Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Oaks Points Leader Swiss Skydiver A Definite Maybe For Blue Grass

Peter Callahan's multiple graded stakes winner Swiss Skydiver, the runaway leader atop the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 310 points, might challenge the boys in Saturday's 94th running of the $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) on the fourth day of Keeneland's unprecedented five-day Summer Meet in Lexington, Ky.

Nominated to the Triple Crown, Swiss Skydiver, a daughter of Daredevil, also is nominated to Keeneland's Central Bank Ashland (G1) to be run the same day. She is trained by Kenny McPeek, who also conditions another Central Bank Ashland nominee, Envoutante, a daughter of Uncle Mo owned by Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm. Envoutante won an allowance race at Churchill Downs in her most recent race on May 29.

Entries for the Toyota Blue Grass and Central Bank Ashland both will be taken Wednesday.

“I'm not going to decide (the next race for Swiss Skydiver) until the morning of entries,” McPeek said late Saturday morning after Envoutante and Swiss Skydiver each worked at Churchill Downs.

“There's several factors (in making the decision),” he added. “I need to make sure the other filly (Envoutante) is good to go in the Ashland. Like I said, I'm inclined to keep them apart. We'll see. I want to check field size, things like that.”

No filly has won the Toyota Blue Grass, and only one filly has run in the race since it debuted at Keeneland during the track's inaugural Spring Meet in April 1937. She is Hyman Friedberg's homebred Harriet Sue, who in 1944 won the Ashland and next was fifth to Skytracer in the Blue Grass. That year, Keeneland's Spring Meet was held at Churchill Downs.

In 1948, future Hall of Famer Bewitch was scratched from the Blue Grass.

Saturday's 83rd running of Central Bank Ashland figures to attract a small but select field regardless of where Swiss Skydiver runs.

Three Grade 2 winners are expected to be entered Wednesday: Juddmonte Farms' Bonny South, winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks; Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham and Legacy Ranch's Tonalist's Shape, winner of the Davona Dale, and Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm and Dominic Savides' Venetian Harbor, winner of the Las Virgenes.

Saturday's Blue Grass, which marks the 25^th running of the race sponsored by Toyota, could draw a field of 12, including Swiss Skydiver. Other notables expected to pass the entry box include Jackpot Farm's Basin, winner of last summer's Runhappy Hopeful (G1) and most recently runner-up in a division of the Arkansas Derby (G1); John Oxley's Enforceable, winner of the Lecomte (G3) and multiple graded stakes-placed, and Bruce Lunsford's sharp Churchill allowance winner Art Collector.

The post Kentucky Oaks Points Leader Swiss Skydiver A Definite Maybe For Blue Grass appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Blue Grass-Bound Pair Fire Keeneland Bullets

Finnick the Fierce (Dialed In) and Man in the Can (Can the Man) were the recipients of Saturday morning bullets at Keeneland as each wrapped up their serious work ahead of next Saturday’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in Lexington.

The one-eyed Finnick the Fierce drilled a half-mile in :46.20, the fastest of 90 works at the distance Saturday morning. The gelding, an adjudicated allowance winner at Oaklawn Apr. 4, was a sound third to the now-retired Nadal (Blame) in the GI Arkansas Derby May 2. He exits a third in Churchill allowance company June 13 in which Blue Grass hopeful Art Collector (Bernardini) was allowed to set a moderate pace and kicked home much the best.

Arkansas-bred Man in the Can won the state-bred restricted Rainbow S. Apr. 17 and the Arkansas Breeders’ Championship S. May 1 before besting next-out GIII Ohio Derby upsetter Dean Martini (Cairo Prince) in a June 12 allowance beneath the Twin Spires. The bay zipped five furlongs in :59.60 (1/18) Saturday in Lexington.

“He handled the track really well,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “I was really glad to see that. It should set him up well for the race.”

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Finnick The Fierce, Man In The Can Breeze In Advance Of Blue Grass

Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce and JRita Young Thoroughbreds' Man in the Can, two horses expected to make their next starts in the July 11, $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) during Keeneland's unprecedented Summer Meet, each turned in bullet works on the fast track at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday morning.

According to Keeneland clockers, Finnick the Fierce worked a half-mile in :46.20, the fastest of 90 works at the distance, and Man in the Can covered five furlongs in :59.60. His time was the fastest of 18 works at the distance.

