Robertino Diodoro | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spendthrift Farm Acquires Half Interest In Kentucky Jockey Club Winner Keepmeinmind

B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm has acquired 50% ownership interest in the 3-year-old colt Keepmeinmind, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) last fall at Churchill Downs and currently second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 18 points.

“We are delighted to be a part of such an exciting young racehorse as Keepmeinmind, and thankful to Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith for the opportunity to join the team,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “We believe Keepmeinmind is poised for a big 3-year-old year. He demonstrated tremendous talent as a 2-year-old, placing twice in Grade Ones including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and finishing up the year in style with a convincing win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill.”

Campaigned by Cypress Creek LLC and Arnold Bennewith, Keepmeinmind will either make his seasonal debut in the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) next Saturday at Fair Grounds – where he is entered in post 12 with jockey David Cohen – or the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park two days later on Presidents' Day.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro, the bay colt by Laoban most recently breezed a bullet five furlongs in :59 flat on Feb. 2 at Oaklawn. Autrey Bloodstock brokered the deal for Spendthrift to join the current ownership group.

As a 2-year-old, Keepmeinmind finished runner-up to champion Essential Quality in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland in just his second start. He was also a fast-closing third to that colt in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile a month later, before breaking his maiden against stakes company in the Kentucky Jockey Club to close out a successful juvenile campaign.

An earner of $394,320 to date, Keepmeinmind is out of the Victory Gallop mare Inclination. He was bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables.

Keepmeinmind's final workout for his 3-year-old debut is scheduled for Monday at Oaklawn.

“There's a couple of variables,” Diodoro said concerning whether the colt goes in the Risen Star or Southwest. “I think we're going to wait and see the next 72 hours.”

Diodoro said the potential of bad weather and a compact Southwest field make the Risen Star an option for Keepmeinmind, who has been based at Oaklawn since late December.

“The short field here is a little bit of a concern with his running style,” said Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020. “If you've got a speed horse, like a couple of guys do in the race, perfect having five, six horses. But when you have a come from behinder, that's not the most ideal thing.”

Diodoro said he plans to breeze Keepmeinmind at 10 a.m. (Central), following Monday's second surface renovation break. Keepmeinmind has had five published works this season at Oaklawn, including a five-furlong bullet move (:59) after the second break last Tuesday under regular rider David Cohen.

“Just a little quieter out there,” Diodoro said, referring to the late time.

Unbeaten Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said. Essential Quality (3 for 3) was the country's champion 2-year-old male after winning the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Essential Quality has been based this winter at Fair Grounds.

The post Spendthrift Farm Acquires Half Interest In Kentucky Jockey Club Winner Keepmeinmind appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Keepmeinmind, Shedaresthedevil Work at Oaklawn for ’21 Debuts

Keepmeinmind (Laoban) worked five furlongs in a bullet :59 at Oaklawn Tuesday morning in preparation for a start in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 15. The fastest of 17 works published at the distance, the 3-year-old completed the final quarter-mile in a sharp :22.80, galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.80, seven furlongs in 1:25.40 and a mile in 1:40.40, according to local clockers.

Accompanied by David Cohen, the winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. last November worked over a fast track following the second break to renovate the racing surface.

It marked Keepmeinmind's fifth published workout this season at Oaklawn and the second bullet, following a five-furlong move in 1:00 Jan. 19.

“Did it the right way again,” said Robertino Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020. “I love that his works have been very consistent. Again, I always say take each day at a time, but his works have been very consistent–consistently good–since he's been here.”

Diodoro indicated he plans to come back with an easy half-mile work and a “couple of stiff gallops” next week leading up to the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four GI Kentucky Derby points races.

“I'd like it to be Tuesday [Feb. 9],” Diodoro said of the maintenance breeze. “But it could be adjusted by a day or two because it looks like a little bit of [weather].”

GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) returned to the work tab Monday morning at Oaklawn, covering three furlongs in :36.60 in preparation for her 2021 debut, possibly the Mar. 13 GII Azeri S. Under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza, she breezed following the first renovation break for newly minted Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox. Clockers had the 4-year-old galloping out a half-mile in :49.80 over the fast track.

