Patience pays off for Phoenix entrant Favorite Tale
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Photo:
Averie Levanti
A lot has happened to PJG Stable’s Favorite Tale since he finished third behind Runhappy in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and it hasn’t all been good.
“We have taken our time with him, but I think he is fitter than he has ever been,” said Paul Conaway, the man behind PJG Stable. “One of the reasons we came here (for Friday’s Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix-G2) is he likes this track and it’s a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup.”
Friday’s race will mark only the fourth race for Favorite Tale since the 2015 Breeders’ Cup and only his second in 19 months.
Favorite Tale won the Fabulous Strike at Penn National a month after the Breeders’ Cup but then things started to go south.
“He was at Gulfstream Park training for a trip to Dubai when he got hurt,” Conaway said. “He had a shoe flip up on him and he stepped on it with his left foot and that took care of going to Dubai.
“After we got that bruise taken care of, he had one start in March at Parx and noticed he was a little off so we stopped on him again.”
Trained by Guadalupe Preciado, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tale of the Cat was getting ready to try for a Breeders’ Cup shot in 2016 when two days before his prep race things were not right.
“He had surgery to get a chip taken out of his knee,” Conaway said. “We have given him plenty of time. We took him down to Fair Hill (Training Center in Maryland) and then to Jonathan Sheppard’s farm in Pennsylvania.
“He had done a lot of road work and jogging before we started him back galloping.”
Favorite Tale finally made it back to the races after nearly 18 months off and ran second in the Banjo Picker Sprint at Parx.
“I was really happy with his effort,” Conaway said of the race on Sept. 2.
Favorite Tale, who arrived at Keeneland Thursday morning, has had three works since the Banjo Picker Sprint, the most recent coming Sunday with a half-mile in :48.98 at Parx. Paco Lopez has the mount Friday.
@BETKEENELAND GUEST HANDICAPPERS SET FOR FALL STARS WEEKEND
Beginning Friday, opening day of Keeneland’s Fall Meet, Keeneland will launch a new Twitter handle, @BetKeeneland, that will deliver real-time handicapping tips and tools directly to wagering fans and feature a Handicapper of the Day series that will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).
Keeneland will provide each Handicapper of the Day with a $200 bankroll to wager over the course of the race day, with winnings going to support PDJF. Set to participate as guest handicappers this weekend are:
Friday – Bob Neumeier of NBC Sports
Saturday – Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form
Sunday – Caton Bredar of TVG and Horse Player NOW
Another feature of @BetKeeneland is the Keeneland NOW Podcast, with noted handicapper Jeremy Plonk of Horseplayernow.com. In this podcast, lasting 60-90 seconds, Plonk will offer final thoughts 10 minutes prior to every race. He also will be on call to field questions from fans in addition to providing traditional tweets and commentary throughout the race day.
The 30-minute race-day Preview Podcast airs live at Keeneland.com each race day from noon-12:30 p.m. and will be available at @BetKeeneland.
The @BetKeeneland handle will provide scratches, changes, clocker reports, track conditions, race results, expert picks and carryover information.
SPONSORS TO HONOR KEENELAND GROOMS
WITH BEST TURNED OUT AWARDS
In selected races during Keeneland’s 2017 Fall Meet, grooms of racehorses determined to have the best overall appearance in the Saddling Paddock will be recognized in a special ceremony before each race as part of the Best Turned Out Awards. The grooms will receive cash prizes ranging from $250 to $500.
On Friday, representatives of Darley, which sponsors the $500,000 Alcibiades (G1), and Stoll Keenon Ogden, sponsor of the $250,000 Phoenix (G2), will select horses in separate races throughout the day.
Judges like to see horses with shiny hair, flowing tails and tidy manes and grooms wearing neat clothing.
“Our sponsors always enjoy the opportunity to recognize the efforts of the grooms who work so hard with these horses every day,” Keeneland Sponsorship Director Bonnie Senft said. “The Best Turned Out Awards are popular every year for the judges and the grooms.”