Finnick the Fierce, a gelding by Dialed In, was third in the second division of the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and at Fair Grounds was fourth in the Jan. 18 Lecomte (G3) and seventh in the Feb. 15 Risen Star Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2). He is coming off a third-place finish behind another Toyota Blue Grass hopeful, Art Collector, in a June 13 allowance race at Churchill Downs.

A colt by Can the Man, Man in the Can has won his past three races: Rainbow Stakes on April 17 and Arkansas Breeders' Championship on May 1, both at Oaklawn, and an allowance race at Churchill on June 12. The latter win was by 1½ length over eventual Ohio Derby (G3) winner Dean Martini.

Ron Moquett was pleased with the work turned in by Man in the Can, who will be his first starter in Keeneland's most famous race.

“He handled the track really well,” Moquett said about the Arkansas-bred. “I was really glad to see that. It should set him up well for the race.”

Asked about the COVID-19 pandemic that is resulting in the Toyota Blue Grass being run in July during the unique Summer Meet, Moquett said, “We're living in uncertain times. With everything going on, it's been a really good thing to know we can continue to do what we need to do, and that's to take care of these horses.”

Moquett said Grade 1 winner Whitmore, who has earned more than $3 million, is scheduled to turn in a second work at Keeneland on Sunday. He said the 7-year-old gelding by Pleasantly Perfect, who races for Robert V. LaPenta, Southern Springs Stables and Head of Plains Partners, is being pointed at the Oct. 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) on opening day of Keeneland's Fall Meet with the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland the ultimate goal.

Among the other potential Summer Meet stakes horses that worked Saturday are:

July 10 stakes

Maker's Mark Mile (G1) – M and J Thoroughbreds and Riverside Bloodstock's Emmaus (IRE) (4 furlongs on turf in :50.40) for trainer Conor Murphy; Calumet Farm's Everfast (4 furlongs on turf in :50.20) for trainer Jack Sisterson.

July 11 stakes

Central Bank Ashland (G1) – Juddmonte Farm's Bonny South (5 furlongs on dirt in 1:00.40) for trainer Brad Cox.

Shakertown (G2) – Owner and trainer Wesley Ward's Bound for Nowhere (5 furlongs on turf in 1:05); Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster (4 furlongs on turf in :50.2) for trainer Rusty Arnold; Inchy Bridge Stables' Sabador (FR) (4 furlongs on turf in :51.00) for trainer Conor Murphy; Jim and Susan Hill's Totally Boss (4 furlongs on dirt in :48.20) for Arnold.

Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association – Michael and Reiko Baum's Ivyetsu (4 furlongs on dirt in :49.00) for trainer Rusty Arnold; Manganero Bloodstock'sMariafoot (GB) (4 furlongs on dirt in :49.20) for trainer Cherie DeVaux; Marc Detampel, TSF Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen's Outburst (GB) (4 furlongs on turf in :51.00) for trainer Eddie Kenneally; Merriebelle Stable's Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) (4 furlongs on turf in :49.00) for trainer Ignacio Correas IV.

July 12 stakes

TVG Elkhorn (G2) – Silverton Hill's Hellorhighwater (5 furlongs on turf in 1:05) for trainer Darrin Miller; Bloom Racing Stable's Henley's Joy (5 furlongs on turf in 1:01.80) for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The post Finnick The Fierce, Man In The Can Breeze In Advance Of Blue Grass appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Shivaree Tunes Up for Blue Grass

Shivaree (Awesome of Course), who belied odds of 80-1 to complete the exacta behind future GI Belmont S. hero Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:01.65 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park in advance of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11.

A homebred for Fred Brei’s Jacks Or Better Farm, Shivaree required five starts to break his maiden, but has since proved he belongs in the 3-year-old discussion with a pair of stakes scores prior to his Florida Derby effort. The Ralph Nicks trainee was a latest third to Belmont also-ran Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}) in a salty one-mile allowance in Hallandale June 10.

“It was a very good work–1:01 and change and 1:14 and change in the gallop out,” Nicks said. “I hope he reproduces his Florida Derby race in the Blue Grass, then he’ll get a big piece of it. If he doesn’t get it all, he’ll get a big piece of it.”

The post Shivaree Tunes Up for Blue Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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