Whitmore tops field of 12 for Friday's Phoenix at Keeneland

Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners’ Whitmore will make his fourth start in Keeneland's $200,000, Grade 1 Phoenix on Friday when he headlines a field of 12 for the 6-furlong main track test.

The Phoenix is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint to be run at Keeneland Nov. 7. The race will go as the eighth on Friday’s 10-race program that opens the 17-day Fall Meet, which runs through Oct. 24. First post is 1:05 p.m. ET, with the Phoenix slated for 5:05 p.m.

Trained by Moquett, Whitmore won the Phoenix in 2017 and has been runner-up in the race the last two years. Whitmore has used this race as a final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint the last three years, a race in which he finished third in 2019 at Santa Anita and second in 2018 at Churchill Downs.

Seventh over a sloppy track in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 29 in his most recent start, Whitmore will be ridden Friday by Joe Talamo and break from post position 3.

Whitmore, who won the 2018 Forego, is one of three Grade 1 winners in the field.

L and N Racing’s Echo Town won the Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga going 7 furlongs on Aug. 1 and most recently was fifth as the favorite in the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who won the race last year with Engage, Echo Town will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position 6.

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin’s No Parole won the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont in June going 7 furlongs. Trained by Tom Amoss, who won the race in 2012 and 2013 with Sum of the Parts, No Parole will break from post position 5 and be ridden by Luis Saez.