Robertino Diodoro | Horse Racing Free Tips

Keepmeinmind Gearing Up For 2021 Debut In Southwest Stakes

Keepmeinmind moved closer to his 2020 debut with a half-mile workout late Tuesday morning at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., going in :48.80 just after the first surface renovation break under regular rider David Cohen.

Keepmeinmind was breezing locally for the second time since winning the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. The track was rated fast after training was delayed 3 ½ hours because of freezing temperatures early Tuesday morning.

The $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, trainer Robertino Diodoro said Tuesday afternoon, remains a target for Keepmeinmind, who was among the country's leading 2-year-olds.

“That's the rough plan,” Diodoro said.

Keepmeinmind's time ranked fifth among 55 half-mile works published. Clockers caught Keepmeinmind galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 and 6 furlongs in 1:15.60. Diodoro said Keepmeinmind was to breeze alone, but he received some unexpected company in the final quarter-mile of the work from a Chris Hartman trainee who shadowed the late-running son of Laoban on the outside approaching the regular finish line.

“He never did let that horse pass him, even on the gallop out,” said Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020. “Worked good. It was a very strong gallop out. Like I said, the plan was just to work by himself, but he hooked into another horse. That made him probably finish up a little stronger than needed to be. But at the same time, it was good for us.”

Keepmeinmind breezed a half-mile in :50.20 Jan. 6 under Cohen, Oaklawn's leading rider in 2019. The colt arrived Dec. 27 after previously being in light training at WinStar Farm in Kentucky following the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Diodoro said.

The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races. Keepmeinmind raced four times (all routes) 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 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes under Cohen.

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.

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‘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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Diodoro Given 60-Day Suspension For Hydroxylidocaine; Stewards Stay Penalty For One Year

Trainer Robertino Diodoro has been suspended 60 days and fined $5,000 to for two hydroylidocaine positives in runners at Canterbury Park, but he won't be serving those days immediately. A ruling from the Minnesota Racing Commission's board of stewards last week indicated the officials ordered a stay of the suspension for 365 days due to unspecified “mitigating factors.”

The stay means that Diodoro will not serve the 60 days unless he has Class 1, Class 2, Category A or Category B medication violations in the 365 days following Dec. 1 of this year.

Minnesota Racing Commission executive director Steve May was unable, per Minnesota law, to offer comment on what mitigating factors prompted the stewards to stay the suspension.

Hey Kitten, the runner-up in the third race on Aug. 26 at Canterbury, tested above the legal threshold for 3-hydroxylidocaine, as did Catty Krys, sixth place finisher in Canterbury's fifth race Sept. 1. Both horses have been disqualified and are unplaced in those races. Split samples requested by Diodoro confirmed the positives.

Because the second violation happened before Diodoro could be notified of the first, the stewards also elected to treat both violations as one, which is common practice.

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