Opening Day

Fall can be a magical time of year and that is especially true amongst the rolling bluegrass hills of Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington has long been the bucolic home for the thoroughbred horse industry and Keeneland is Lexington’s idyllic home for the races. Opening day of the Fall meet, at the national landmark that is Keeneland, gets off to a rousing start with the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes and the Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes. Large fields and quality horses are the norm at Keeneland and today certainly does not disappoint. The Alcibiades offers a full field of twelve juvenile misses. Two of the most promising fillies in the country lead the way. She Be Wild has been a monster in her three races at Arlington Park and while she steps up in class, there are several tip-offs that she may be the real deal. In each race she has displayed a high cruising speed to remain close to the action and then quickly put the race away as the fields straightened out. She has not been asked yet to run her best, despite her times being easily faster than the counterpart male races of the same day. In Beautician, I see a filly who has a world of potential and is on the verge of becoming a star. She has run into the blazingly fast Hot Dixie Chick in her last two, but showed real class and determination in running strong seconds. Stretching out should only improve this gray daughter of Dehere, who thoroughly impressed me with her powerful stride. Of the two, I give a slight edge to Beautician, but either filly could be a champion. I would be surprised if one these two promising fillies does not come out victorious today. The Phoenix Stakes has ten male speedsters clashing at 6 furlongs. Much like the Alcibiades, this race has two horses who appear to stand out. Capt. Candyman Can has been a model of consistency since he began his career last August and has proved a force in every race since he has settled into his niche as a sprinter. Having said this, he will have his hands full as he takes on older horses for the first time. The older horse to be feared most is the speed ball Fatal Bullet. Back on the synthetics that he loves, The Canadian trained son of Red Bullet should whistle early on the front and be almost impossible to catch. Look for him to return to his winning ways as he readies for a return engagement in the BC Sprint. Friday’s races kick off a FallStars Weekend for Keeneland which includes nine graded stakes. Highlights for Saturday include: Forever Together trying to win back to back First Lady Stakes, a race she used last year to propel her to a BC victory, Justenuffhumor attempting to raise his record to 7 for 7 on the lawn will face a solid Shadwell Mile field. Mr. Nightlinger is favored to win yet another sprint stake on the grass in the Woodford, while Informed Decision looks to remain perfect on synthetic surfaces as she meets the fleet California 3-year-old Carlsbad in the Thoroughbred Club of America. I would like to tell you who tops the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity, but I honestly have no clue as it looks to be one of the most wide open races in recorded history. Sunday brings us the Bourbon Stakes as Interactif looks to build on his scintillating Saratoga score for 2-year-old turfers. The day’s headliner is the Grade 1 Spinster and unfortunately it will not include the beautiful Empire Maker mare, Icon Project, as she had a setback earlier this week. In her absence, Swift Temper seizes the role of horse to beat. It should be a wonderful meet at one of my favorite racetracks and if you have never been to Keeneland, by all means, this is one racetrack that every fan of horse racing needs to visit.

One Mile North of the Border

All eyes will be pointed north tomorrow as the most important race run in Canada is contested at one mile on the Woodbine turf course. Whoa cowboy! Did I just say the most important race run in Canada…have I forgotten about the Queen’s Plate? What about the Canadian International? While it is true that the Queen’s Plate and the Canadian International have more history and more prestige in the world of Canadian racing, the Woodbine Mile is now hands down the most important race run in Canada as far as quality and ramifications to America’s championship day of racing, the Breeders’ Cup. This year’s Woodbine Mile offers a top notch field with several horses that can make a beeline to Santa Anita with a solid performance tomorrow. No fewer than six different horses would be much of a surprise to take home the big prize on Sunday, as Ventura, Bribon, Rahy’s Attorney, Jungle Wave, Ferneley, and Sterwins all come into the race off excellent form. In a wide open race like this I generally prefer to look for a little value with my wagering dollar and I believe I have found the horse to fit the bill in Sterwins. Sterwins is a powerful six-year-old roan gelding who on his best day can beat anyone as evidenced by his romping win over Go Between in the Ben Ali last year at Keeneland. The son of Runaway Groom clearly has a fondness for the Woodbine turf course and is coming into the race in fine fettle. Most importantly, he should relish the solid pace early which will set up his preferred style of relaxing early and flying down the lane. At 8-1 or higher, Sterwins offers excellent value. I am going to take a stand against the Californian invader, Ferneley, as I question his ability to beat Grade 1 horses, and against the excellent Canadian sprinter, Jungle Wave, as I feel a mile is probably a little too far for him to beat these monsters. So that leaves the extremely classy mare, Ventura, the miler extraordinaire, Bribon, and the defending Woodbine Mile champion, Rahy’s Attorney for Sterwins to beat. Truly Grade 1 horses, so it will be easier said than done, but I am going to give him a chance. It should be an outstanding race. If you have already cleared some time to watch the Mile, Woodbine has a couple of other turf races tomorrow that should be stepping stones to Breeders’ Cup races. Just as Well, the rapidly improving Jonathan Sheppard turfer, will try to keep things rolling as he tops an extremely well matched field in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes. The 1 ½ mile turf race legitimately could be won by any of its’ ten participants and should provide a fantastic stretch run. Forever Together, the best female turf horse in North America, will try to run her record on the lawn to 7 for 10, as she towers over a field of seven in the Canadian Stakes. She ran the worst grass race of her life when third in this race last year, and looks for atonement at low odds tomorrow. A likely winner, Forever Together will cement her position as the favorite for the BC Filly & Mare Turf.