Gorgeous Bird Works Toward Blue Grass
Marylou Whitney’s homebred Gorgeous Bird, fifth in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (G2) in his most recent start at Gulfstream on Feb. 21, worked five furlongs in 1:01 Friday morning at Keeneland.
Trained
by Ian Wilkes and working on even terms with 6-year-old multiple graded stakes winner
Neck ‘n Neck before the morning renovation break
over a fast track, Gorgeous Bird covered the first half-mile in :49.80
and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 and seven-eighths in 1:28.
Gorgeous Bird, who made his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth, is considered a likely starter in next Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on the main
track. Entries for the Toyota Blue Grass will be taken Tuesday with the post position draw scheduled for 4 p.m. that day.
Keeneland’s 2015 Spring Meet opens Friday, April 3, with 15 days of racing through Friday, April 24. Keeneland is closed Easter Sunday, April 5. A total of 16
stakes worth $4.35 million will be run.
The Toyota Blue Grass is part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series and offers 170 qualifying points toward the 141st
Run for the Roses on May
2 at Churchill Downs. The Toyota Blue Grass winner earns 100 points and
a spot in the starting gate on Derby Day. The $2 million Kentucky Derby
Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) is limited to 20 starters.
Also scheduled to be run April 4 is the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies that offers a similar number of points toward the $1 million
Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). The May 1 Oaks is limited to 14 starters.
Working after the break for Wilkes was likely Central Bank Ashland starter
Silverpocketsfull, who covered five furlongs in 1:00.80.
Owned by Edmond and Sharon Hudon, Silverpocketsfull worked in company with 3-year-old maiden winner Sweetgrass. The two raced together through the work and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.60.
Silverpocketsfull finished sixth in the Davona Dale (G2) in her most recent start on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream in her stakes debut.
PROBABLE FIELDS FOR OPENING WEEKEND STAKES
$100,000 Transylvania
(G3) Presented by Keeneland Select (Friday,
April 3): A Lot, Another Lemon Drop, Danish Dynaformer, Divisidero, Eh Cumpari, Night Prowler, Saham and Tuba.
$1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) (Saturday, April 4):
Carpe
Diem, Classy Class, Danzig Moon, Frammento, Gorgeous Bird, Ocho Ocho
Ocho, Pepper Roani, Rock Shandy, Toasting Master and Unrivaled.
Possible: Tiz Shea D.
$500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) (Saturday, April 4):
Achiever’s
Legacy, Angela Renee, Lassofthemohicans, Lovely Maria, Peace and War,
Silverpocketsfull, Sweet Swingin, Temper Mint Patty and West Coast
Belle. Possible: Puca.
$350,000 Madison (G1) (Saturday, April 4):
Clearly Confused, Lady Sabelia, Princess Violet, Sam’s Sister, Sugar Shock, Thank You Marylou and Wedding Toast.
$300,000 Commonwealth (G3) (Saturday, April 4):
Bourbon Courage, C. Zee, Edge of Reality, Hip Four Sixtynine, Jessica’s Star and Kobe’s Back. Possible: Valid, Wild Dude.
$125,000 Shakertown (G3) (Saturday, April 4):
Amelia’s Wild Ride, Channel Marker, Choctaw Chuck, Mellow Fellow, Mongolian Saturday, Power Alert (AUS), Speechify and Tightend Touchdown.
Source: Keeneland Association