Keeneland news: Runaway Ghost works locally for Commonwealth
Joe Peacock’s homebred Runaway Ghost was scheduled to come to Kentucky last spring for a shot at the Kentucky Derby (G1) after winning the Sunland Derby (G3) only to be sidelined by a fractured right cannon bone.
It is said that a good horse can come from anywhere, and Breeze Easy's Late Night Pow Wow is a perfect example of that adage. The 4-year-old West Virginia-bred filly has won 11 of 12 career starts and has brought a nine-race win streak to Keeneland for next Saturday’s 18th running of the $300,000 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares going 7 furlongs on dirt. On Friday morning, with trainer Javier Contreras watching from the track apron, Late Night Pow Wow zipped through a 5-furlong breeze in :59.20, the fastest of 27 of the morning at the distance. Working on her own, Late Night Pow Wow produced fractions of :23.80, :35.20, :46.60 and out 6 furlongs in 1:13. Late Night Pow Wow, who arrived at Keeneland Wednesday night from Charles Town, will represent the first Keeneland starter for Contreras, who has a stable of 32 horses based at the West Virginia track. The daughter of Fiber Sonde, a half-brother to leading sire Speightstown and Toyota Blue Grass (G2) winner Irap, made her first nine starts at Charles Town, where her biggest win came in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) last September. Her past three victories have come at Laurel, highlighted by a narrow score in the Barbara Fritchie (G3) in her most recent start Feb. 16. “She runs better fresh,” Contreras said before addressing the question of just how good Late Night Pow Wow is. “There is no doubt that she is Grade 1 material. I had a lot of confidence going into the races at Laurel and the Fritchie had the Grade 1 winner (Spiced Perfection) in there and that was a hell of a test.” Late Night Pow Wow edged Spiced Perfection by a head in the Fritchie. A rematch might be on tap here as the La Brea (G1) winner, trained by Peter Miller, is considered a probable starter for the Madison. Fredy Peltroche has ridden Late Night Pow Wow in all her starts to date but, according to Contreras, Luis Saez will have the mount in the Madison.
Now, better late than never, Runaway Ghost has arrived in the Eastern Time Zone where he will take a shot in next Saturday’s 33rd running of the $250,000 Commonwealth (G3) going 7 furlongs on the main track.
With trainer Todd Fincher on hand Friday morning, Runaway Ghost worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.20 with fractions of :12.80, :25.40, :38.20, :49.60 and out 6 furlongs in 1:15.60.
“He was looking around some, but the rider really liked it and he finished strong,” said Fincher, who last month recorded his 1,000th career victory with a triumph by Hustle Up in the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.
A winner of six of nine career starts, Runaway Ghost returned to the races Feb 2 in the Fort Bliss at Sunland going 6 furlongs.
“Then three weeks later, I wheeled him back going two turns,” Fincher said of the 4-year-old, who is two-for-two in his comeback. “I am not sure what his best distance is. He is pretty versatile.”
Should Runaway Ghost perform well in the Commonwealth, plans are to remain in Kentucky for the $500,000 Churchill Downs (G1) to be run May 4, also at 7 furlongs. “If not, back home for the Sunland Park Handicap,” Fincher said.
Fincher has one other horse at Keeneland, a 3-year-old filly named Into Mystic.
Slated for an allowance start during the meet, Into Mystic broke her maiden here last fall under the care of Todd Pletcher and has not raced since finishing sixth in the Rags to Riches at Churchill Downs on Oct. 28.
UNDEFEATED BELL’S THE ONE TUNES UP FOR ASHLAND
Lothenbach Stables’ undefeated Bell’s the One completed her major preparation for next Saturday’s $500,000 Ashland (G1) by working 5 furlongs in company in 1:00 over a fast main track Friday morning.
Starting five lengths in back of Tell Your Daddy, a 3-year-old maiden, Bell’s the One recorded fractions of :25, :36.40, :48, 1:00 and out 6 furlongs in 1:14.20. She pulled even with her workmate at the eighth pole and finished nearly a length in front at the wire.
The Central Bank Ashland will serve as the graded stakes debut for Bell’s the One, who has won on all-weather at Arlington, dirt at Keeneland and turf at Fair Grounds.
“She got sick on me at the Fair Grounds before the Silverbulletday and the Rachel Alexandra (G2),” trainer Neil Pessin said. “I threw her in to the mile race on the turf (the LaCombe Memorial on March 9) to see if she’d handle two turns and she did.”
Bell’s the One won her debut at Arlington as a 32-1 longshot but was no longshot in Pessin’s eyes.
“I knew she was good before she ran because there was nothing in the barn that could stay with her,” Pessin said. “I don’t know about being a Grade 1 horse, but I thought she would be a stakes horse.”
Florent Geroux, who has been aboard for two of her victories, will have the mount in the Central Bank Ashland.