Keeneland Turf Mile 2022: Odds, free PPs, stakes schedule, more

Four weeks before Keeneland hosts the 2022 Breeders’ Cup, the Lexington, Ky., track hosts 11 stakes on opening weekend of its fall meet. Among those is a qualifier toward next month’s Breeders’ Cup Mile that drew a full field with plenty of intriguing options for bettors.

Santin is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million Keeneland Turf Mile. Post time is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. EDT, with CNBC and FanDuel TV both showing the event for 3-and-up runners

The Keeneland Turf Mile is one of nine Breeders’ Cup “win and you’re in” races that were scheduled to take place in Lexington on Friday and Saturday. The track hosts the World Championships this November for the third time.

Santin garnered tepid favoritism for the Keeneland Turf Mile based on what he has done this season an hour west at Churchill Downs. He won the Turf Classic Stakes (G1) in May on the Kentucky Derby undercard, then took the relocated Arlington Million Stakes (G1) under the twin spires two starts later on Aug. 13.

Brendan Walsh trains the 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt, winner of an October 2021 allowance in his only prior Keeneland start. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione won this race in 2018 aboard Next Shares and gets the mount on Santin.

Ten other runners will face Santin following the scratch of Grade 1 winner Smooth Like Strait (9-2) for trainer Michael McCarthy. 

Casa Creed (5-1) won a top-level race going this eight-furlong distance Aug. 13 at Saratoga in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1). The Bill Mott trainee has three prior Grade 1 wins and makes his first start at Keeneland since finishing 12th in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Ivar (6-1) took the 2020 Keeneland Turf Mile as a 14-1 long shot for trainer Paulo Lobo, who also earned a victory in the race last fall with In Love. Ivar finished as runner-up Sept. 17 in the Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1).

Order of Australia (8-1) returns to the course where he stunned the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf at 73-1 odds. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, he ran second Sept. 4 in the Prix de Moulin de Longchamp (G1).

Here is a look at the field for the 2022 Keeneland Turf Mile (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:

1. Classic Causeway (Kenny McPeek, Julien Leparoux), 20-1

2. Smooth Like Strait (scratched)

3. Order of Australia (Aidan O’Brien, Christophe Soumillon), 8-1

4. Gray’s Fable (Brian Lynch, Brian Hernandez Jr.), 30-1

5. Masen (Chad Brown, Flavien Prat), 12-1

6. Ivar (Paulo Lobo, Joe Talamo), 6-1

7. Santin (Brendan Walsh, Tyler Gaffalione), 7-2

8. Annapolis (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 10-1

9. Casa Creed (Bill Mott, Luis Saez), 5-1

10. Somelikeithotbrown (Mike Maker, Jose Ortiz), 12-1

11. Emaraaty (Chad Brown, Florent Geroux), 12-1

12. Set Piece (Brad Cox, Joel Rosario), 15-1

13, AE. Atone (Mike Maker, Ricardo Santana Jr.), 20-1

14, AE. Dark Shift (Conor Murphy, Vincent Cheminaud), 20-1

15, AE. Natural Power (Jeff Hiles, Adam Beschizza), 30-1

16, AE. Greyes Creek (Paulo Lobo, Gerardo Corrales), 50-1

TimeformUS’ pace projections show Somelikeithotbrown going out to the early lead under jockey Jose Ortiz and setting a fast pace. Favorite Santin is projected to settle mid-pack through the early going.

Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for more information on the Keeneland Turf Mile and three other Grade 1 races on Saturday’s schedule.

Other Saturday stakes

Here is a look at other graded stakes taking place Saturday at Keeneland and elsewhere across North America. All post times are EDT.

2:46 p.m. - $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, seven furlongs, Aqueduct, FS2

Elite Power (6-5) has won three straight races for trainer Bill Mott, including an allowance race Sept. 3 at Saratoga. Jockey Jose Lezcano will ride the 4-year-old Curlin colt in this “win and you’re in” race toward the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Chad Brown trains Southern District (2-1), fourth-place finisher Aug. 10 at Saratoga in the Tale of the Cat Stakes. Eastern Bay (7-2) wheels back off a Sept. 28 allowance win at Parx and aims to make the grade in career start No. 51 for trainer Norman Cash.

3:16 p.m. - $150,000 Matron Stakes (G3), 2-year-old fillies, six furlongs (turf), Aqueduct, FS2

Danse Macabre (3-1) looks for a second straight stakes score after taking the Untapable Stakes on Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs. Jockey Adam Beschizza will get a leg up on the Army Mule filly for trainer Kelsey Danner. Christophe Clement trains Dontlookbackatall (4-1), a debut winner Aug. 25 at Saratoga. Redifined (6-1) crossed third Aug. 21 in Saratoga’s Bolton Landing Stakes for trainer Anthony Dutrow.

3:38 p.m. - $350,000 Woodford Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf), Keeneland, FanDuel TV

Golden Pal (4-5), a two-time Breeders’ Cup victor, preps for the 2022 World Championships over a course where he sports a 3-for-3 lifetime record. Wesley Ward trains and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rides the 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt, winner of Saratoga’s Troy Stakes (G3) on Aug. 5. Mike Maker trains Artemus Citylimits (9-2), runner-up Sept. 10 in the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G2). Oceanic (6-1) scored his stakes breakthrough for trainer Jordan Blair on Sept. 6 at Colonial Downs in the Da Hoss Stakes.

4:10 p.m. - $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2), 3-and-up fillies and mares, six furlongs, Keeneland, FanDuel TV

Slammed (3-1) runs for a “win and you’re in” berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after finishing second Aug. 28 in Del Mar’s Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3). Jockey Florent Geroux will pilot the 4-year-old Marking filly for trainer Todd Fincher. Paulo Lobo trains Palm Cottage (4-1), who makes a stakes bow after winning a Saratoga allowance race Sept. 4 for her second win in as many starts this season. Stakes winner Club Car (9-2) crossed second Aug. 15 at Presque Isle Downs in the Satin and Lace Stakes for trainer Ben Colebrook.

