Southwest Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

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

Cox’s Likely Champion Essential Quality Works In Company With G2-Winning Filly Travel Column

Trainer Brad Cox sent out Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality for a workout in company with G2 Golden Rod winning-filly Travel Column on Sunday at the Fair Grounds, the pair covering five furlongs in 1:01 2/5.

The Godolphin-owned son of Tapit has breezed five times since his victory at Keeneland on Nov. 6. Likely to be named Champion 2-Year-Old of 2020, Essential Quality does not have an official target on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for his first start of 2021, reports the Daily Racing Form. With stablemate Mandaloun, third in the Lecomte last weekend, pointing to the Fair Grounds' Feb. 13 Risen Star, however, Essential Quality could be aimed at the Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park instead.

Meanwhile, the filly Travel Column (Frosted) appears poised to stay at the Fair Grounds for the Feb. 13 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, since stablemate Sun Path will skip the next round of preps after finishing fourth in the Silverbulletday over the weekend.

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.

The post Keepmeinmind Gearing Up For 2021 Debut In Southwest Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Kentucky Jockey Club Winner Keepmeinmind Aimed At Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes

Keepmeinmind worked a half-mile in :50.20 Wednesday morning at Oaklawn Park, his first breeze since winning the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Regular rider David Cohen was aboard for the work, which came over a fast track and ranked 39th of 94 recorded at the distance. Keepmeinmind arrived Dec. 27 in Hot Springs after previously being in light training at Kentucky's WinStar Farm following the Kentucky Jockey Club.

“Very easy half, with a nice long gallop out,” said Cohen, Oaklawn's leading rider in 2019. “Happy to get back on him. He seemed to have matured since his last race. The time at WinStar did him a ton of good.”

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Keepmeinmind, a late-running son of Laoban, is a candidate for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. 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. His last three starts have been at 1 1/16 miles.

Diodoro was Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020.

The post Kentucky Jockey Club Winner Keepmeinmind Aimed At Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post