NY-Bred Fingal’s Cave Puts Unbeaten Mark on Line in Raven Run

New York-bred Fingal's Cave (Carpe Diem), perfect in four career starts in the Big Apple, takes on graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland.

The bay cuts back in distance to seven furlongs after capturing her stakes debut in Saratoga's Fleet Indian S. versus state-breds going 1 1/8 miles in the mud Aug. 26.

“At some point, we will challenge her and this seems to be a good spot,” trainer David Donk said. “The Raven Run is for straight 3-year-olds, it's graded and it is a good spot to see where we stand.”

He added, “I am not sure what her best distance is. She ran so well sprinting in her first two starts, and she has been training really well the past few weeks.”

Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) puts a three-race winning streak on the line following a narrow score in Saratoga's GII Prioress S. with the rail-drawn Union Lake (Speightster) back in third.

Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute) is two-for-two since joining the Rob Atras barn, including a big-figure 6 1/4-length tally in Pimlico's Weather Vane S. Sept. 24. She is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Shamrock Rose (First Dude) used the 2018 Raven Run as a springboard to a 25-1 upset in that term's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The 10-race Belmont at the Big A card, meanwhile, will feature a wide-open renewal of the GII Hill Prince S. for sophomore turfers; and the grassy GIII Noble Damsel S. for fillies and mares. Saturday's graded action is rounded out by Woodbine's GIII Ontario Matron S.

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Big Field Set for Raven Run

A wide-open field of 13 sophomore filly sprinters will line up for Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland.

'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin) enters in good form in her last three starts since receiving a freshening. A powerful winner of Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. July 10, the Live Oak colorbearer followed with a second-place finish behind likely GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint second choice Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) in the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 7 and repeated that same position behind the streaking Cilla (California Chrome) after leading in the stretch as the 4-5 favorite in the GII Prioress S. back at the Spa Sept. 4.

Juddmonte homebred Obligatory (Curlin), drawn widest of all for Bill Mott here, is favored at 3-1 on the morning line. Minus a disappointing fifth after a slow start in the Test, the GII Eight Belles S. upsetter has strong second-place finishes going longer behind Search Results (Flatter) in the one-mile GI Acorn S. June 5 and Clairiere (Curlin) in the 1 1/16-mile GI Cotillion S. last time Sept. 25.

Mott will also saddle Godolphin homebred Caramel Swirl (Union Rags), a big-figure Saratoga allowance winner July 24 in her comebacker following a dull seventh in the Eight Belles. She was a disappointing fourth as the heavy favorite in the two-turn GIII Charles Town Oaks last time Aug. 27.

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