Keeneland Barn Notes: All Blue Grass Horses on the Track Friday at Keeneland

The final five horses to arrive at Keeneland on Thursday for Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) got acquainted with the main track on a brisk Friday morning.

Three of the runners – Goats Town, Lookin for a Kiss and Zapperini – arrived from Churchill Downs; Twizz came from the Trackside Training Center in Louisville; and Cards of Stone came from Belmont Park.

The Toyota Blue Grass, in addition to its Grade 1 status and $1 million purse, carries 170 points toward the Kentucky Derby on a scale of 100-40-20-10 to the first- through fourth-place finishers. Post time Saturday is 6 p.m. ET.

Post 1 – Lookin for a Kiss: Michael Bruder’s Lookin for a Kiss galloped after the renovation break with exercise rider Augustine Hernandez aboard.

Recently transferred to the barn of trainer Mike Tomlinson, Lookin for a Kiss has won one of two starts and will be ridden Saturday by Tyler Gaffalione. Gaffalione, who never has ridden at Keeneland, was aboard for the maiden victory.

By Lookin At Lucky, Lookin for a Kiss has no Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Post 2 – Donegal Moon; Post 4 – Zulu; Post 11 – Cards of Stone: Trainer Todd Pletcher’s three entrants in the Toyota Blue Grass all galloped 1¼ miles before the morning renovation break, assistant Tristan Barry said. The move was the first at Keeneland for Cards of Stone, who arrived Thursday morning from New York.

Zulu, a colt by Bernardini owned by Michael B. Tabor, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Stonestreet Stables, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite

“He’s a very tactical horse,” Barry said. “He’s got a lot of speed, but he’s not unrateable. I think he’ll probably break and sit close enough to the pace.”

Asked about how the Toyota Blue Grass might shake out for the other Pletcher horses, Barry said he thought Donegal Racing’s Donegal Moon, by Malibu Moon, will “probably be sitting mid-division, toward the back, and making one big run at the end.”

Barry hasn’t spent much time with Highclere America, McConnell Racing Stable, Wachtel Stable and Darlene Bilinski’s Cards of Stone but has watched the Bustin Stones gelding’s races on TV.

“He seems like he’s a free-running horse who likes to be left alone and use his weapon, which is his speed,” he said.

Zulu has 20 Derby qualifying points. Donegal Moon and Cards of Stone have no Derby qualifying points.

Post 3 – Cherry Wine/Post 6 – Brody’s Cause: Trainer Dale Romans sent his two Toyota Blue Grass hopefuls to the track for routine gallops under exercise rider Miguel Garcia after the renovation break.

“Everything is good here,” said Romans, who would like to see a dead heat at the wire with his two stretch runners. A dead heat to win would notch each runner 70 points toward the Kentucky Derby.

“Seventy, that should be enough,” Romans said of the Run for the Roses that is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box.

Entering Saturday’s race, Brody’s Cause, by Giant’s Causeway, has 14 Derby qualifying points and Cherry Wine, by Paddy O’Prado, five.

Both horses were scheduled to school in the Paddock in Friday’s first race.

Post 5 – Crescent Drive: Paul Van Doren’s Crescent Drive, who will be making his graded stakes debut Saturday, galloped before the renovation break under exercise rider Juan Gonzalez.

Trained by Tom Amoss, the Flower Alley colt has no Derby qualifying points.

Post 7 – Laoban: Trained by Eric Guillot, the Uncle Mo colt jogged two miles early and was scheduled to school in the Paddock with Friday’s 3^rd race.

Arriving at Keeneland around 9 a.m. after a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport were Laoban’s co-owners, Mark and Jennifer McCormick of McCormick Racing.

“It’s still sinking in,” Mark McCormick said about running a horse in the Toyota Blue Grass. “It has happened really fast. We feel real good about his chances.”

The McCormicks have been involved in Thoroughbred ownership only since the end of 2014 but Mark always has always been interested in horses and racing. He grew up riding pleasure horses on his family’s farm in Vincennes, Ind., and thinking it would be fun one day to have racehorses and his own farm.

