Dale Romans | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Fury’ Looking For Redemption in Kentucky JC

Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm’s King Fury (Curlin) is undefeated in two prior starts at Churchill Downs and tries to annex his first graded victory in Saturday’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. A debut winner at the Louisville oval in September, the chestnut was eighth in Keeneland’s GI Breeders’ Futurity S. Oct. 3 before bouncing back to score in the Oct. 25 Street Sense S. Last time out, the 2-year-old finished seventh under Brian Hernandez Jr. in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 6.

“He’s 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs so we know he really likes it here,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “We’ve added blinkers to him in hopes to get him to the next level. I think they could add to his focus and really get him there. His only two blemishes came at Keeneland, so we’re excited to get him back to Churchill.”

McPeek will attempt to add his second win in the Kentucky Jockey Club following Signalman in 2018.

Dale Romans offers a three-pronged attack, led by GIII Iroquois S. winner Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause). Campaigned by the Albaugh Family, the chestnut launched his career with a five-furlong win at Ellis in August before taking his route bow in the Iroquois. He was most recently ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Running for the same connections, Smiley Sobotka (Brody’s Cause) was runner-up in his career bow while negotiating 6 1/2 furlongs at Ellis in August before graduating in his route unveiling at Keeneland Oct. 4. Rounding out the Romans triumvirate is Ultimate Badger (Commissioner), who won his latest start in a optional claimer over track and trip Oct. 25.

Looking for a class break is Keepmeinmind (Laoban), on the board in all three prior starts, including a second in the Breeders’ Futurity followed by a third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. David Cohen, aboard for the bay’s first two career starts, reunites with the colt Saturday.

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Keepmeinmind Faces Stakes Winners King Fury, Sittin On Go In Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club

Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) third-place finisher Keepmeinmind will be in search of his first-career victory against a competitive field of nine 2-year-olds, which includes stakes winners King Fury and Sittin On Go, entered in Saturday's 94th running of the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Kentucky Jockey Club is carded as Race 11 of 12 on Saturday's “Stars of Tomorrow II” program featuring all 2-year-old races. First post is 1 p.m. and the Kentucky Jockey Club will go at 5:56 p.m. The race will share the spotlight with its counterpart, the $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies. The Golden Rod will go as Race 9 at 4:57 p.m.

Churchill Downs' Stars of Tomorrow programs have helped launch the career of more than 50 G1 winners including Kentucky Oaks winners Rachel Alexandra, Believe You Can and Monomoy Girl, Preakness (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver and 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who won the Kentucky Jockey Club in 2009.

Keepmeinmind has yet to record a victory for trainer Robertino Diodoro but sports a runner-up effort behind likely 2-year-old champion Essential Quality in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1). Following the Breeders' Futurity, he finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile where he was defeated two lengths by Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie.

Diodoro's go-to rider David Cohen has the mount on Keepmeinmind and will break from post position No. 4.

Another juvenile likely to garner attention in the Kentucky Jockey Club is Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's $98,000 Street Sense winner King Fury. Trained by Kenny McPeek, King Fury will add blinkers for his start in the Kentucky Jockey Club following his seventh-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Named after the superstar boxer Tyson Fury, King Fury added blinkers in his most recent work at Churchill Downs, a five-furlong move in 1:00.60.

Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call on King Fury from post 8.

Also entered in the field is Albaugh Family Stable's coupled entry of $200,000 Iroquois (GIII) upset winner Sittin On Go and recent maiden winner Smiley Sobotka. Trained by Dale Romans, Sittin On Go recorded a shocking 24-1 upset victory in the Iroquois by 2 ½ lengths. In his first try at two turns, Sittin On Go was forced very wide in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and finished a non-descript ninth.

Corey Lanerie is named in the program on both horses. Should the bottom part of the entry, Smiley Sobotka, run in the field, there will be a late jockey change. Sittin On Go will break from post 2 while Smiley Sobotka drew post 5.

Trainer Brad Cox entered two of his promising juveniles in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Kueber Racing and Ten Strike Racing's three-length maiden winner Swill will break from the rail with Florent Geroux in the irons and Godolphin's two-length maiden winner Inspector Frost drew post 6 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the saddle. Swill, a 2-year-old colt by Munnings, was a wire-to-wire winner in his third start on Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs while Inspector Frost broke his maiden at second asking on Oct. 18 at Keeneland under Geroux. This will be both colt's first start going two turns and they will both remove blinkers for this start.

The complete field for the Kentucky Jockey Club (with jockey and trainer): #1 Sittin On Go (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans); #1a Smiley Sobotka (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans); #2 Swill (Geroux, Cox); #3 Arabian Prince (Tyler Gaffalione, Dallas Stewart); #4 Keepmeinmind (Cohen, Diodoro); #5 Inspector Frost (Velazquez, Cox); #6 Oncoming Train (Rafael Bejarano, Jimmy DiVito); #7 King Fury (Hernandez, McPeek); and #8 Ultimate Badger (Joe Talamo, Romans).

As a “Prep Season” race on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” the Top 4 finishers in the Kentucky Jockey Club will receive 10-4-2-1 points, respectively.

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Wednesday’s Insights: Dennis’ Moment Returns

8th-CD, $89K, OC100k/N2X, 3yo, 1m, 4:36 p.m. ET
‘TDN Rising Star’ DENNIS’ MOMENT (Tiznow) makes his return to the races here. Last of eight as the 4-5 favorite after stumbling badly at the start in the 2019 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the GIII Iroquois S. winner has made only one start since, finishing up the track as the chalk in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Feb. 29. The Albaugh Family Stables colorbearer’s worktab includes a local five-furlong bullet in :58 1/5 (1/46) for Dale Romans Nov. 8. TJCIS PPs

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Code Of Honor, Mr Freeze Top Early Probables For Clark

The marquee race of the 2020 Fall Meet is the Grade I, $500,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare on Friday, Nov. 27. Nominations for the 1 1/8-mile race are due Saturday but several horses are ramping up their preparation for the race including two-time Grade I winner Code of Honor and multiple graded stakes winners Mr Freeze and Owendale.

The Clark is one of six graded stakes events that are staged on closing week of the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs:

· Thursday, Nov. 26:

o $200,000 Falls City (GII) for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles

o $100,000 Cardinal (GIII) for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf

· Friday, Nov. 27:

o $500,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles

o $100,000 River City (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf

· Saturday, Nov. 28:

o $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles

o $200,000 Golden Rod (GII) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles

“This year the Clark is only three weeks removed from the Breeders' Cup because of the way the calendar fell but Mr Freeze just looks phenomenal after the Dirt Mile,” trainer Dale Romans said.

Mr Freeze finished sixth in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (GI) and was defeated 5 ¾ lengths by front-running Knicks Go. Finishing just ahead of Mr Freeze in the race was the six-time winner Owendale. The Into Mischief colt was the runner-up in last year's edition of the Clark behind Tom's d'Etat.

One of the other early top contenders for the Clark is Bill Farish's two-time Grade I winner Code of Honor. Based at Belmont Park with trainer Shug McGaughey, Code of Honor most recently finished second behind Complexity in the one-mile $150,000 Kelso (GII). Code of Honor was a top 3-year-old in 2019 after recording victories in the $1.25 million Travers (GI), $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) and $250,000 Dwyer (GIII). The homebred son of Noble Mission finished second in the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) behind Country House.

Nominations to all six races close Saturday and will be released early next week. To nominate, visit www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen or call (502) 636-3806.

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