Horses to Watch: Keep an eye on these Keeneland winners
In this biweekly series, racing analyst Keeler Johnson shares promising horses from his handicapping watch list, reviewing runners who have recently caught his eye and previewing horses scheduled to run back in the near future.
New to the watch list
Mawj
In her first start off a five-month layoff, Newmarket’s Group 1 1,000 Guineas winner Mawj traveled from Europe to Keeneland for a winning run in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1). Stretching out over an unfamiliar 1 1/8-mile distance, the 3-year-old filly set honest fractions of 23.26, 47.72 and 1:11.89 over a good turf course before holding off a bid from Kentucky Downs allowance winner Lindy to prevail by half a length in 1:48.06.
Trained Saeed bin Suroor indicated beforehand that the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup would be used as a prep for either the Breeders’ Cup Mile or Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Mawj is eligible to move forward in her second run off the layoff, so don’t be surprised if she proves highly competitive at the Breeders’ Cup three weeks from now.
Recent watch list winners
In his return from a six-month layoff in an $80,000 allowance optional claimer on Saturday at Keeneland, Lexington (G3) winner First Mission ran deceptively well. Trapped behind a wall of horses around the far turn and into the homestretch, First Mission shifted outside down the lane and found room between rivals to edge ahead late in the 1 1/16-mile contest and win by a neck in 1:45.63. A return to graded stakes competition is likely on the horizon for this Brad Cox trainee.
Worth another try
Durante
Raced right up and on hot fractions of 22.00 and 44.93 seconds in a six-furlong $80,000 allowance optional claimer on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A, then battled on gamely down the homestretch to finish second by a head. The victorious Cowan received a favorable trip tracking a three-way speed duel from fourth place, and Durante finished clearly best of the speed horses, so I’ll view his runner-up performance in a positive light.
Lightline
Couldn’t keep up with Stretch Ride in a $100,000 allowance optional claimer racing 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland on Saturday, settling for second place by 5 3/4 lengths after tracking the early pace. It wasn’t the effort I’d hoped for from Lightline, but I try not to drop horses from my watch list off a single defeat, so I’ll give this Brad Cox-trained juvenile another chance next time.
Songline
Catching up on a result from Oct. 8, the talented 5-year-old Japanese mare Songline returned from a four-month break with a nose defeat in the Mainichi Okan (G2) racing 1,800 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. This was a fine try from Songline, a two-time Yasuda Kinen (G1) winner who had never previously run farther than 1,600 meters. The Breeders’ Cup Mile is next on the agenda, and she figures to be a formidable win threat at Santa Anita. Songline is no. 10 in the replay below.
Off the watch list
Echo Zulu
The champion 2-year-old filly of 2021 suffered two broken sesamoids during a Friday workout at Santa Anita and underwent surgery to repair the injury. Here’s hoping she recovers smoothly and quickly.
Twilight Gleaming
Ran reasonably well in the Franklin (G2) at Keeneland, dueling for command through intense fractions of 21.09 and 43.93 seconds over a good turf course before weakening in the final furlong to finish fourth by 1 1/2 lengths. But at this point Twilight Gleaming has lost three straight races, so I’ll drop her from my watch list and see if she can get back on a winning track before supporting her again.
Here is my complete, updated list of Horses to Watch.