Hootenanny to Make 2015 Debut at Keeneland
Winner of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Hootenanny is entered in Saturday’s fourth race, an allowance for 3-year-olds going 5½ furlongs on the turf course. The race will mark the 2015 debut for the colt by Quality Road, who last year won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and was second in the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville.
“I really wanted to run at Keeneland,” trainer Wesley Ward said about his decision to start Hootenanny in the race. “This was one of the spots to go unless we went over to Churchill and run him against horses that have already been running. I think it’s a good starting point. We’ll have to see where he’s at this year, if his speed comes back from where we stretched him out or if he wants to go long. I think we’ll answer those questions on Saturday.”
Ward also entered Mrs. John Magnier’s Lookin At Lucky filly, Asia, in the same race. A half-sister to Grade 1-placed winner Pablo Del Monte, Asia has won both her career races and is a “very talented filly,” Ward said.
“More likely only one will start because they’re an entry,” he said. “We’ll decide on the day, but at this point, we’re going to lean towards Hootenanny.”
FIRST THREE FINISHERS IN WEDNESDAY’S TRANSYLVANIA PRESENTED
BY KEENELAND SELECT FINE THE NEXT MORNING
The morning after his late-closing neck victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select, Paul Pompa Jr.’s homebred Night Prowler was “really good,” said Baldo Hernandez, assistant to trainer Chad Brown. With the performance, the 3-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding earned his second Grade 3 win of the year, following the Jan. 3 Dania Beach at Gulfstream, and gave Brown his third stakes win of the Spring Meet.
Brown also sent out W.S. Farish and F. Steve Mooney’s Ball Dancing to win the April 11 Jenny Wiley (G1) and won Sunday’s Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association with Sheep Pond Partners’ Lady Eli.
His three stakes winners were ridden by Javier Castellano, who leads all jockeys here with 10 victories. That number is twice that of Castellano’s nearest rivals, Shaun Bridgmohan, Brian Hernandez Jr., Julien Leparoux and Jose Lezcano.
The Transylvania was the 2015 debut for runner-up Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s homebred Luck of the Kitten, second to stablemate Hootenanny in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
A 3-year-old colt by Kitten’s Joy, Luck of the Kitten came out of the stakes well, according to trainer Wesley Ward. He said he would have to talk to Ken Ramsey about the next race for the colt.
Trainer Brendan Walsh said Saham, beaten less than a length by Night Prowler and Luck of the Kitten, came out of his third-place finish in good order.
“I was very happy with him,” Walsh said. “Those were two nice horses that beat him and horses with a lot more experience.”
GALLOPING OUT
Trainer Brian Lynch was ecstatic the morning after the return to the races of Grand Arch on Wednesday. Owned by Susan and Jim Hill, the 6-year-old won the sixth race by a neck over a good allowance field and completed the mile on soft turf in 1:35.64, the fastest time at the distance this meet.
“The 1:35 really impressed me,” Lynch said of Grand Arch, second to Wise Dan in last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) here before finishing 2014 with an 11th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). “He is nominated to the Woodford (Reserve Turf Classic [G1] at Churchill Downs on May 2), but that may be a little quick off an effort like that.”
By means of comparison, Jack Milton won the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) on soft turf in 1:36.30 and the undefeated Lady Eli won the Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association in 1:35.80 over “good” ground.
“There are a lot of races for grass milers this summer,” Lynch said. “A lot of the good grass geldings don’t get real good until they are six, seven or eight and then they have their best years.” …
Trainer Eric N. Foster earned his first Keeneland victory when 16-1 longshot Batiana won Wednesday’s first race. Ridden by Miguel Mena for Foster Family Racing, the 5-year-old mare by Heart of the Storm won the 1 1/16-mile claiming race by 1¼ lengths in 1:47.43.
UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES
$150,000 Bewitch (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, April 21, race on Friday, April 24) – Anipa (GB), Antonia Autumn, Appealing Cat, Caroline Thomas, Danza Cavallo (FR), Kitten’s Point, Maximova, Meri Shika (FR), Samiam, Stellaris, Super Sky, Tabreed (GB), Tuttipaesi (IRE), White Rose.
Source: Keeneland Association