Keepmeinmind | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Eager To Go’: Derby Hopeful Keepmeinmind Arrives At Oaklawn Park

After traveling Sunday and resting Monday, Tuesday was a work day for one of the country's top 2-year-olds of 2020.

Keepmeinmind galloped approximately a mile under regular exercise rider Saul Salas on a cloudy, cold Tuesday morning at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. It was the colt's first trip to the track at a racing venue since breaking his maiden in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Keepmeinmind arrived Sunday night in Hot Springs after previously being based at WinStar Farm in Kentucky, where he had been in light training since a last-to-first victory in the Grade 2Kentucky Jockey Club, a 1 1/16-mile event that anchored Churchill's Stars of Tomorrow II program.

“He seemed all eager to go,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said after Keepmeinmind returned to the barn. “It was good to have him back in the barn. One step at a time.”

Diodoro reiterated there is no timetable regarding Keepmeinmind's 3-year-old debut, or even a regular workout schedule.

Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races is the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, but Diodoro said Keepmeinmind is not a candidate for the 1-mile race. A late-running son of Laoban, Keepmeinmind raced four times this year (all routes), finishing second in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and third in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland before his breakthrough victory as the 2-1 favorite in the Kentucky Jockey Club. His last three starts have been at 1 1/16 miles. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 15.

“Nothing set in stone,” Diodoro said. “Like the old saying: 'Let the horse tell us when he's ready to do something.' ”

David Cohen, Oaklawn's leading jockey in 2019, has ridden Keepmeinmind three times, including his victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Silver Prospector won the 2019 Kentucky Jockey Club before finishing fourth in the Smarty Jones – his 3-year-old debut – and then capturing the Southwest.

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‘One Step At A Time’: Derby Hopeful Keepmeinmind Heads To Oaklawn, Will Aim For Southwest Stakes

Keepmeinmind, among the country's leading 2-year-olds, is scheduled to arrive at Oaklawn between Christmas Day and New Year's Day to begin preparations for a 2021 campaign, the colt's trainer, Robertino Diodoro, said Saturday morning.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind has been in light training at WinStar Farm in Kentucky since breaking his maiden in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. The trainer said he hasn't mapped out an early 2021 race schedule for Keepmeinmind, but he likely isn't a candidate for the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, a one-mile opening-day event that is Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“Probably too short for him, especially with the mile here,” Diodoro said. “It's a short lane and stuff.”

Oaklawn's mile races begin and end at the sixteenth pole in the stretch. Diodoro said Keepmeinmind will be considered for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. The late-running son of Laoban has raced four times this year (all routes), finishing second in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and third in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland before his breakthrough victory as the 2-1 favorite. His last three starts have been at 1 1/16 miles.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind is jogging at WinStar in advance of shipping to Oaklawn. Keepmeinmind has already banked 18 points to rank second on the early Kentucky Derby leaderboard, and the goal, Diodoro said, is a return to Churchill Downs this spring for the first leg of the Triple Crown. The colt also ran second at Churchill Downs in his Sept. 2 career debut.

“Just one step at a time,” Diodoro said. “It's easier said than done, keeping these horses happy and healthy. It's the same with all horses, but, obviously, our long-term plan is, hopefully, live the dream of being at Churchill in May. But that's a ways out. I won't say anything. Let the horse tell us. We're not going to force anything. He came back really good out of his race and is doing well at WinStar, so we'll just play it by ear.”

David Cohen, Oaklawn's leading jockey in 2019, has ridden Keepmeinmind three times, including his victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

Silver Prospector won the 2019 Kentucky Jockey Club before finishing fourth in the Smarty Jones – his 3-year-old debut – and capturing the Southwest.

Diodoro said Dreamer's Disease, who finished sixth in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is scheduled to arrive at Oaklawn in early January. Dreamer's Disease, also by Laoban, closed his 2-year-old campaign with a seventh-place finish as the heavy favorite in the $250,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes Dec. 6 at Aqueduct after stumbling badly at the start.

Diodoro, who has never had a Triple Crown starter, already has horses training at Oaklawn.

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Keepmeinmind Puts In Big Late Run Break His Maiden In Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind added to the freshman tally of stallion Laoban with a win in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Jockey David Cohen rode the juvenile to his maiden triumph as the 2-1 favorite; the pair completed 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:44.52. Trained by Robertino Diodoro, Keepmeinmind was third last out in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Also the runner-up in the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, Keepmeinmind has collected a total of 18 points on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Smiley Sobotka led the way through fractions of :24.00 and :48.00, before being headed by stakes winner King Fury at the head of the lane. The frontrunner pulled away again, but didn't have enough left to fend off the late run of early trailer Keepmeinmind.