“Really, really good,” Cox said after the work. “We were just looking for like :38, and she honestly looked like she was going :38. Just well within herself. Just nice and easy. We're not going to get in a big hurry with her, just kind of pick it up a little bit each week. Couldn't have asked for a better first work back.”

Shedaresthedevil was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020 after winning four races, including the Kentucky Oaks and Oaklawn's GIII Honeybee S. She hasn't started since finishing third in the GI Spinster S. Oct. 4 at Keeneland, her first start against older horses.

Following the Spinster, Shedaresthedevil received a 60-day break before resuming light training in mid-December in Kentucky. She arrived at Oaklawn Jan. 9. Cox said the 1 1/16-mile Azeri, Oaklawn's final major prep for the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17, is possible for her 2021 debut.

“It's going to get close there,” Cox said. “We're just going to have to kind of really watch her and let her tell us if she's ready for that, but that would be the first logical target.”

The post Keepmeinmind, Shedaresthedevil Work at Oaklawn for ’21 Debuts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Very Consistent’ Keepmeinmind Fires Another Bullet Toward Southwest Stakes

Keepmeinmind is coming into the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn firing bullets. The stakes winner did it again Tuesday morning, completing major preparations for the Southwest with a swift 5-furlong workout under regular rider David Cohen.

Keepmeinmind was timed in :59 – fastest of 17 works published at the distance – and, following a final quarter-mile in a sharp :22.80, galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:11.80, 7 furlongs in 1:25.40 and a mile in 1:40.40, according to the clockers. Keepmeinmind worked over a fast track following the second break to renovate the racing surface.

It marked Keepmeinmind's fifth published workout this season at Oaklawn and second to receive a bullet designation (fastest of the day at the distance), following a 5-furlong move in 1:00 Jan. 19. A late-running son of Laoban, Keepmeinmind closed his 2-year-old campaign with a last-to-first maiden-breaking victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Diodoro said he plans to come back with an easy half-mile work and a “couple of stiff gallops” next week leading up to the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“I'd like it to be Tuesday,” Diodoro said of the maintenance breeze. “But it could be adjusted by a day or two because it looks like a little bit of (weather).”

The 1 1/16-mile Southwest will offer 17 points (10-4-2-1, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Post positions will be drawn Feb. 11. Prior to the Kentucky Jockey Club, Keepmeinmind finished 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.

Unbeaten Essential Quality also is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said. Essential Quality (3 for 3) was the country's champion 2-year-old male after winning the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Essential Quality has been based this winter at Fair Grounds.

Essential Quality (30) and Keepmeinmind (18) rank 1-2 on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard, according to Churchill Downs.

The post ‘Very Consistent’ Keepmeinmind Fires Another Bullet Toward Southwest Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Keepmeinmind ‘Had A Little Target To Run At’ In Bullet Workout At Oaklawn

Keepmeinmind recorded his third local workout this month at Oaklawn – zipping 5 furlongs in 1:00 over a fast track Tuesday morning under regular rider David Cohen – in advance of the colt's 2021 debut in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Feb. 15. The time ranked No. 1 among 40 published at the distance.

“Really good,” trainer Robertino Diodoro said Wednesday morning. “It worked out good, actually. Just right at the quarter pole, like David said, he looked up and said there was a horse about 6 or 7 lengths in front of him and he had a little target to run at. It kind of worked out really well.”

Keepmeinmind recorded splits of :25 for his opening quarter-mile, :37 for three furlongs and :48.20 for a half-mile before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and seven in 1:26.80, according to clockers. Diodoro said Keepmeinmind worked from the five-eighths pole to the regular finish line.

Keepmeinmind had previously recorded half-mile breezes Jan. 6 and Jan. 12 at Oaklawn.

“He's starting to become a pretty good work horse,” Diodoro said.

Keepmeinmind raced four times last year, 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 breaking his maiden as the 2-1 favorite in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Keepmeinmind ranks second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 18 points, according to Churchill Downs. Unbeaten Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality has 30 points to top the standings. Essential Quality, the probable 2-year-old male champion, is under consideration for the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said.

The post Keepmeinmind ‘Had A Little Target To Run At’ In Bullet Workout At Oaklawn appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post