Sponsors will present Best Turned Out Awards on these days:
Friday, Oct. 6: Darley, Stoll Keenon Ogden
Saturday, Oct. 7: Shadwell Farm, Claiborne Farm, Thoroughbred Club of America
Sunday, Oct. 8: Juddmonte Farms, Dixiana Farm
Friday, Oct. 13: Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards
Saturday, Oct. 14: Lane’s End
Friday, Oct. 20: Pin Oak Stud
Sunday, Oct. 22: Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital
Saturday, Oct. 28: Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
PROBABLE FIELDS FOR UPCOMING STAKES
$150,000 JPMORGAN CHASE JESSAMINE (G3) (Entries taken Saturday; race Wednesday, Oct. 11) – Lady O’Toole (Brad Cox), Layla Noor (Arnaud Delacour), Mentality (Wesley Ward), She’s All Skeet (Joe Sharp), Stainless (Todd Pletcher), Sugar Queen (Pletcher) and Sunny Skies (Kenny McPeek).
$100,000 BUFFALO TRACE FRANKLIN COUNTY (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, race Friday, Oct. 13) – Always Thinking (Tom Albertrani), Boom Bam Bing (Karl Broberg), Justa Lady (Steve Asmussen), Morticia (Rusty Arnold), Nobody’s Fault (Neil Pessin), Ruby Notion (Wesley Ward), Scatter Gun (Pessin) and Triple Chelsea (Joe Sharp).
FALL MEET SPECIAL EVENTS
Thursday, Oct. 5
Friday, Oct. 6 – Opening Day/Fall Stars Weekend
Official Keeneland Tours – During the Fall Meet, guided tours are offered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Fans also can receive an insider view of racing on the Behind-the-Scenes Racing Tours and a Backstretch Tour and Day at the Races on other days.
The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring from 11 a.m. to the 30 minutes after final post.
Tailgating on The Hill. Keeneland’s popular tailgate lot, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center, features local food trucks, a jumbo television screen, wireless wagering and wagering terminals, race-day programs, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and free shuttles to the track. BETologists will be available to answer fans’ handicapping questions.
Friday Pick 4 Presented by TVG. A $200,000-guaranteed pool will be offered on the final four races of the day, including the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) and Darley Alcibiades (G1).
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Fall Stars Weekend
Sunrise Trackside. Keeneland shares a special side of Thoroughbred racing that is worth getting up early to enjoy. Sponsored by LEX18, Sunrise Trackside is a free, family-friendly event with activities for all ages: Breakfast With the Works features breakfast for purchase and trackside commentary (7-8:30 a.m.) while Thoroughbreds train on the main track; children’s activities in the Kids Club Corner (7-9 a.m.); Keeneland tours (7:30-10 a.m.); Paddock demonstration with ponies from the Kentucky Horse Park (9 a.m.); trackside handicapping seminar with Paddock Host Katie Gensler (11 a.m.); and Q&A session with jockey Javier Castellano in the Paddock (12:05 p.m.).
The Keeneland Shop’s Milliners Corner presents Christine A. Moore Millinery adjacent to the Walking Ring from 11 a.m. to the 30 minutes after final post.
Tailgating on The Hill. Keeneland’s popular tailgate lot, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center, features local food trucks, a jumbo television screen, wireless wagering and wagering terminals, race-day programs, The Keeneland Shop kiosk and free shuttles to the track. BETologists will be available to answer fans’ handicapping questions. On Saturdays, the area’s favorite bluegrass bands perform from 12-4 p.m.
$350,000 Guaranteed All-Stakes Pick 4 Presented by TVG. Features races 6-10: Thoroughbred Club of America (G2), First Lady (G1), Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Shadwell Turf Mile (G1).
$250,000 All-Stakes Pick 5 Presented by TVG. Features races 5-10: Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select, Thoroughbred Club of America, First Lady, Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and Shadwell Turf Mile.
Belmont-Keeneland Pick Four. Wager on these Grade 1 stakes: Champagne and Jockey Club Gold Cup from Belmont and Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and Shadwell Turf Mile from Keeneland.
Sunday, Oct. 8 – Fall Stars Weekend
“Keeneland Magazine on TV.” 8 p.m. on The CW Lexington. The 30-minute program chronicles Central Kentucky life and culture from the print edition of Keeneland magazine. The episode features Juddmonte Farms, Brewgrass Trail, Lexington’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Medical Center and Lexington’s murals.
Source: Keeneland Association
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