Eagle Reels In Noble Bird in the Ben Ali
W.S. Farish’s homebred Eagle pulled away in the last 100 yards to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over pacesetting Noble Bird to win the 86th running of the $200,000 Ben Ali (G3) for older horses, the first of four stakes on an 11-race Saturday afternoon program before 38,863 fans.
Saturday’s attendance was the largest Coolmore Day figure in track history and third-largest non-Breeders’ Cup mark at Keeneland. The record of 40,617 was established on Toyota Blue Grass Day on April 14, 2012, with the second-largest (39,722) coming on April 12, 2014, also a Toyota Blue Grass Day.
Following the Ben Ali, Speedway Stables LLC’s Collected swept to the lead turning for home to capture the 35th running of the $150,000 Lexington (G3), the final Kentucky prep for the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), and Lael Stables’ Exaggerated won the 20th running of the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway (L) for fillies and mares.
Trained by Neil Howard and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Eagle covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:48.57 to win the Ben Ali.
It was the fifth victory in the race for Howard. His previous victories came with Jazz Club (1999), Horse of the Year Mineshaft (2003), Midway Road (2004) and Alumni Hall (2005). It was the first win in the race for Hernandez.
Noble Bird went right to the front under Julien Leparoux and led the field of eight through uncontested fractions of :23.58, :47.76 and 1:11.86.
In the run down the backstretch, Hernandez had Eagle next to the rail and steadily moved up from the back of the pack into third approaching the far turn. At the head of the stretch, Eagle tipped off the rail and went after Noble Bird, drawing even past the eighth pole before pulling away in the final sixteenth of a mile.
Eagle is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Mineshaft mare Sea Gull. The Ben Ali win marked the first graded stakes victory for Eagle, who improved his record to 13-6-3-2 with earnings of $395,406. Saturday’s check was $120,000. He has won all three of his Keeneland races.
Eagle, sent off as the favorite, returned $6, $3 and $2.40. Noble Bird returned $4 and $3.60 with Breaking Lucky finishing 4 ¾ lengths back in third under Elvis Trujillo and paying $7.20 to show.
Doyouknowsomething finished fourth and was followed in order by Neck ‘n Neck, General a Rod, Hawaakom and J S Bach.
Source: Keeneland