Keeneland news: Heart to Heart in 'great spot' for Shadwell Turf Mile
Clear skies and comfortable temperatures forecast for Keeneland’s opening weekend of the Fall Meet could be a perfect scenario for Terry Hamilton’s Heart to Heart in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile.
Trainer Brian Lynch said Thursday morning that the 7-year-old son of English Channel does his best running on firm turf as he did in April with a victory in the Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) here. Overall Heart to Heart has 15 wins in 37 starts and has earned more than $2 million. He was second in the Shadwell Turf Mile last year.
“I know he is happy to be back at Keeneland because he has great energy around the barn and looks great on the track,” Lynch said. “We graze him every afternoon. He loves to get out on the hill (with a handler) in front of our barn. It is a great spot to let a horse drop his head and eat some green grass.”
Lynch’s Keeneland contingent includes Amerman Racing’s Oscar Performance, who earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 for winning the Woodbine Mile (G1) on Sept. 15. Lynch said Oscar Performance and Heart to Heart will remain at Keeneland to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup Mile before shipping to Churchill Downs around Oct. 30.
Lynch also noted that his former trainee Grand Arch, winner of the 2015 Shadwell Turf Mile for Jim and Susan Hill, has adapted well to retirement and recently demonstrated his new skills at a horse show. Grand Arch closed his 29-race career at age eight with seven victories and a bankroll of nearly $2 million.
“I am thrilled to see he has a second career and is enjoying his new job,” Lynch said. “He is a beautiful horse and a gentleman, so I always hoped he could use that for a second career.”
MISS SUNSET LOOKS TO PUNCH BREEDERS’ CUP TICKET
IN THOROUGHBRED CLUB OF AMERICA
West Coast-based Miss Sunset, owned by Alan Klein and Phil Lebherz, is a nose away from perfection in two Keeneland starts. The California-bred daughter of Into Mischief, trained by Jeff Bonde, arrived at Keeneland Wednesday for her third run, a start in Saturday’s running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America.
“It is nice and quiet here and she likes the surroundings,” Bonde said Thursday morning before sending Miss Sunset out for a jog on the main track.
Winner of the Raven Run (G2) during Keeneland’s 2017 Fall Meet, Miss Sunset was beaten a nose by Finley’sluckycharm in this spring’s Madison (G1) here. She finished second in her next start, the Desert Stormer (G3) in May at Santa Anita, and then did not run again until winning the CERF Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 3.
“The track at Santa Anita was a little firm and we decided to space her races out and have a fresh horse for later in the year,” Bonde said. “It has paid off. She is fresh and ready.”
In the Thoroughbred Club of America, Miss Sunset will be ridden by Mike Smith, who has won on her the past five times he has been aboard.
“They get along well,” Bonde said. “She is kind of quirky, but their attitude is the same. She likes to win and he likes to win.”
The TCA is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race with the winner getting a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
Saturday’s result will determine whether Miss Sunset stays in Kentucky or returns to California.
“We are worn out thinking about it,” Bonde said with a laugh over that decision. “We will decide after the race.”
HENLEY’S JOY, TRACKSMITH RENEW RIVALRY IN DIXIANA BOURBON
Bloom Racing Stable’s Henley’s Joy and Calumet Farm’s Tracksmith, who finished a head apart in last month’s Kentucky Downs Juvenile going a mile, head a field of 14 plus one also-eligible entered Thursday for Sunday’s 28th running of the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (G3) for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Slated as the eighth race on Sunday’s 10-race program with a 5:10 p.m. ET post time, the Dixiana Bourbon is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race that offers its winner a fees-paid berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2.
Trained by Mike Maker, Henley’s Joy is undefeated in his two career starts on the grass. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the Kentucky Downs victory, will have the mount Sunday and break from post position three.
Joe Sharp trains Tracksmith, who won his turf debut at Ellis Park before his run at Kentucky Downs. Adam Beschizza has the mount and will break from post position 11.
Trainer Mark Casse has saddled the winner of the past three runnings of the Dixiana Bourbon. On Sunday, he will send out two starters with Gary Barber’s War of Will and John Oxley’s Blockbuster.
War of Will is winless in two starts but in his most recent effort finished second in the Summer (G1) at Woodbine. Drayden Van Dyke will ride Sunday and break from post position one.
Blockbuster, winner of his only career start on Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs, will be ridden by Julien Leparoux from post position six.
The field for the Dixiana Bourbon, with riders and weights from the inside, is: War of Will (Van Dyke, 118 pounds), Ice City Ghost(Ricardo Santana Jr., 120), Henley’s Joy (Gaffalione, 120), Concrete Rose (Jose Lezcano, 118), Forloveofcountry (Luis Saez, 118), Blockbuster (Leparoux, 118), Mr Wrench It (Albin Jimenez, 120), Salvator Mundi (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Shazier (Joe Bravo, 118), Current (Jose Ortiz, 118), Tracksmith (Beschizza, 118), More Than A. P. (Florent Geroux, 118), Mick’s Star (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Pradar (Jack Gilligan, 118). Also-eligible: Life Mission (Geroux, 118).
CHELSEA CLOISTERS TOPS OVERFLOW FIELD FOR INDIAN SUMMER
Hat Creek Racing’s Chelsea Cloisters heads a field of 12 2-year-olds and two also-eligibles entered Thursday for the inaugural running of the $200,000 Indian Summer at 5½ furlongs on the turf.
The Indian Summer, scheduled as the sixth race on Sunday’s 10-race program with a 4 p.m. ET post time, is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race with the winner to earn a fees-paid berth into the inaugural $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint to be held Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.
A maiden winner at first asking here in the spring on dirt, the Wesley Ward-trained Chelsea Cloisters finished 11th in the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot and second in the Prix du Bois (G3) at Deauville. In her most recent start, also on turf, she was second in the Bolton Landing at Saratoga.
Jose Ortiz will ride Chelsea Cloisters and leave from post position one.
The field for the Indian Summer, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Chelsea Cloisters (Ortiz, 115 pounds), Strike Silver (Julien Leparoux, 118), Blame the Frog (Brian Hernandez Jr., 115), Nitrous (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118), Reward the Miracle (Jarred Journet, 118), Abaco Dream (Luis Saez, 115), The Sicarii (Jon Court, 118), Credit Swap (Albin Jimenez, 118), Hide the Demon (Corey Lanerie, 118), Next Dance (Adam Beschizza, 115), Mister Banjoman (Jareth Loveberry, 120), All About It (Eric Cancel, 118). Also-eligibles: Jo Jo Air (Julio Garcia, 115) and Bizzee Channel (Jose Valdivia Jr., 118).