thoroughbreds | Horse Racing Free Tips

Keeneland Library Expands Exhibit Through Fall, Adds Events

Keeneland Library has scheduled a number of events for the remainder of 2023 to expand the reach of its exhibit, The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers, the repository said in a release Friday.

Due to demand, the Library's free exhibit and its on-site youth and adult programs have been extended through Dec. 8.

Other events include:

Now: Companion book available

The companion book to The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers is available at the Library and The Keeneland Shop (in store and online) for $10. All proceeds will benefit the Keeneland Library Foundation.
Keeneland Library will begin to donate copies of the book to community and industry organizations Sept. 11.

Sept. 15: LexArts Gallery Hop at the Lyric (5-8 p.m.)

To celebrate the launch of the traveling exhibit in Lexington's East End, incoming Library Director Roda Ferraro will deliver the evening's educational program and the first 100 Gallery Hop attendees will receive a free copy of the companion book.

Sept. 19: “Meet the Authors” free at Keeneland Library (6:30-8 p.m.)

Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Maslin Nir and co-author Raymond White Jr. will present their new book, The Jockey & Her Horse, the story of Cheryl White Breyer. Books will be available for purchase for $17. A brief program will be followed by a book signing. RSVP here.

Sept. 20: “Meet the Authors” free at the Lyric (6-7:30 p.m.)

After an opening program in the Lyric's Community Room, a meet and greet is scheduled with Nir and White. The first 100 attendees under the age of 18 will receive a free copy of their book, along with free General Admission passes to Keeneland's Fall Meet.

Oct. 21: Cheryl White Breyer Sets at Keeneland

During Sunrise Trackside, a free, family-friendly event at Keeneland from 8-10 a.m. (ET), Keeneland will spotlight White's career as a jockey. Children will have a chance to try on a replica of White's silks, and fans will have a chance to win Keeneland Breyer sets featuring a figure of White, the model horse Jetolara (her first winning mount) and a copy of the book.
The Keeneland Shop and Keeneland Library will host a signing with Raymond White Jr. from 1-3 p.m. Cheryl White Breyer sets and copies of The Jockey & Her Horse will be available to purchase.

Nov. 18: An Evening with Geraldine Brooks at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion (6:30-8 p.m.)

Keeneland Library will host Pulitzer Prize winning-author Geraldine Brooks, who will discuss her 2022 novel, Horse. Details to follow.

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Sod Dabbler Or Diver, Saturday’s Graded Stakes Runs Deep

The going sticks will get stuck and with the rails down or out, the Saturday graded stakes lineup trucks in with heaps of sod for your turf racing enjoyment.

Whether you are a dabbling duck or one that takes a deep dive, there is something for everyone as the Downs–Kentucky and Colonial–plus Woodbine Racetrack and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, all feature high-level grass action.

KENTUCKY DOWNS GRADED SIX PACK

The uniquely designed turf course at Kentucky Downs cards the most graded stakes this Saturday, which will lead off with the GIII Ladies Marathon S.

Going 1 5/16ths, look for MGSP Vergara (Noble Mission) to stalk the pace as she returns to the site where she won last year by a head in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. Standing in her way is GSW Personal Best (Tapit) who broke her maiden at last year's meet before going on to face graded company this spring at Gulfstream Park where the homebred won the GIII La Prevoyante S.

With no overwhelming favorite on the morning-line, expect the GII Franklin-Simpson S. to be an all-out war both on the tote and sprinting down the stretch. Playlist (Uncle Mo), making her first stakes start, will look to go on the offensive early versus the boys, but she will have to contend with Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy), who has never sampled turf, and GSW Mo Stash (Mo Town), who is cutting back for the first time in almost a year.

Playlist | Coady Photography

“I like to run fillies against colts in sprints,” said Playlist's trainer Wesley Ward. “I don't think it makes a big difference. If you look at the times in the 2-year-olds in training sales, the fillies are always faster as a group. I think they can compete against the colts every time.”

Moving right along, the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. pits GISP and MGSP White Frost (Candy Ride {Arg}) against GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy). After a very solid first half, the former was second in the De La Rose S. Aug. 2 at Saratoga and will face many of those competitors in this spot, while the latter prepped ably by winning this race's preview at Ellis Park Aug. 6.

Back to the speedsters for the GII Turf S. for males, it is going to be a pleasure to see another bout between the top two finishers in Aug. 5 running of the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga. That slugfest upstate saw Cogburn (Not This Time) catch GSW Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) just before the wire. If this race wasn't tough enough, you will also find 'TDN Rising Star' and Woodbine GII Connaught Cup hero Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) looking to make it three wins in a row.

The GII Ladies Turf S. includes favorite MGSP Bay Storm (Kantharos), as she looks to add to her overall earnings after winning the prep for this race Aug. 5 at Ellis Park, and the experienced GSW and GISP Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}).

