Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Records Close Out Keeneland’s Fall Meet; Breeders’ Cup Next

Keeneland concluded a record-breaking fall meet Saturday with all-sources handle of $208.9 million, a season record for the Lexington track. The 17-day fall meet ran from Oct. 7-29 with Kentucky racing scheduled to switch over to Churchill Downs Sunday prior to returning to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4-5.

The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland.

“This fall meet embodied everything our founders envisioned for Keeneland–a place where families and friends could gather and enjoy great horse racing–all heightened by anticipation for the Breeders' Cup,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “The race meet was special in every way: idyllic weather, terrific racing, and special events like Make-A-Wish Day, Heroes Day, and Teacher Appreciation Day that celebrated many deserving people. We thank everyone involved in making the Fall Meet a success and look forward to the fun continuing as we host the World Championships next weekend.”

On-track wagering for the fall meet totaled $15,351,232, up from last year's $15,162,221 (a 1.25% increase). Fall Stars Saturday (Oct. 8) set records for fall meet single-day all-sources handle ($21,695,896, surpassing the $20,926,640 on the equivalent day in 2021, a previous record) and Pick 5 wagering ($1,431,736, bettering last year's $1,255,080). In addition, a Keeneland record payoff of $72,863.72 for a 10-cent superfecta wager occurred Oct. 20.

All the fall meet leader titles came down to the wire, with all decided on Saturday. Gary and Mary West won their first Keeneland leading owner title with four wins over the 17 days, including the GII Hagyard Fayette S. with West Will Power (Bernardini) on closing day. West Will Power also pushed his trainer, Brad Cox, to the trainer title with 11 total wins. It was Cox's third consecutive fall training title and fourth Keeneland title overall. Todd Pletcher and Wesley Ward tied for second with 10 wins apiece.

Luis Saez nabbed his second Keeneland riding title by winning three races on closing day, including the final race of the meet. He just edged Tyler Gaffalione 21-20. Gaffalione had six stakes wins during the fall meet, one shy of Pat Day's single-season record of seven.

Other highlights of Keeneland's fall meet included:

Average daily purses of a record $1,168,120, up 32.66% from $880,511 during the 2021 Fall Meet
Average daily all-sources handle of $12,288,686, up from $10,647,625 in 2021 (15.41% increase)
Average daily on-track handle of $903,014, up from $891,895 in 2021 (up by 1.25%)

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Sunday Insights: Hoping For a Perfect ’10’

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

4th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, post time: 2:30 p.m. ET
BO DEREK (Speightstown) must have ticked all the proverbial boxes at last year's Keeneland September sale, as she was acquired by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm for $900,000, the priciest of 42 (53 ring) of her Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint-winning sire's yearlings that were reported as sold in 2021. And the family behind her is extremely live. The Mar. 12 foal is the first from Wildwood Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to the late GI Besilu Stables Florida Derby hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Materiality (Afleet Alex) and to GSW/MGISP My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), whose 'Rising Star' son Annapolis (War Front) will have his fair share of supporters in next weekend's GI Breeders' Cup Mile off his victory in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. The Into Mischief yearling half-sister to Bo Derek was hammered down to Whisper Hill Farm for $1.15 million at KEESEP last month. Among the competition is the outposted Tough Legacy (Hard Spun), a sister to GIII Regret S. victress Hard Legacy whose dam Stone Legacy (Birdstone) was the very, very distant runner-up to Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in the 2009 GI Kentucky Oaks. TJCIS PPs

1st-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, post time: 1:00 p.m. ET
A pair of Into Mischief colts share the spotlight in the 'Stars of Tomorrow I' opener Sunday. TALLADEGA fetched $400,000 at Keeneland November in 2020, one of three of the exceptional stallions 12 foals to achieve that top foal price, and improved into an $850,000 KEESEP yearling for the aforementioned WinStar/Siena partnership. Closely related to GSW Holiday Disguise (Harlan's Holiday) and also a half-brother to three-time stakes winner Midnight Disguise (Midnight Lute) and GI Del Mar Debutante runner-up Forest Caraway (Bodemeister), the bay is out of a winning half-sister to GSW millionaire Naughty New Yorker (Quiet American). Midnight Pranks, a $500,000 KEESEP acquisition, is out of the unraced Midnight Girl (Drosselmeyer), who was purchased by Twin Hopes Farm for $300,000 with the Into Mischief colt in utero at Fasig-Tipton November in 2019. The mare is a half-sister to dual Grade I winner Midnight Lucky (Midnight Lute) while the deeper female family includes GISW Hookedonthefeelin (Citidancer) and her Grade I-winning offspring Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet) and Jimmy Creed (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPs

7th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 4:01 p.m. ET
The cleverly named GORDY'S LABEL (Mo Town) was the second-dearest first-crop yearling for this sire (by Uncle Mo) when John Ballantyne's NBS Stables went to $300,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The dark bay was also the gold medal winner among Mo Town's first foals to go through the ring at $185,000 at KEENOV in 2020. A half-brother to SW Just Read It (Constitution), the Jan. 18 foal is out of a full-sister to SW & GSP Pool Winner (Broken Vow) and to MSP Sounds of the City (Street Cry {Ire}), the dam of MGSW & MGISP Venetian Harbor (Munnings). TJCIS PPs