4:20 p.m. - $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1), 3-and-up, 1 1/2 miles (turf), Aqueduct, FS2

War Like Goddess (7-5), a Grade 1 winner, battles the boys for Mott off a second-place finish against fillies and mares Sept. 3 at Saratoga in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2). Lezcano gets the call aboard the 5-year-old English Channel mare. Clement trains Gufo (2-1), a three-time Grade 1 hero who finished as runner-up Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs in the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2). The Brown-trained Adhamo (6-1) also counts a Grade 1 win on his ledger but finished eighth Aug. 27 at Saratoga in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1), which Gufo won.

4:32 p.m. - CAN$250,000 (about U.S. $182,000) Nearctic Stakes (G2), 3-and-up, six furlongs (turf), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Bound for Nowhere (1-1) owns three Grade 2 wins in his career for trainer Wesley Ward, including in the local Highlander Stakes on July 2. Jockey Kazushi Kimura will climb aboard the 8-year-old son of The Factor. Nicholas Gonzalez trains Silent Poet (4-1), a Grade 1 hero who took the Nearctic Stakes in 2020 and was sixth last out Sept. 3 in the local Vice Regent Stakes. Fauci (6-1) ran third Sept. 2 at Saratoga for trainer Philip Antonacci in the Lucky Coin Stakes.

4:42 p.m. - $750,000 First Lady Stakes (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, one mile (turf), Keeneland, FanDuel TV

Regal Glory (6-5) owns three Grade 1 wins over the last 11 months for Brown and was runner-up in this race one year ago. Jockey Jose Ortiz will be up on the 6-year-old Animal Kingdom mare, who finished second Aug. 13 at Saratoga against males in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1). Brown also trains Technical Analysis (5-2), winner of Saratoga’s Ballston Spa Stakes (G2) on Aug. 27. A third Brown entrant, In Italian (3-1), returns off a Diana Stakes (G1) triumph July 16, also at Saratoga.

5:05 p.m. - CAN$150,000 (about U.S. $110,000) Durham Cup Stakes (G3), 3-and-up, 1 1/16 miles (all-weather track), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Frosted Over (5-2), twice a Grade 3 winner for trainer Mark Casse, aims for a third score at that level. Kimura was tabbed to ride the 4-year-old Frosted colt, fourth-place runner Aug. 14 in the local Seagram Cup Stakes (G3). Paul Buttigieg trains Artie’s Storm (3-1), a Grade 2 hero who was second in the Seagram Cup. Hombre (7-2) climbs into graded-stakes flight after winning a local allowance race Sept. 9 for trainer Roger Attfield.

5:14 p.m. - $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles, Keeneland, CNBC and FanDuel TV

Forte (3-1) won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) on Sept. 5 at Saratoga and looks for another Grade 1 win for trainer Todd Pletcher. Irad Ortiz climbs aboard the Violence colt. Brad Cox trains Loggins (4-1), who delivered on debut Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs. Instant Coffee (5-1), also for Cox, won on first asking Sept. 3 at Saratoga. The Breeders’ Futurity is both a “win and you’re in” race toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and a points-paying stop on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

5:39 p.m. - CAN$750,000 (about U.S. $548,000) E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 1/4 miles (turf), Woodbine, FanDuel TV

Rougir (5-2), a European Group 1 winner, heads north of the U.S.-Canada border in search of her first top-level score on North American soil. Brown trains and Kimura rides the 4-year-old Territories filly, fifth-place runner Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1). Kevin Attard trains Moira (3-1), whose three-race winning streak was highlighted by the local Queen’s Plate Stakes on Aug. 21. Adventuring (7-2) is 2-for-2 this year for Cox, including a Ladies Marathon Stakes (G3) win Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs.

6:06 p.m. - $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1), 3-and-up fillies and mares, 1 1/4 miles (turf), Santa Anita, FanDuel TV

Fluffy Socks (2-1), a Grade 2 winner, ships west for Brown off a runner-up effort in the Ballston Spa Stakes. Jockey Joe Bravo has the assignment on the morning-line favorite in this “win and you’re in” race toward the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Phil D’Amato trains 2021 Rodeo Drive heroine Going to Vegas (5-2), who finished third Sept. 10 in Del Mar’s John C. Mabee Stakes (G2). Family Way (5-2), a Walsh-trained Grade 3 winner, was second in the Ladies Marathon Stakes.

6:38 p.m. - $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2), 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita, FanDuel TV

Justique (2-1) surged from last of 10 on July 31 at Del Mar to win her debut race for trainer John Shirreffs. Jockey Victor Espinoza stays aboard the Justify filly in this Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies “win and you’re in” qualifier. Bob Baffert trains Home Cooking (3-1), runner-up Sept. 10 in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1). And Tell Me Nolies (3-1) beat Home Cooking by a head at 10-1 odds for trainer Peter Miller in the Del Mar Debutante.

7:38 p.m. - $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita, FanDuel TV

Cave Rock (4-5) is 2-for-2 for Baffert, including a commanding 5 1/4-length score Sept. 11 in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). Jockey Juan Hernandez retains the mount on the Arrogate colt. Baffert trains Hejazi (5-2), a maiden who has finished second in both races of his young career, including Sept. 10 at Del Mar. Skinner (5-1) is also a maiden for Shirreffs, with his most recent start a third-place finish in the Del Mar Futurity. The American Pharoah Stakes is both a “win and you’re in” race toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and a points race on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby.