Keeneland news: Mott doubles up for Friday's Maker's 46 Mile
Four trainers have won the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile twice. On Friday, Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott will try to become the first to win the race three times when he sends our Ballagh Rocks and Forge.
Mott, who won the race with Ganges in 1993 and Mr. Sidney in 2009, is scheduled to be here Thursday. “Hall of Fame decision to leave me here in the snow,” quipped son Riley Mott, who is overseeing the barn here, on Monday.
Owned by Donegal Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Ballagh Rocks arrived at Keeneland on Monday from Payson Park in South Florida.
The 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic horse was fourth in the Maker’s 46 Mile last year and in the fall was third in the Shadwell Turf (G1), beaten a half-length in both.
“He is doing really well and has been training well,” Riley Mott said. “He runs well fresh and gives us a lot of confidence.”
Ballagh Rocks has not run since finishing ninth, beaten three lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) in November at Del Mar.
“He has had a few rough trips and in the Breeders’ Cup, he didn’t break and got stuck on the inside,” Mott said. “He is a bit of an overachiever and it has been nice to watch him progress since he was a baby.”
Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Forge comes into Friday’s race off a seventh-place finish in the Mervin Muniz Memorial (G2) at Fair Grounds on March 24.
“He has lots of talent but he’s just not consistent,” Mott said. “He needs to string good races together. In the Muniz, he didn’t get the cover we wanted. He runs better covered up where he can produce his run late. If we get the trip we like, we think he is good enough.”
RUSHING FALL CAPS BIG OPENING WEEKEND FOR BROWN
On Tuesday morning, trainer Chad Brown said he had not decided on the next race for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ undefeated Rushing Fall, who opened her 2018 campaign with a 1-length win in Sunday’s Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association. The 1-2 favorite ridden by Javier Castellano, Rushing Fall gave Brown one of his six wins during opening weekend of Keeneland’s 2018 Spring Meet.
Brown’s stakes tally also includes winning Friday’s Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) with William H. Lawrence’s Analyze It and Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G2) with champion Good Magic. Good Magic races for e Five and Stonestreet Stables.
Through the first three days of the 16-day season, Brown leads all trainers with six wins, two more than Wesley Ward. Brown now has 22 stakes wins here.
Thewayiam (FR) came out of her runner-up effort in the Appalachian fine, according to Jane Buchanan, racing manager for trainer Graham Motion. Buchanan said the next likely spot for Thewayiam is the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes going a mile at Pimlico on May 18.
Trainer George Weaver said that Daddy Is a Legend would be nominated to the $200,000 Edgewood (G3) run at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs on May 4. Daddy Is a Legend finished fourth in the Appalachian after missing the break and spotting the field nearly 10 lengths.
In recent years, Southern California-based trainer Richard Baltas has shipped a number of horses to Keeneland. This spring, he sent a small string here. Part of that string delivered big time Sunday when Gas Station Sushi posted a 1½-length victory in the $150,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet.
“I called him right after they hit the wire,” assistant David Meah said of Baltas. “He was very happy. We finally got one. He shipped a lot to Keeneland and has taken some shots because it is such a prestigious meet like Del Mar in Southern California.”
Gas Station Sushi was no surprise when she broke her maiden at first asking as the even-money favorite in August at Del Mar in her only other start. Sunday was her first race since as she had an ankle chip removed and went on the shelf.
“There was a 6½-furlong allowance two weeks ago at Santa Anita,” Meah said. “But she was doing so well that we thought we may as well come here and see where she is at with some of the best sprinters.”
Next up for Gas Station Sushi could be the $200,000 Eight Belles (G2) at 7 furlongs on the main track at Churchill Downs on May 4.
“He will be talking with the owners (Riley Racing Stables, Jason and Megan Tackitt and Mike Hensen) the next few days, but I hope so,” Meah said. “We have four left to run and may ship a few more in.”
Next up for the Baltas barn will be Friday’s Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) in which they will send out Next Shares, who was second in last month’s Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1). Corey Nakatani, who was aboard Gas Station Sushi, has the mount.
Also possible for the Eight Belles is Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Kelly’s Humor, who closed from last in the field of nine to finish second, beaten 1½ lengths.
“I was very pleased with her,” trainer Brad Cox said of Kelly’s Humor, who was making her first start since finishing 10th in the Golden Rod (G2) in November at Churchill Downs. “I wanted to see where we were with her and there were not a lot of options, so we put her in there.”
FORMER KEENELAND BETOLOGIST NOW A WINNING TRAINER
While growing up in Lexington, Bentley Combs figured he would pursue a career in Thoroughbred racing administration. He was half right.
