Blue Grass Stakes News - April 9
Connections for three colts informed
the Keeneland racing office Tuesday morning that they would like to take a shot
at Saturday’s $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) if they can get in the
starting gate.
The Toyota Blue Grass is limited to
14 starters with preference given to graded stakes winners and then highest
earnings when entries are taken Wednesday.
As of Tuesday morning, the top 14 in
preference order deemed as probable starters by Keeneland racing officials were Uncaptured, Balance the Books, Dynamic Sky, West Hills
Giant, Java’sWar, Charming Kitten, Rydilluc, Fear the Kitten, Palace Malice, Undrafted, Channel Isle, My Name Is Michael, Tesseron and Footbridge.
The three new hopefuls, who would
rank 15, 16 and 18, respectively, on the preference list are Silverton Hill
LLC’s Divine Ambition, Team Valor International’s Cerro (IRE) and
Charles Fipke’s Perfect Title. Possible starter Eton Blue,
owned by Marylou Whitney, is 17th on the preference list.
In Toyota Blue Grass activity at
Keeneland Tuesday morning, the
Mark Casse-trained duo of Uncaptured and Dynamic Sky had
different agendas. Uncaptured walked the shedrow at Barn 1 while Dynamic Sky
galloped early on the main track under exercise rider Jason Hoyte.
In the second set at 7 a.m. for
trainer Chad Brown, Balance the Books jogged once around the
main track with exercise rider Kriss Bon aboard.
Trainer John Terranova said West
Hills Giant arrived at Keeneland from New York at 4:30 Tuesday
morning. West Hills Giant worked five furlongs in 1:00.47 on the Belmont Park
training track Monday morning, a move that convinced Terranova to take a shot
at the Toyota Blue Grass. West Hills Giant is scheduled to return to the track
in the morning.
Java’s War, who arrived at Keeneland from Florida yesterday
afternoon, walked the shedrow this morning for trainer Ken McPeek. The War
Pass colt is scheduled to gallop over the racetrack tomorrow.
Rydilluc visited the starting gate and then galloped 1 ½ miles
under exercise rider Ricardo Orantes. “Rydilluc never has had a problem at the
gate, but I stand all my horses at least one time a week at the gate,” trainer
Gary Contessa said. “He was perfect today and I won’t take him again unless he
draws the one hole tomorrow.”
With exercise rider Miguel Perez, Undrafted galloped
about 1 ½ miles for trainer Wesley Ward shortly after 9 a.m.
Another candidate who was on the
track early was My Name Is Michael, who jogged once around the
track and stood in the starting gate for Rodolphe Brisset, assistant to trainer
Bill Mott.
For trainer Josie Carroll, Tesseron jogged
a mile and galloped a mile under exercise rider Corrie Auchterlonie about 6
a.m.
Footbridge, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Monday morning at
Betfair Hollywood Park for trainer Eoin Harty, is scheduled to ship to
Keeneland Wednesday with a midday arrival expected.
Eton Blue arrived at Keeneland on Monday and was tack-walked
Tuesday, according to Eoghan Conlon, assistant to trainer Nick Zito.
At Churchill Downs, trainer Todd Pletcher’s two Toyota Blue Grass hopefuls, Charming Kitten and Palace Malice, galloped on the main track after arriving Monday from Palm Meadows in South Florida.