Lexington Day Contenders in Good Order

Divining Rod bounced back from a third-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) to win the Coolmore Lexington (G3) by three lengths and Ageless finished second in the Giant’s Causeway in her 2015 debut.

“We are just going to take it one race at a time,” Delacour said of Divining Rod, who was taken out of consideration for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) after the race by Roy Jackson of Lael. “I run my last horse here on the 19th and then will go back to Fair Hill (in Maryland.).”

A son of Tapit, Divining Rod is out of Precious Kitten, a half-sister to standout turf sire Kitten’s Joy.

“With his turf pedigree, that is why we tried the grass although it didn’t work out so well,” Delacour said of Divining Rod who began his career in an off-the-turf race at Laurel that he won before finishing third on the grass at Tampa. “We would not be opposed to trying the turf again, but for now we will stay with what we have on the dirt.”

Fair Hill is just up the road from Pimlico, home of the Preakness (G1) to be run on May 16. Another race scheduled for Pimlico on May 16 is the $100,000 The Very One at five furlongs on the turf for fillies and mares.

“I was very pleased with how she ran yesterday and she came back fine,” Delacour said. “That (The Very One that Ageless won last year) would be something we would be aiming for. It could be a big weekend.”

Trainer Graham Motion was pleased with the runner-up effort by Donworth in the Coolmore Lexington.

“I think we did the right thing and he proved he’s a good horse,” said Motion, who scratched Donworth out of a Thursday allowance race to run in the stakes. The Coolmore Lexington was the second start for Donworth.

“I think his inexperience caught up with him,” Motion said. “He came out of the race good and the Sir Barton (a $100,000 stakes at Pimlico at 1 1/16 miles on May 16) is a good possibility.”

STIDHAM TO STUDY OPTIONS FOR GIANT’S CAUSEWAY WINNER KATIE’S EYES
With her victory in Saturday’s Giant’s Causeway, Ike and Dawn Thrash and Janet and Sam Alley’s Katie’s Eyes earned her third consecutive victory and her first stakes win at 5½ furlongs on turf. She was the 13-1 choice in the race, which she won by 2½ lengths over 2014 Giant’s Causeway winner Ageless.

“Yesterday was kind of a surprise,” said trainer Mike Stidham, who reported Katie’s Eyes was OK this morning. “Not that we didn’t think she might develop into that type, but we didn’t know that she was ready to move that far forward.”

The next race for Katie’s Eyes will depend on what her connections find.

“We’re going to look around,” he said. “With the 5½-furlong turf races that I think she’s best at, you kinda have to move around, ship around for them. We’ll go up to Arlington and look around. We’ll nominate her in a lot of different spots and pick out the best one.”

Austin Luttrell, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, said Farhaan was fine the morning after his first start in eight months, a last-place finish in the Ben Ali (G3). “That race is a head scratcher,” Luttrell said. “He scoped clean and came back fine.” …

Peggy Dunleavy, assistant to trainer Ian Wilkes, said Ben Ali (G3) runner-up Neck ‘n Neck jogged early Sunday morning here and that Free as a Bird, fourth as the favorite in the Giant’s Causeway, returned to Churchill Downs after the race Saturday.

Among the 15 grass workers over “good” ground Sunday morning were Hootenanny and Luck of the Kitten, the 1-2 finishers in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). The two Wesley Ward horses worked together around the dogs in :52.60 for a half-mile with the last quarter in :24.20. Luck of the Kitten is entered in Wednesday’s Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select. Hootenanny is being pointed to the $250,000 American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs on May 2. …

Grade 1 winner and millionaire Imagining, a nominee to the April 18 Dixiana Elkhorn (G2), worked a half-mile in company in :50.40.

Grade 1 winner Stephanie’s Kitten worked five furlongs in 1:04 in company in preparation for an expected run against males in the $500,000 Woodford Reserve (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs. …

Grade 1-placed Caroline Thomas worked a half-mile on her own in :50.80 in preparation for the Bewitch (G3) here on April 24. …

Working on the fast main track for the Transylvania was Grade 2-placed A Lot, who went three furlongs in :36.20 after the morning renovation break. 

$100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, race on Friday, April 17) – Blue Violet, Deceptive Vision, Flashy American, Handmade, Pretty Fancy, Tiz Windy.

$250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn (G2) (Entries taken Wednesday, race on Saturday, April 18) – Aldous Snow, Biz The Nurse (IRE), Cozy Kitten, Dynamic Sky, Holiday Star, Java’s War, My Afleet, Reflecting, Unitarian.

$150,000 Bewitch (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, April 21, race on Friday, April 24) – Caroline Thomas, Danza Cavallo (FR), Meri Shika (FR), Samiam, Super Sky.

Keeneland’s inaugural Kids Club Day gives all Kids Club members and their families free general admission with their Kids Club badge at any pass gate. Children’s activities, including face painting and crafts, in the North Terrace from noon to 4 p.m. The Keeneland Kids Club is the free Official Kids Club for Keeneland fans 12 and under. Members of the Kids Club will receive a personalized membership pass, birthday card from Buckles, discounts, invitations to exclusive Kids Club events and more.

Tuesday, April 14
Keeneland Lecture Series. Glenye and Christopher Oakford of Lexington discuss their book, Iroquois Hunt: A Bluegrass Foxhunting Tradition. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. ET at the Keeneland Library and is free and open to the public. The presentation will be followed by a reception and book-signing with the couple. The Keeneland Library is easily accessed through Gate 1 (Keeneland Blvd.) at Versailles Road and Man o’ War Blvd. On Keeneland Blvd., take the first right, which is Entertainment Court, and head toward the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center. The Library is to the left.