Instead of appearing in boardrooms, however, Combs, 30, conducts business out of a tack room as a Thoroughbred trainer. On Sunday, he earned his first Keeneland victory when Jan Martin’s Proud Dixie scored a half-length win in the second race.
“It was special to have a hometown win,” said Combs, noting he was joined in the Winner’s Circle by family and friends and received a stream of congratulatory phone calls.
Combs, who has two horses at Keeneland, graduated from the University of Louisville with an equine management degree. He then took a job with a large Louisville-based insurance company. From there, he earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Mississippi.
During one Keeneland Fall Meet after graduate school, Combs worked as BETologist, one of the track’s wagering experts who assist fans with their betting questions.
A friend suggested Combs gain experience with a racing stable, so he went to work for Dallas Stewart.
“I decided I liked it better than working inside (an office) so I decided to continue,” he said.
Combs capitalized on his on-the-job training with Stewart after starting as an entry-level stablehand and quickly was promoted to groom and then assistant trainer. He obtained his trainer’s license last year and has four wins in 11 starts.
GALLOPING OUT
Trainer Brad Cox said Central Bank Ashland (G1) winner Monomoy Girl, who races for Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables, left Keeneland Monday for Churchill Downs, where she will continue preparations for the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 4. …
On Tuesday, Normandy Farm’s millionaire Daddys Lil Darling worked a half-mile over a yielding turf course in :51. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the winner of the American Oaks (G1) is being pointed to the $150,000 Bewitch (G3) on April 27.
Also working on the turf for upcoming stakes were Winter Quarter Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Cambodia, who covered 5 furlongs in 1:04.20 for Saturday’s Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1), and Union Rags Racing’s Big Bend, winner of last fall’s Sycamore (G3) here, who worked 5 furlongs in 1:04.20 in preparation for the Dixiana Elkhorn (G2) to be run April 21. Tom Proctor trains both horses.
Semaphore Racing and Homewrecker Racing’s 2017 Central Bank Ashland (G1) winner Sailor’s Valentine, scratched from Saturday’s Madison (G1), is entered in the fourth race Friday, a 1-mile allowance race. She will be making her second start of the year after finishing third in a Gulfstream Park allowance race March 4. …
Brad Grady’s Girvin, winner of the betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) and a starter in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last year, is training at Keeneland for his 4-year-old debut. He breezed 5 furlongs Sunday in 1:01.80. …
Trainer Guillermo Rangel earned his first Keeneland victory Sunday when Ivy’s College Fund won the fifth race. Rangel owns the winner, a 4-year-old daughter of Albertus Maximus. Samuel Camacho Jr. rode the filly to a three-length victory in the 6½-furlong race in 1:18.04.
PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR SATURDAY STAKES
Here are the prospective fields for Keeneland’s April 14 stakes compiled by Keeneland Stakes Coordinator Tiffany Bourque. Entries for the races will be taken Wednesday.
Click here for a link to the lists of nominations and past performances.
$350,000 COOLMORE JENNY WILEY (G1) – Probable: Cambodia (Tom Proctor), Dona Bruja (ARG) (Ignacio Correas IV), Fourstar Crook (Chad Brown), La Coronel (Mark Casse), Lovely Bernadette (James DiVito), Off Limits (IRE) (Chad Brown), Sistercharlie (IRE) (Chad Brown), Ultra Brat (Graham Motion). Possible: Hawksmoor (IRE) (Arnaud Delacour), Kitten’s Roar (Mike Maker), Proctor’s Ledge (Brendan Walsh), Sully’s Dream (John Ortiz).
$200,000 BEN ALI (G3) – Probable: Aurora Way (Stuart Simon), Giuseppe the Great (Nick Zito), Rated R Superstar (Kenny McPeek), You’re to Blame (Todd Pletcher). Possible: Dan the Go to Man (John Ortiz), Goats Town (D. Wayne Lukas), Guest Suite (Neil Howard), Hollywood Handsome (Dallas Stewart), Melmich (Kevin Attard).
$200,000 STONESTREET LEXINGTON (G3) – Probable: Battle At Sea (Mike Maker), City Plan (Eoin Harty), Gracida (Doug O’Neill), Greyvitos(Adam Kitchingman), My Boy Jack (Keith Desormeaux), Pony Up (Todd Pletcher), Telekinesis (Mark Casse). Possible: Navy Armed Guard (Joan Scott).
$100,000 GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (L) – Probable: Brave Daisey (Tina Hurley), Contributing (Tom Proctor), Jennifer Lynnette (Mark Casse), Lady Aurelia (Wesley Ward), Morticia (Rusty Arnold), Sister Sophia (Jorge Abreu), Smiling Causeway (Arnaud Delacour), Triple Chelsea (Joe Sharp).