After graduating from Indiana University with majors in English and music, Mark, talented with the guitar, moved to California to pursue a career in the music business. There he met his wife, Jennifer Xiao Rong McCormick, who had moved to the U.S. from China in 1997. The couple married in 2000.

Mark named Laoban, which means “boss” in Mandarin Chinese and is pronounced “Lay-ban.” The McCormicks own 25 percent of the colt while Southern Equine Stable owns 75 percent.

Laoban, a maiden, has 22 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Post 8 – Twizz: Warner Thoroughbreds, Freddy and Jessica Lewis III, Brett and Jim Setzer and Justice Racing Stable’s Twizz galloped shortly after 6 a.m. with exercise rider Orlando Aguilar aboard for trainer Mike Maker.
By Twirling Candy, Twizz has no Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Post 9 – Goats Town: Calumet Farm’s Goats Town walked through the Paddock after the renovation break under exercise rider Allison Walker and then galloped a mile and quarter.

“He’s a good feeling dude,” Walker said of the Dublin colt, a maiden who has no Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Two-time Toyota Blue Grass winner D. Wayne Lukas trains Goats Town.

Post 10 – American Dubai: Richard Keith’s American Dubai galloped after the renovation break with exercise rider Jerry O’Dwyer aboard.

Chris Landeros, who rode American Dubai in his most recent start in the Rebel (G2) will again partner with the Rodney Richards trainee.

“I just hope he gets a clean break and is able to get a good position,” Richards said of his first Toyota Blue Grass starter.

By E Dubai, American Dubai has two Derby qualifying points.

Post 12 – Zapperini: Lloyd Madison Farms IV’s Zapperini, fifth in the Risen Star (G2) in his most recent start, walked through the Paddock after the renovation break and then jogged under exercise rider Margarito Fierro.

Trained by Greg Foley, the Ghostzapper colt has no Derby qualifying points.

Post 13 – Star Hill: Calumet Farm’s Star Hill galloped before the renovation break with exercise rider Jennifer Patterson aboard.

Star Hill, by Elusive Quality, is trained by Rusty Arnold, who has won five Grade 1 races at Keeneland but never the Toyota Blue Grass.

“It would be big to win it,” said Arnold, whose best finishes have been third with Wavering Monarch in 1982 and Tricky Creek in 1989. “I have had better luck in the (Central Bank) Ashland with a win (Karlovy Vary in 2012) and a couple of seconds.”

Star Hill has 10 Derby qualifying points, accumulated with a third-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his most recent start.

“I just want to see him continue to improve,” Arnold said. “He doesn’t have to win to make me happy.”

Earlier Saturday, Arnold will try to double his Central Bank Ashland win total when he sends out Weep No More against the likes of Cathryn Sophia, Carina Mia and Rachel’s Valentina.

“That is a tough race,” Arnold said. “You probably have the three best fillies in the country outside of Songbird in there.”

Post 14 – My Man Sam: Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables and Jay W. Bligh’s My Man Sam galloped about 1½ miles after the renovation break.

Bligh, who lives in Del Mar, Calif., bred My Man Sam, who was born at historic Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. The colt’s dam, Lauren Byrd, by Arch, was second in Keeneland’s 2010 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine.

By Trappe Shot, My Man Sam has no Derby qualifying points.

For more about the horses in the Toyota Blue Grass and their connections, click here.

NYQUIST WALKS SHEDROW; TO RETURN TO TRACK SATURDAY

Reddam Racing’s Nyquist, the undefeated favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), walked the shedrow at his Keeneland barn Friday morning.

“We just wanted to give him one more day,” said Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill. “He is fine and happy. He was dragging his hot walker around the shedrow this morning.”

Winner of last Saturday’s Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1), Nyquist was scheduled to return to the track Thursday but a slightly elevated white blood cell count kept the colt in the barn.

Sisterson said Nyquist is scheduled to go to the track in the morning.

PROBABLE ENTRANTS FOR APRIL 14-17 STAKES

$125,000 APPALACHIAN (G3) PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION (entries taken Sunday, race Thursday) – Baciami Piccola (GB), Catch a Glimpse, Felt in Pocket, Outsider Art, Recognition.

$300,000 MAKER’S 46 MILE (G1) (entries taken Tuesday, race Friday, April 15) – Conquest Typhoon, Dac, Heart to Heart, Reload, Shining Copper, Tourist.

