience.
On Friday Capsized emerges from his latest layoff in the eighth race at Belmont Park, a 1 1/16-mile allowance on the Widener turf course. The $57,000 race drew a field of seven, plus five main-track-only horses.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Dixie Dot Com may take an unconventional route to the Breeders' Cup Mile.
On Sunday, Dixie Dot Com starts against Tiznow and Skimming in the $500,000 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita, one of the top preps to the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont on Oct. 27.
But trainer Bill Morey insists that Dixie Dot Com is more likely to run in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Mile on turf if he runs well in the Goodwood, which is over 1 1/8 miles on the dirt.
ARCADIA, Calif. - El Cielo, the dominant turf sprinter in California last fall, returns from an eight-month break in a $58,000 allowance race on the hillside turf course on Friday at Santa Anita.
The 7-year-old El Cielo will be a short price to win his fourth consecutive race on the hillside course, a streak that includes an allowance race and the San Simeon Handicap in the spring of 2000, and the Morvich Handicap last November.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - One young and lucky runner is going to get a big payday Friday night in the $75,000 Morven Stakes at the Meadowlands.
With so few chances to try a 2-year-old on the grass, the five-furlong dash has brought together a rag-tag group of 10 colts and geldings from all over the mid-Atlantic region.
None in the field has a stakes victory and there are two maidens in the group, but the supplemental nominations of Dr. Gold and Deeliteful Guy give the field some luster.
Leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer holds a powerful hand in the Friday's featured seventh race. He will saddle Most of All and Ghostly Valley in the $32,000 allowance at six furlongs, which is for fillies and mares.
Most of All has the most experience of the Hollendorfer pair but Ghostly Valley appears to be the one to beat Friday. Ghostly Valley has made only one start, winning a maiden race here during the San Mateo Fair.
Ghostly Valley set the pace in her debut and then lasted by a head. She has been training steadily since that race.
ANDERSON, Ind. - For the second straight year on Friday, the reigning Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies champion will run in the $200,000-added Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hoosier Park.
This year it's Caressing, who tops a field of nine 3-year-old fillies in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks. Cash Run, the 1999 BC Juvenile Fillies winner, finished fifth in this race a year ago.
The Indiana Oaks has earned Grade 3 status this year, and its purse includes $50,000 for Breeders' Cup eligibles.