Keeneland 2016 Brings out the Stars
Keeneland in the Fall. There is not much better on this Earth. A crispness to the air, a changing in the trees, an exquisite race course and surroundings to host it all, and best of all -- the horses. Oh, those wonderful horses. Talent abounds. Youthful optimism, veteran skillfulness, and some of the finest race horses in the world. Keeneland truly is blessed with everything.
Tepin, the Queen of the Turf, is without question the meeting’s headliner. As well she should be. The daughter of Bernstein has won eight in a row. That long and distinguished winning streak began right here at Keeneland last fall, when she swept to a stunning romp in the Grade 1 First Lady. She came back to Keeneland four weeks later for an even more important score in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
It was a dynamic duo of performances, under Julien Leparoux, which clinched her an Eclipse Award. Keeneland will not host the Breeders’ Cup again this year, so the 2016 edition of the First Lady will be the only opportunity for local fans to cheer for the Casse trained superstar this fall. It’s hard not to like the conquering world heroine on Saturday in her final race before attempting a BC Mile repeat.
Meanwhile, to say the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile drew a competitive field would be a massive understatement. Arlington Million winner, Mondialiste, Bernard Baruch record setter, Ring Weekend, ultra-consistent Ironicus, Fourstardave hero, Tourist, Makers 46 Mile winner, Miss Temple City, Woodbine Mile runner-up, Tower of Texas, and the defending champ, Grand Arch are just a few of the names vying for this big win, and key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Simply put, this race has come up crazy wide open. If you put a gun to my head, I might side with Ironicus, for Shug McGaughey, but no matter who you like, this looks like a race to demand value.
Before the biggest stars of the turf mile do battle on Saturday, though, the fall meeting at the Lexington oval kicks things off with an outstanding Opening Day Friday.
A.P. Indian has hands down been the best sprinter this side of the Mississippi. The last time he ran in the historic, Grade 2 Phoenix, though, he was no match for the soon to be champion, Runhappy. 2016 is a new year, and the six-year-old gelding has been better than ever for Green Lantern Stables, and trainer, Arnaud Delacour. He comes to Keeneland this time with a perfect seasonal record, including back-to-back Grade 1 scores at Saratoga. There’s no Runhappy, but this edition is no walk in the park either. Look for any one of the talented sprinting trio of Ami’s Flatter, Alsvid, or Limousine Liberal to make A.P. Indian work, if he wants to keep his winning streak alive.
One race after the veteran sprinters do their yearly thing in the Phoenix of Friday, a gaggle and then some of young two-year-old fillies will look to make an early mark on their racing careers. The Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades looks wide open, with Daddys Lil Darling and Diadura having accomplished the most so far. There are tons of other options, though, and the one I have landed on is the speedy Caroline Test. She’s run three strong races on the lead already. At 8-1 on the morning line, and with Jose Ortiz picking up the ride, I am ready to see if she can take them all the way around the 1 1/16-mile test.
Back to Saturday, I would be remiss in not mentioning the young colts. A dozen of them, with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Derby 2017 hopes and aspirations, will meet in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. Last year, Brody’s Cause beat Exaggerator in this race. This year, I like several, including the Saratoga Special and Hopeful winners, but the one I like best is Classic Empire, who is one race removed from wheeling and dumping his rider in the Hopeful. Equipped with blinkers this time, I hope he is learned his lessons from Team Casse, and is ready to show his true ability on Saturday.
What am I forgetting? How about the multiple graded stakes mare, I’m A Chatterbox taking on Paid up Subscriber again in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes on Sunday. Trained by Larry Jones, I’m a Chatterbox comes into this test off a loss to Cavorting in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, but before that she accounted for the Delaware Handicap, another Grade 1. In each of those, her new rival was just behind, including a controversial decision at Delaware. Round 3 should be fun. Heck, the whole long weekend at Keeneland is going to be fun. Hope to see you there!
And if for some reason you cannot be there, NBC Sports will broadcast five of the graded stakes on Saturday and Sunday. Trust me, though … You really should try to make it to Keeneland.