$350,000 COOLMORE JENNY WILEY (G1) (entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 16) – Akatea (IRE), Dacita (CHI), Illuminant, Tepin, Wekeela (FR).

$200,000 BEN ALI (G3) (entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 16) – Ami’s Holiday, Breaking Lucky, Eagle, General a Rod, Neck ‘n Neck.

$150,000 LEXINGTON (G3) (entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 16) – Big Squeeze, Direct Message, Lomcevak, Pinson, Riker, Synchrony, Yo Carm.

$100,000 GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (entries taken Wednesday; race Saturday, April 16) – Eden Prairie, Exaggerated, Jewel of a Cat, Lindisfarne, Maggiesfreuddnslip, Miss Ella, Miss Matzoball, Rapid Rhythm, Sweet Success.

$150,000 ADENA SPRINGS BEAUMONT (G3) (entries taken Thursday, April 14; race Sunday, April 17) – Cosmic Girl, Kinsley Kisses, Lightstream, Nickname, Northwest Tale, R Girls a Charmer.

WORK TAB

Three candidates for Thursday’s 28^th running of the $125,000 Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association (G3) at a mile on the turf worked on the main track after the Friday morning renovation break.

Catch a Glimpse, winner of all four of her grass starts including a victory here last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), worked a half-mile in :49.40. Keeneland clockers got her first quarter-mile in :24.40 and out five furlongs in 1:03.20. Mark Casse trains Catch a Glimpse.

Florida Oaks (G3) winner Baciami Piccola (GB) worked a half-mile in company in :47.60 with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard. Baciami Piccola started two lengths in back of her workmate and surged past at the wire, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01. Brian Lynch trains Baciami Piccola.

Ava’s Kitten, who finished fifth as the favorite in the Florida Oaks, worked a half-mile in company in :49.60. Trained by Chad Brown, Ava’s Kitten was clocked in :24.80 for the first quarter of a mile and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.

Prior to Baciami Piccola’s work, Lynch sent out Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) probable Heart to Heart. With Leparoux aboard, Heart to Heart worked a half-mile in :48.80 with an opening quarter in :23.80 and five-eighths gallop-out in 1:02.40.

Trainer Todd Pletcher worked a couple of horses for upcoming Keeneland stakes.

General a Rod, being pointed to the $200,000 Ben Ali (G3) next Saturday, worked a half-mile in :48.40 with an opening quarter in :24 and and a gallop-out in 1:02.

Two-time Grade 1 winner Curalina, unraced since a third-place finish in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) here, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. Curalina was timed in :36 for her first three-eighths and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 in preparation for the $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) on April 22.

PHIPPS FAMILY HAS LONG CONNECTION TO KEENELAND

The passing Wednesday night of Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, a prominent American financier, Thoroughbred breeder and owner and former longtime chairman of The Jockey Club, served as a reminder of his family’s historic connection to the Thoroughbred industry and to Keeneland.

Phipps’s father, Ogden Phipps, raced four stakes winners here: Numbered Account, winner of the 1972 Spinster; Fast Play (1988 Breeders’ Futurity-G2), My Flag (1996 Ashland-G1) and Cat Cay (2001 Thoroughbred Club of America-G3).

In the name of Phipps Stable et al, Ogden Mills Phipps won eight stakes: Inside Information (1994 Ashland-G1 and 1995 Spinster-G1), Dispute (1994 Spinster-G1), Good Reward (2004 Storm Cat), Dancing Forever (2008 Fifth Third Elkhorn-G2), Parading (2009 Ben Ali-G3), Point of Entry (2012 Elkhorn-G2) and Mr Speaker (2014 Coolmore Lexington-G3).

Of these Keeneland stakes winners, Lexington native C.R. “Shug” McGaughey III trained all but one.

In today’s $100,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select, Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable will send out Inspector Lynley, trained by McGaughey. Janney is Ogden Mills Phipps’ cousin. Together, they won the 2013 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with Orb.

Ogden Mills Phipps’ survivors include his daughter Daisy Phipps Pulito, a Keeneland Director.

Source: Keeneland