Bringing up the graded rear going 12 furlongs will be the $1.7-million GII Turf Cup S., which offers a 'Win and You're In' opportunity into the GI Breeders' Cup Longines Turf. A pair of Brendan Walsh trainees in GSW Verstappen (War Front) and MGISW Santin (Distorted Humor) come calling, but they are going to have to be cognizant of GI United Nations S. victor Therapist (Freud) and GIII Dinner Party S. winner Never Explain (Street Sense).

“I wouldn't completely rule out him going back to dirt again at some point,” Walsh said of Santin. “But he's a heck of a turf horse … he ran a very good second in the Arlington Million. It was a fantastic run. He was up on the pace the whole way and was there to be shot at. And he held in there and ran a really, really good second. I feel he's doing really well coming into here. He got a mile and a quarter at Colonial. I don't see why he wouldn't get a mile and a half. He's a very relaxed horse, maybe a little too laid back if anything.”

KLARAVICH STABLEMATES TRADE BLOWS IN VIRGINIA DERBY

Program Trading | Sarah Andrew

On its closing day Saturday, Colonial Downs hosts the nine-furlong GIII Virginia Derby.

Klaravich Stables has a pair of Chad Brown trainees which pose a major threat to the rest of the field. Activist Investing (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was very sharp at this distance when he cleared the optional claiming ranks Aug. 13 at Saratoga in his lone race this year. He will do battle with GI Saratoga Derby star Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by attempting to relieve his speed-oriented stablemate of his perfect record.

Also present is Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the Monmouth Park Pegasus S. June 17 and surprise longshot from the Aug. 12 GII Secretariat S. at Colonial, Gigante (Not This Time), who is trying to become the first Virginia-bred to win this race.

WOODBINE'S TURF ACE RETURNS

Not to be missed in the GII Canadian S. for older females is the return of last year's victoress Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutalfan {Ire}), who wired the field last out in the GI Beverly D Aug. 12 at Colonial. She will square off against the top three finishers from the GII Dance Smartly S. Aug. 20 at Woodbine, which includes Miss Dracarys (Malibu Moon).

“Javier [Castellano] and I were flying to Colonial Downs, and we were talking about the race [Beverly D],” said Fev Rover's trainer Mark Casse. “He said, 'There's no speed in this race.' I agreed and told him that she can go right to the lead. The nice thing about her, and Tepin [champion and dual Hall of Fame mare] was the same way, is that a great horse can bring their A-game no matter the situation. So, we went right to the lead, and it was over when that happened.”

Also on the graded docket is the GIII Singspiel S., which returns to 1 1/4 grass distance from two years ago. GSP Malibu Mambo (Point of Entry) could be the hot commodity after a sharp late surge against optional claimers in Toronto Aug. 12, but don't count out GSP Palazzi (Pioneerof the Nile).

DEL MAR SPORTS LONE GRADED DIRT RACE

Julias Dream | Benoit

The GI Del Mar Debutante S., the only graded dirt race on Saturday, is sure to bring some attention with a capacity field of 14. First-crop sire Flameaway is well represented with 'TDN Rising Star' Julias Dream, who broke her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths over the turf at Del Mar Aug. 6. She will take on the top two finishers from the GIII Sorrento S. Aug. 12, Dreamfyre (Flameaway) and Benedetta (City of Light). The lineup also includes Chatalas (Gun Runner) and Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), who both broke their maidens at first asking in Solana Beach July 30 and Aug. 19, respectively.

It wouldn't be Del Mar's surf without the turf and this year's GII John Mabee S. might be remembered as a match between GII Yellow Ribbon H. wearer Closing Remarks (Vronsky) and MGSW Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}). Still, no one should overlook trainer Phil D'Amato's offerings. After all, he is looking to edge out Bob Baffert for the training title, and both Oakhurst (Mr Speaker) and GSW Turnerloose (Nyquist) will try to help the cause as the Del Mar meet concludes Sunday with a pair of graded races, the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S.

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Kentucky Downs VP Of Racing Ted Nicholson Joins TDN Writers’ Room

It's the meet that keeps getting bigger, richer and better every year. During the seven days of racing that makes up the Kentucky Downs meet, there will be 11 stakes races worth at least $1 million and it looks like the all-turf establishment is on track to set another handle record. How has Kentucky Downs done it? Ted Nicholson, the track's vice president of racing joined the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland to talk about one of the sport's great success stories. He was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week.

With so much money available for purses and with such a short meet, some wonder why Kentucky Downs doesn't add race days? Nicholson said the main reason for not doing so is to make sure the turf course is not overused.

“What's obviously on everybody's mind these days is safety,” Nicholson said. “So, if I added a day, it would have to be a day where it would be almost like a spare day. Because the reality is we run 75 races over a turf course and we have three lanes. That means you're running an average of 25 races on each lane. That's a lot of pounding. I've got the best turf guy in the business with Butch Lehr, who was at Churchill for 45 years. But even Butch would shake his head and say, 'no, I wouldn't do it.' I think we're going to be at seven days for a little while until I can figure out how I can add a fourth lane.”

