Breen Jumps into Action at Keeneland

Trainer Kelly Breen did not take long to adapt to his surroundings on his return to Keeneland.

Wearing a blue University of Kentucky windbreaker, Breen had his first horse on the track shortly after it opened at 5:30 a.m. Thursday.

“I ran one horse here in the past three years and that was Bye Bye Bernie, who broke his maiden,” Breen said. “I used to ship in a bit and I ran third in the (Breeders’) Futurity in 2009 with Roman Invasion. I have four in tomorrow and three on Saturday.”

Three of those Breen runners are in stakes: two on Friday for owners George and Lori Hall in Calamity Kate (Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades) and Bern Identity (Grade 3 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix). Stonetastic runs for owner Stoneway Farm in Saturday’s Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at six furlongs.

Bern Identity brings a three-race win streak into the six-furlong Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix after being off for 18 months.

“He just needed some time,” Breen said of the Bernardini colt, who won the 2012 Sanford (G2). “I see there is a chance of rain Friday and that won’t hurt us a bit.”

The race is a Win and You’re In race for the $1.5 million Xpressbet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

“I want to see how Bern Identity does,” said Breen, who has Pants On Fire under consideration for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on Oct. 31. “I may drop Pants On Fire back and put two in the Sprint.”

Stonetastic has won her past two races by a combined 15¼ lengths with the latter victory coming in the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga. She began her streak after a six-month layoff.

“She just had some growing up to do,” Breen said of the layoff. “She won her debut by 12½ lengths and then we stretched her out. We knew she had speed and now we just let her go instead of trying to harness it.”

Source: Keeneland