Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal Makes Seasonal Bow in Shakertown

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) gets his 2022 season underway Saturday in Keeneland's GII Shakertown S. Winner of the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. in 2020, the son of talented turf sprinter Lady Shipman (Midshipman) opened 2021 with a win in Saratoga's GIII Quick Call S. last July and failed to fire when seventh at York in the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. Aug. 20. Returning to winning ways in the GII Woodford S. back in Lexington Oct. 9, the bay wired the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint S. when last seen Nov. 6, good for a gaudy 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

Hard-knocking Just Might (Justin Phillip) has won no fewer than eight stakes, but will try to secure his first graded score here. The chestnut won three straight black-type events at the Fair Grounds: the Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Classic S., the Dec. 26 Richard Scherer Memorial S. and the Jan. 22 Duncan F. Kenner S, but was second last out in the Colonel Power S. Feb. 19.

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Spendarella Headlines Appalachian

Gainesway homebred Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) looks to take her record to three-for-three in Saturday's GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland. A good-looking debut winner going two turns on the grass at Gulfstream Feb. 2, the $220,000 KEESEP buy wired the GIII Herecomesthebride S. in Hallandale Mar. 5, garnering a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Chad Brown can never be ignored in a turf stake and he enters European import Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}). Graduating at second asking in France for her former connections, the bay was privately purchased by Michael Dubb, Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables and transferred to Brown. She won her Stateside debut in Tampa's GIII Florida Oaks Mar. 12.

Shug McGaughey saddles an interesting contender in Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Off the board in her sprint debut at Belmont in October, the Andrew Rosen homebred rallied to victory in a two-turn event at Aqueduct Nov. 19 and captured a Tampa optional claimer Feb. 16. The bay fired back-to-back bullets in preparation for this event, most recently going a half-mile in :48 1/5 over the Payson Park turf Apr. 1. She gains the services of red-hot rider Flavien Prat for this step up in class.

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Kimari Looks to Repeat in Madison

'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) looks to successfully defend her GI Madison S. title Saturday at Keeneland. Twice second at Royal Ascot, the bay kicked off 2021 with a win in Oaklawn's Spring Fever S. and took the Madison next out. Sent to the sidelines after that effort, she was ambitiously spotted for her return off that seven-month layoff in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and she could only manage seventh to stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). Sent through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale just days later, Kimari summoned $2.7 million from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and returned to Wesley Ward's care. She kicked off her 5-year-old campaign with a facile score in a 6 1/2-panel optional claimer on the Gulfstream main track Mar. 3.

Lady Rocket (Tale of the Cat) looks to pick up where she left off at the end of 2021. Earning her black-type victory in the Pink Ribbon S. at Charles Town in August, the dark bay checked in second in the GII Gallant Bloom H. Sept. 26 at Belmont. The Brad Cox trainee captured a sloppy renewal of Belmont's Pumpkin Pie S. Oct. 31 and romped by nine lengths in Aqueduct's GIII Go For Wand H. Dec. 4, earning a gaudy 107 Beyer Speed Figure for the one-turn mile. Cox also saddles the once-beaten GII Inside Information S. winner Just One Time (Not This Time).

Bell's the One (Majesticperfection), winner of the GI Derby City Distaff when run in September of 2020, dead-heated for second behind Kimari in last year's Madison and was fourth in the Derby City Distaff next out. The bay won the Roxelana S. back at Churchill in June and followed suit with a victory in Saratoga's GII Honorable Miss H. in July. A close second in the Open Mind S. beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 18, Bell's the One took this venue's GII TCA S. Oct. 9 and, after skipping the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, rallied to yet another score back in Louisville in the Dream Supreme S. Nov. 13.

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Rising Stars Square Off in the Blue Grass

'TDN Rising Stars' Smile Happy (Runhappy) and Emmanuel (More Than Ready) face off Saturday as they try to secure their spots in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate at Keeneland in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S.

Smile Happy rallied past rivals with ease to take his career bow in style going two turns at Keeneland Oct. 29 and followed suit with a decisive victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27. Splitting foes, the dark bay closed from well back to be second to next-out GII Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (Not This Time) in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds last out Feb. 19. His trainer Ken McPeek also saddles last year's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. winner Rattle N Roll (Connect), who adds blinkers after finishing fourth in the Louisiana Derby.

A dominant debut winner at Gulfstream Dec. 11, Emmanuel wired a Tampa optional claimer next out Jan. 30. The $350,000 KEESEP acquisition was fourth after a wide trip last time in Gulfstream's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5. He is joined by stablemate Commandperformance (Union Rags), who is still maiden of four starts, but finished second in the GI Champagne S. Oct. 2 and was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5.

Jeff Drown's Zandon (Upstart) has been knocking at the door of graded glory and looks to break through here. Opening his account in a Belmont sprint Oct. 9, the dark bay came up a nose short in Aqueduct's nine-panel GII Remsen S. Dec. 4. Hopping at the start of the Risen Star, he launched a five-wide bid, closing to be third.

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