Brilliant Speed Finishes Fast in Blue Grass

Brilliant Speed, unhurried in the early going under Joel Rosario, stormed down the middle of the track to nip Twinspired at the wire in Saturday's Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

As expected, Joes Blazing Aaron carved out slow splits of :25.14, :50.33, and 1:14.76. Praetereo closely tracked the pacesetter along with Twinspired.

The two early leaders started to fade and Twinspired made the first move under Robby Albarado. He opened up by 1-1/2 lengths in the lane but the later runners were starting to get involved.

King Congie began to lengthen his stride and Brilliant Speed, last for the first six furlongs, was rolling down the middle of the track. Newsdad tried to get into the mix as well.

At the wire it was Brilliant Speed by a scant nose over Twinspired with King Congie another head back in 3rd. The final time for the nine furlong Polytrack affair was 1:50.92. The winner paid $40.20.

Newsdad crossed the line in 4th and was followed by Crimson China, Joes Blazing Aaron, Queen'splatekitten, Willcox Inn, a very disappointing Santiva, Wilkinson, Praetereo, and Sensational Slam.

Brilliant Speed, a dark bay or brown colt out of Dynaformer, picked up $450,000 for trainer Tom Albertrani and owner Live Oak Plantation and has the graded earnings to make the Derby starting date. Albertrani also conditions show finisher King Congie.  

The 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place finishers of the Blue Grass were 12th, 10th, 9th, and 11th in the early going so it appears that pace presser Twinspired ran the best overall race.