Kindergarden Kid Gets There in Sycamore
Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Kindergarden Kid caught pace-setting Ioya Bigtime in deep stretch to win the 18th running of the $100,000 Sycamore (G3) by a neck before a Thursday afternoon crowd of 9,601 at Keeneland.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Julien Leparoux, Kindergarden Kid provided Maker with his second stakes win of the Fall Meet and was the third stakes win for Leparoux. It was the first Sycamore win for trainer and jockey.
Kindergarden Kid, a 5-year-old gelded Kentucky-bred son of Dynaformer out of the Dixieland Band mare Amelia, covered the 1½ miles on a firm turf course in 2:31.80.
The victory was worth $60,000 and increased Kindergarden Kid’s earnings to $338,959 with a record of 21-5-2-6.
Ioya Bigtime, ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez, grabbed the lead out of the gate and led the field of seven through fractions of :25.57, :49.88, 1:14.48 and 1:40.48 while under no pressure. At the top of the stretch, Ioya Bigtime repulsed challenges from Miami Deco and Rahystrada and kicked clear only to be caught in the shadow of the finish line.
Kindergarden Kid returned mutuels of $8, $3.80 and $2.80. Ioya Bigtime paid $3.80 and $3 with Miami Deco finishing a half-length back in third under Elvis Trujillo and returning $4.80 to show.
It was 2¾ lengths back to Rahystrada, who was followed in order by Seton Hall, Canaveral (GB) and Musketier (GER).