Three of the five graded stakes on the Keeneland card are Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races including the Breeders’ Futurity, a key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.
The Saturday stakes action kicks off with the $150,000 Woodford (G3), a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
Chamberlain Bridge (2-1) has won 17 turf sprints in his career, which started when he made his debut back in 2007 for just $16,000.
The eight-year-old gelding has now won $1.8 million in his career and could go over the $2 million mark in the Breeders’ Cup.
The $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) drew a field of nine fillies and mares that will go six furlongs on the polytrack in a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
Groupie Doll is the 4-5 morning line favorite and comes into the race riding a three race win streak, last out taking the Presque Isle Masters (G2) over the Tapeta surface off a four month layoff.
The $350,000 First Lady (G1) drew a compact field of six fillies and mares that will go a mile on the turf. It is an evenly matched group featuring three coming out of the Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga including the runner up Hungry Island (2-1).
Wise Dan is going to be the heavy favorite for the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), a key prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
The Charles Lopresti trainee is coming off wins in the Fourstardave (G2) and Woodbine Mile (G1) in his last two outings.
His main foes figure to be the top two finishers in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) at Saratoga, Dominus and Data Link, as well as Silver Max, who had a six race win streak snapped when checking in fourth in the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington Park in his last start.
I will have my selections and analysis for all of the stakes from Keeneland and Belmont Park in Saturday’s Best Plays Report.
Let’s head out to Keeneland for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Keeneland Race 8 The Breeders’ Futurity (G1) Post time 4:49 ET
9 Charming Kitten 5-1
12 Dynamic Sky 12-1
5 Tizracer 4-1
13 He’s Had Enough 12-1
Charming Kitten ships in from New York for the Todd Pletcher barn off a third place finish in the With Anticipation (G2) at Saratoga going nine furlongs on turf. The winner of the race was Balance the Books, who is entered here but looks more likely to go in tomorrow’s $150,000 Bourbon (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Our top pick tracked the early pace while saving ground, was angled toward the outside for the stretch run and did not have enough punch left late, beaten 1 ¾ lengths as the beaten favorite. The colt was a good looking winner in his debut two back over turf labeled as good, and was well backed in his debut effort. He has the pedigree to handle polytrack, by Kitten’s Joy out of a Wild Again mare that has dropped two other winners including stakes winner Queen’splatekitten ($339K). The Pletcher barn is 32% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from turf to the fake stuff.
Dynamic Sky earned a solid fig winning the restricted Simcoe at Woodbine over poly going 6 ½ furlongs to pick up his first win of his career. The third place finisher Star Contender exited the race to pick up his maiden win in his next outing on Sept. 23. The Mark Casse trainee ran in the restricted Vandal in his debut and put in a good showing in a third place finish behind repeat winner Uncaptured, who won the Swynford in his next outing at Woodbine on Sept. 9. The colt has enough pedigree to handle the stretch out. He is by Sky Mesa out of the stakes winner Murani ($156K) who did her best work on grass. The barn is 26% winners (with a +ROI) moving runners from sprint to route.
Tizracer is also sent out by the Pletcher barn and will be trying poly for the first time. The colt ran fourth in his debut going six furlongs over a wet track at the Spa, then came back with a sharp looking maiden win when stretched out to a mile at Belmont Park, drawing off to win by 10 ½ lengths. The $450K Keeneland purchase has a poly type pedigree, by Tiznow out of an stakes placed Elusive Quality mare. He figures to be in the mix early, and at least at the spring meeting here it was a bit better to be lying off the pace at this distance.
Wagering:
WIN: Charming Kitten to win at 7-2 or better.
EXACTA: 9,12 / 5,9,12,13
TRIFECTA: 9,12 / 5,9,12,13 / 4,5,6,9,12,13
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