6th-SA, $61k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 6:31 p.m. ET
FORT WARREN (Curlin) has the fence for this career debut and most recently worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:12.80 Oct. 24, the third-best of the morning behind a couple of 'TDN Rising Star' stablemates named Taiba (Gun Runner) and Messier (Empire Maker), who went in 1:11.40. The Feb. 11 foal is the lone listed produce for his SW/GSP dam La Appassionata (Bernardini), a full-sister to GSW Wilburn and a half to Grade II-winning juvenile Beethoven (Sky Mesa) and to the dam of GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro). Fort Warren was a $550,000 KEESEP graduate. Drawn just to his outside is Earnhardt homebred Texthelegend (Justify), whose dam Life Blessings (Tapit) is a daughter of the couple's two-time Eclipse Award and five-time Grade I winner Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie). A $100,000 purchase out of the 2021 Fasig-Tipton July Sale, Habeas (Tapwrit) fetched $450,000 at this year's OBS April Sale (:21 flat), the most-expensive of 39 juveniles (45 ring) from the first crop of the Gainesway stallion. The gray is out of a half to GI Spinaway S. winner So Many Ways (Sightseeing). TJCIS PPs

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Candy Ride’s Heavenly Sunday Impressive in Keeneland Allowance

5th-Keeneland, $100,145, Alw, 10-28, (NW1X), 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.88, gd, 2 3/4 lengths.
HEAVENLY SUNDAY (f, 2, Candy Ride {Arg}–Alien Giant {SP}, by Giant's Causeway) was hammered to 7-5 favoritism on debut Sept. 27 against a Horseshoe Indianapolis 7 1/2-panel maiden turf race, and made it look like a gift when she won by seven, geared down lengths. Once again enthusiastically supported at 8-5 here, she mildly brushed with the inside horse at the jump but secured a ground saving position from midpack early. Advancing between runners approaching the five furlong marker, she loomed the danger around the far turn and slipped to the inside of the leader through a narrow hole at the three-sixteenths. Kicking away in the furlong grounds, she put a comfortable 2 3/4 lengths on Isabel Alexandra (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}), who experienced tight quarters in upper stretch while searching for racing room. The latter's conditioner claimed foul against Florent Geroux and Heavenly Sunday, but the stewards disallowed it. The second winning filly to the races from two to hit the ground, Heavenly Sunday's dam aborted her 2022 Game Winner foal and visited The Factor for 2023. Alien Giant is a stakes-placed daughter of MGISP Alienation (Rock Hard Ten), herself half to GISP Rally Cry (Uncle Mo). The Grade I black-type extends to the fourth dam Extraterrestral (Storm Bird), who is the half-sister to millionaire MGISW Judge Angelucci, GISW War, and GISW Peace. Sales history: $170,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $82,633. Click for the Equibase.comchart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-Miacomet Farm (William Harrigan); B-Randal Family Trust (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

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Key of Life Becomes First Black-Type Winner for Mo Town

Key of Life became the first black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Uncle Mo) with a decisive score in Keeneland's Myrtlewood S. Friday. Hammered down to 3-5 favoritism off consecutive scores, the $350,000 OBSAPR acquisition seized the early advantage, zipping through a :22.34 opening quarter with a rival in hot pursuit. Turning for home in front after a half in :45.91, the bay opened up with ease in the lane to win for fun.

“She really has put it together over the last month or so,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “Her win at Churchill she ran big, but she came back here and I thought really showed who she is opening weekend (when she won by 6 1/4 lengths). We took her back to Churchill and she was training well, and this race came up with a big field so (we decided to) give it a shot. We liked the (post position) she drew. She broke well. Very happy with her performance today.”

Third on debut behind a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance form Summer Promise (Uncle Mo) at Churchill Downs June 25, Key of Life broke through next out there Aug. 13 and followed suit with an optional claimer score at this oval Oct. 7. Longride to Wisdom did not have a foal in 2021, but had a Caracaro filly this year and was bred back to Honor A.P. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

MYRTLEWOOD S., $200,000, Keeneland, 10-28, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.09, ft.
1–KEY OF LIFE, 118, f, 2, by Mo Town
                1st Dam: Longride to Wisdom, by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Clever Idea, by Matchlite
                3rd Dam: Queen of Savoy, by Conquistador Cielo
($42,000 Ylg '21 OBSOCT; $350,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR).
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Flurry Racing Stables LLC and
Hoffman Family Racing, LLC; B-Moreau Bloodstock
International, Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux.
$116,250. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $263,710. *First black-
type winner for freshman sire (by Uncle Mo).
2–Lady Radler, 118, f, 2, Kantharos–Sally Bowles (Saf), by
London News (Saf). ($37,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mellon Patch, Inc.; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Michael B. Campbell.
$37,500.
3–Baby Got Backspin, 118, f, 2, Kantharos–Showtime Sis, by
Euroears. ($67,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Bregman Family Racing LLC; B-Daniel Mallory, Cathy
Jennings, Amy Bayle & Bloom Racing LLC (KY); T-George R.
Arnold, II. $18,750.
Margins: 6 3/4, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 0.67, 30.50, 9.37.
Also Ran: Take Charge Briana, Satin Doll, Two Minute Drill, Flamand, Somebody's Problem, Willow Bend, Time for Champagne. Scratched: Alva Starr.

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