Keeneland news: Flameaway will have 'so many' options after Ben Ali

John Oxley’s Flameaway has shown an affinity for Keeneland during his career, winning the Dixiana Bourbon (G3) on a sloppy track as a 2-year-old in 2017 and finishing second to Good Magic in last spring’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2).

On Saturday, he will try to add success in the Ben Ali (G3) to his local resume.

“He tailed off a little bit at the end of last year, but he came to us at the Fair Grounds (at the end of December) in great shape,” said David Carroll, who runs trainer Mark Casse’s Keeneland string and also oversaw the Fair Grounds contingent this winter. “We are very happy with him and he really blossomed here last spring.”

Winner of the Challenger at Tampa Bay on March 9 in his most recent start, Flameaway comes into the Ben Ali off two sharp works here: 5 furlongs in :59.80 on March 30 and a half-mile in :47.40 on April 6.

“Right now, we just want to get through Saturday with him,” Carroll said. “We will go race by race with him. There are so many races out there for him.”

Carroll also said Debby Oxley’s Chocolate Kisses, sixth in last Saturday’s Ashland (G1), had her first day of training Thursday following the race.

“I think you can just draw a line through that race,” Carroll said of the Honeybee (G3) winner, who is considered likely to go on to the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on May 3. “We changed her style to keep her closer to the pace (in the Ashland), and she was inside where she doesn’t want to be.” 

CONSISTENT MORTICIA TAKES SECOND SHOT IN GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Morticia, winner of the Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3) in 2017 as a 3-year-old, will shoot for her second Keeneland stakes score Saturday in the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway going 5½ furlongs on the turf.

Trained by Rusty Arnold, Morticia finished third in the Giant’s Causeway last year after dueling early with champion Lady Aurelia.

“It was tough to give weight to Lady Aurelia, and it wound up costing us both,” Arnold said, noting that Triple Chelsea blew past both fillies to get the victory.

As in 2018, Morticia comes into the Giant’s Causeway off a runner-up finish in the Captiva Island at Gulfstream Park five weeks before her Keeneland race.

“She is doing well and just got beat in her comeback race (after a two-month layoff),” Arnold said. “She went a little too fast early with a :20 and change first quarter and just got caught at the wire.”

Co-bred by Arnold, Morticia has compiled a 18-7-5-4 record on turf in her career, which includes six stakes victories and earnings of more than $500,000. All of the stakes wins have come on firm ground.

“I’d rather it not rain at all for her, but I can’t control that,” Arnold said, alluding to a forecast that calls for rain Friday but a clear Saturday.

After last year’s race, Morticia ran in the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs. However, this year’s running of the Unbridled Sidney is May 2, 10 days earlier than in 2018.

“The race at Churchill is too close,” Arnold said. “The race Preakness Day (May 18) is a possibility (the $100,000 The Very One). I am looking at one spot before Saratoga where there are two stakes, one early (the Caress) and one late (the Smart N Fancy).”

GALLOPING OUT

Two trainers recorded their first Keeneland victories Wednesday.

Marat Kozhomzharov won the first race with Glockenburg’s Coworker. Miguel Mena rode the 3-year-old Goldencents colt, the 2-1 favorite, to win the 1 1/16-mile race by three-quarters of a length in 1:47.97.

Shelbe Ruis won the fourth race with Ruis Racing’s My Midnight Affair, ridden by Chris Landeros. The 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute won the 7-furlong race by 2½ lengths in 1:26.40 at 7-1 odds.