Kentucky Downs has always been known for having one of the lowest takeouts in the sport, so it came as a surprise when it announced that the takeout was going to be increased by one percent in all pools this year. The horseplayers weren't happy.

“It wasn't an easy decision and it wasn't made in a vacuum,” Nicholson said. “The decision was really a tough one and the reason behind it was that I had to find a way to find some revenue. It's great to have great big purses and we had a record handle last year. But when you're running only for two weeks, you have an inordinate amount of expenses to put on a temporary show. I have a lot of tents, I have a lot of temporary expenses. I have 60 people that live here temporarily, which means I put them up in hotels to pull off this show for two weeks or three. They're here typically for three weeks. So, I have a lot of expenses. They're all going up. Even the people that you see in between the races, those folks that are on the turf and they're tamping down those divots. Those folks used to work for $10 an hour. Now it's $25. So, you can see where my expenses have gone. On top of that, you we got a bill from HISA for $650,000 for a seven-day race meet. Before I was paying the state of Kentucky $48,000 for the same exact thing. Because our expenses have been skyrocketing, I felt like had to go a little higher.”

Will Kentucky Downs ever erect a grandstand? It's unlikely.

“I can't tell you many times people have said to me, 'I love this atmosphere, so don't ever change it,'” Nicholson said. “When it comes to putting up a grandstand, I think would change the genuine feel of of what Kentucky Downs is really all about. I think people love the ability to just pull up and tailgate at the top of the stretch or pull out their folding chairs and set up on the rail. That's the essence of what this place is. We want to try to improve every year, but not lose the real true essence of what this place is all about.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, WinStar Farm, XBTV.com, Stonestreet Farms, Lane's End and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss reviewed the Saratoga meet, touching on what went wrong, what went right and the changes that may be coming to the upstate New York track. Those changes include moving the 2024 and 2025 GI Belmont S. to Saratoga while Belmont Park is being rebuilt and installing a synthetic track that would complement the dirt track and the two turf courses. Also, the team looked back at the GI Pacific Classic, won by Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), as well as the 32-day suspension handed down to Del Mar rider Antonio Fresu for whip violations.

Click here to view the podcast video or here to listen to the audio version.

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Saturday’s Racing Insights: $1.25M Constitution Colt Set For Juvenile Debut At Del Mar

3rd-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 5:30 p.m.
As the summer winds down, there is still more than enough time for juvenile first timers to make their debut. At Del Mar, $1.25-million Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale buy MC VAY (Constitution) is set for his inaugural trip. Out of Dothraki Sea (Union Rags), who counts both GISW Dixie Chatter (Dixie Union) and GSW Rumor (Indian Charlie) as half-siblings, the dark bay colt is trained by John Shirreffs and will be ridden by Mike Smith.

Also entered is $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale grad and $675,000 OBS April Sale purchase Arthur (Uncle Mo). Second dam SW Star of Goshen (Lord At War), who is a half-sister to MGSW Powis Castle (Rare Brick), is responsible for GI Santa Anita Derby champ and runner-up in the GI Kentucky Derby Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker). Trained by Keith Desormeaux, Arthur will be guided by Kent Desormeux. TJCIS PPS

6th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 3:26 p.m.
Shifting to the Saratoga grass, Zverev (Oscar Performance) makes his first start after bringing $170,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale before fetching $330,000 at this year's OBS April Sale. The Cherie DeVaux trainee with Ricardo Santana up, is out of MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch), who is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) and SW Where's Bailey (Aljabr)–dam to two-time GIII Yellow Ribbon H. heroine She's Not Here (Street Cry {Ire}) and her son, GSP Talk of the Nation (Quality Road).

Trained by Chad Brown and with Manny Franco in the irons, another interesting entrant here is $220,000 Keeneland September Sale graduate Walley World (More Than Ready). His dam Forced Family Fun (Uncle Mo), a half-sister to MGSP Cat Burglar (Unbridled's Song), were both produced by Be My Prospect (Forest Wildcat)–half-sister to MGSP Away (Dixieland Band), the dam of MGSW Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song). TJCIS PPS

7th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:00 p.m.
Over on the Spa main, Justifiably So (Justify), a $375,000 Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale purchase, is related to race six's Walley World in that he is out of that runner's second dam, Be My Prospect. The juvenile debuts for Nick Zito with Ricardo Santana at the controls.

Trainer Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado team with Godolphin's well-bred Jefferson Street (Street Sense). Out of an extended female family which includes first-crop sire MGISP Solomini (Curlin), the dark bay colt's dam Apiary (Bernardini) is a full-sister to GIII Go For Wand S. hero Indulgent and a half-sister to MGISW Frosted (Tapit). All are out of MGSW Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister), who is a half to Champion 2-year-old colt Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). TJCIS PPS

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