Still last at the three-sixteenths pole, Keepmeinmind wove through traffic to find clear running on the outside in the stretch. Cohen drove Keepmeinmind firmly down the lane to break his maiden by three-quarters of a length over Smiley Sobotka. Arabian Prince checked in third, and Swill was fourth.

Bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stable, Keepmeinmind is out of the unraced Victory Gallop mare Inclination. Raced by his breeder to a second on debut at Churchill Downs, the colt also ran second in the Breeders' Futurity in those colors. He was sold to his current ownership before finishing third in the Breeders' Cup. Overall, the colt's record stands at one win, two seconds, and a third from four starts, with earnings just shy of $400,000.

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Laoban Colt Graduates in Kentucky Jockey Club

Keepmeinmind (Laoban) entered Saturday’s GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. a maiden, but with board finishes in each of his three previous appearances, including two at Grade I level. The bay colt, last for the opening 6 1/2 furlongs, came with a barnstorming finish to graduate in style, earning 10 points towards next year’s GI Kentucky Derby in the process.

Favored at 2-1, Keepmeinmind was clearly last into stride and was taken in hand by David Cohen, as Smiley Sobotka (Brody’s Cause) set the pace at the fence from Oncoming Train (Mineshaft) and King Fury (Curlin), who improved three wide into the backstretch. Still at the tail of the field, though not far off of the leaders through the middle furlongs, Keepmeinmind was guided down right onto the rail for the run around the far turn and was quietly handled as they approached the stretch. Cohen got after his mount in earnest at the quarter pole, split horses, produced Keepmeinmind on the grandstand side and raced over the top of long-time leader Smiley Sobotka for a stylish victory. Arabian Prince (Mshawish) made mild progress from the latter third of the field to round out the trifecta. The final time was 0.54 second slower against the clock than the GII Golden Rod S. two races earlier.

A debut second to Arabian Prince in a one-mile maiden rained onto the main track here Sept. 2, Keepmeinmind outran odds of 52-1 to be second to Essential Quality (Tapit) in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland Oct. 3 and bridged most of a 17-length deficit in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, coming from last to finish two lengths’ third behind Essential Quality.

Pedigree Notes:

Keepmeinmind is the third stakes winner and joins beaten GII Golden Rod S. favorite Simply Ravishing as graded winners for their first-crop sire (by Uncle Mo). Both he and Golden Rod winner Travel Column are out of mares by GI Belmont S. hero Victory Gallop who were 17 and 14 years of age, respectively, when foaling their produce. Keepmeinmind is out of a half-sister to MSW & GISP Mellow Fellow (Belek) and SW & MGSP Zawzooth (Unbridled’s Song) and has a yearling half-brother by Honor Code and a weanling full-brother. Inclination was most recently bred to Practical Joke.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB S.-GII, $200,000, Churchill Downs, 11-28, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.52, ft.
1–KEEPMEINMIND, 122, c, 2, by Laoban
                1st Dam: Inclination, by Victory Gallop
                2nd Dam: Lady Blockbuster, by Silent Screen
                3rd Dam: Dunvegan Dancer, by Lt. Stevens
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED-STAKES WIN. O-Cypress
Creek LLC & Arnold Bennewith; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC
(KY); T-Robertino Diodoro; J-David Cohen. $119,040. Lifetime
Record: MGISP, 4-1-2-1, $394,320. *1/2 to In Jack’s Memory
(Malibu Moon), GSP, $100,553. **10th winner and third
stakes winner for freshman sire (by Uncle Mo). Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Smiley Sobotka, 122, c, 2, Brody’s Cause–Dance
Thewayyouare, by Mineshaft. ($185,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG).
O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Track West Racing Inc. (ON);
T-Dale L. Romans. $38,400.
3–Arabian Prince, 122, c, 2, Mshawish–Jolene, by Malibu
Moon. ($160,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $235,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG).
O-West Point Thoroughbreds & William Sandbrook; B-M.
Taylor, J. Taylor, BGT LLC, G. E. Saufley & Louis Brooks Ranch
LP (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $19,200.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, 2. Odds: 2.00, 3.50, 13.70.
Also Ran: Swill, King Fury, Sittin On Go, Oncoming Train, Ultimate Badger, Inspector Frost. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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