Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bell’s the One Headlines Madison

Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) tops a competitive field of seven in Keeneland's GI Madison S. Saturday. Winning her first graded event at this oval in the 2019 GII Raven Run S., the bay captured the GIII Winning Colors S. at Churchill last May and checked in third behind Guarana (Ghostzapper) in last year's renewal of this event, which was held in July last year due to the pandemic. She rallied to a nose defeat of GI Kentucky Oaks victress Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in Churchill's GI Derby City Distaff S., also delayed from May to September, and closed 2020 with a late-running third behind champion Gamine (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint S. in Lexington Nov. 7.

The fleet-footed Kimari (Munnings) should provide the early pace Bell's the One needs, but could prove not for catching. Runner-up in the 2019 G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, the 'TDN Rising Star' kicked off 2020 with a victory in Oaklawn's Purple Martin S. on the main track in April and returned to the Royal meeting for her next start, where she finished second in the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. June 19. Third in the grassy Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 15, the bay scored a decisive win in a sloppy renewal of the Spring Fever S. back in Hot Springs Feb. 27. Kimari is three-for-three on the dirt, including her 15-length debut graduation at Keeneland in the spring of 2019.

Sconsin (Include) will likely fly under the radar due to the presence of the top two, but could certainly get a piece. Runner-up in the GIII Beaumont S. at this oval in July, the bay was third to the re-opposing Mundaye Call (Into Mischief) in the Audobon Oaks at Ellis Aug. 9. She broke through at the graded level with a rallying score in Churchill's GII Eight Belles S. Sept. 4 and was fourth in the Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint last out. The homebred prepped for this with a five-panel bullet in :59 2/5 at Fair Grounds Mar. 22.

Also worth a look is GI La Brea S. victress Fair Maiden (Street Boss), who looks to rebound off an eighth-place finish in the GII Santa Monica S. Feb. 13.

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Malathaat Looks to Remain Perfect in Ashland

Blue-blooded 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) looks to follow in her dam and grand-dam's hoofprints by adding a Grade I to her perfect resume Saturday in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland. A debut winner going seven panels at Belmont Oct. 9, the $1.05-million KEESEP purchase romped by 7 3/4 lengths in the one-mile Tempted S. at Aqueduct Nov. 6. She proved distance was no issue when coming alive late with a determined rally to capture a sloppy renewal of the nine-panel GII Demoiselle S. at the Big A when last seen Dec. 5 and prepped for this with a five-furlong bullet in 1:01 2/5 (1/4) at Palm Beach Downs Mar. 27. Initially scheduled to make her seasonal bow in last weekend's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, Malathaat missed that event after the death of her owner Sheikh Hamdan earlier in the week.

Simply Ravishing (Laoban) scored her career high at this oval last term and hopes to repeat Saturday. Opening her account with a pair of victories at Saratoga last summer, including an off-the-turf renewal of the P.G. Johnson S., the bay dominated by 6 1/4 lengths in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. here in October. She was fourth in both the GI Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies and GII Golden Rod S. in November and makes her first start of her 3-year-old season Saturday.

Will's Secret (Will Take Charge) will try to extend her hot streak and take her game to the next level in the Ashland. Graduating at fourth asking in an off-the-turf event at Fair Grounds Dec. 20, the homebred registered a 5 1/4-length decision in a muddy renewal of Oaklawn's Martha Washington S. Jan. 30. The dark bay wired that venue's GIII Honeybee S. last time Mar. 6 and Dallas Stewart shows faith in his charge by choosing this spot over the GIII Fantasy S. back in Hot Springs Saturday.

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American Freedom Gets First Winner at Keeneland

3rd-Keeneland, $60,000, Msw, 4-2, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.01, ft, 1 1/2 lengths.
AMERICAN BOUND (f, 2, American Freedom–Grace Abounds, by Stormy Atlantic) provided a further push for her first-crop sire (by Pulpit), becoming the Airdrie inmate's first winner Friday at Keeneland. The victory came just two days after another daughter of American Freedom sold for $550,000 at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream to go with three six-figure sellers at OBS March. Let go at 12-1 while breaking from the rail, American Bound broke on top and edged away around the turn with Wesley Ward-trained favorite Magniloquent (American Pharoah) in hot pursuit. American Bound stiff-armed that foe in upper stretch despite struggling with her leads, and had built up enough of an advantage to hold off Bode by You (Munnings) by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire, stopping the clock in :52.01-:0.14 faster than the other division of juvenile fillies in race one. The winner's dam, from the family of MGSW Souvenir Copy (Mr. Prospector), is also represented by a Daredevil filly of 2020. Sales history: $20,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $15,000 Ylg '20 OBSWIN. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Terry Hutto; B-Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY); T-Joe Sharp.

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Pass The Champagne Ready For ‘Big Step Up’ In Ashland

Trainer George Weaver almost made a run at the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in 2019, but his entrant, Point of Honor, did not have enough qualifying points.

On Saturday, Weaver will send out Pass the Champagne for her stakes debut in the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland, which carries 170 qualifying points toward the April 30 Oaks on a scale of 100-40-20-10 to the first- through fourth-place finishers.

“It is a big step up for her and first time going two turns,” Weaver said Friday morning after the Flatter filly galloped on the main track under exercise rider Nick Bush. “Rusty (Arnold) had her the first time she ran, and we liked what we saw in her debut. They (new owners) negotiated a price and bought her with an eye toward the Oaks if we could do it.”

Five weeks after her debut, Pass the Champagne scored her first career win by 2½ lengths for the new ownership group of R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, Black Ridge Stables and James Brown.

“We expected her to run well (in her second start),” said Weaver, who will have Javier Castellano aboard Pass the Champagne for the first time in Saturday's Central Bank Ashland. “We're going to give it a shot.”

After Point of Honor failed to make the Oaks, she went on to win the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) two weeks later. She would go on to place second in three Grade 1 races and earn more than $700,000.

“They are different horses but I think Pass the Champagne has more natural speed,” Weaver said. “They are both class acting fillies.”

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