Keeneland’s Blue Grass Undercard Rife With Price Possibilities

LEXINGTON, KY – With no disrespect intended toward the headlining event, Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes (G2) undercard stakes Saturday is rife with price possibilities, including a Grade 1 event returning several runners with proven local experience.

First post time Saturday is 1:05 PM (all times Eastern). Each capsule below is courtesy of Keeneland’s media department.

Bell’s the One Tops Field of Seven for Madison

Lothenbach Stables’ Bell’s the One, winner of the Derby City Distaff (G1) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), headlines a field of seven fillies and mares entered Tuesday for the 20th running of the $300,000 Madison (G1) going 7 furlongs on the main track.

The Madison, 1 of 6 graded stakes on Saturday’s 11-race program, will be run as the 10th race with a 6:02 PM post time.

Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell’s the One will be making her 2021 debut in the Madison. Winner of the 2019 Raven Run (G2) here, Bell’s the One will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and break from post position 4.

Also exiting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and making her 2021 debut is Sconsin, who finished a 1/2-length behind Bell’s the One in the Breeders’ Cup. Owned by Lloyd Madison Farms IV and trained by Greg Foley, Sconsin will be ridden by James Graham and break from post position 6.

Another Grade 1 winner in the field is Godolphin homebred Fair Maiden, winner of the La Brea in December at Santa Anita.

Trained by Eoin Harty, Fair Maiden was a troubled fourth in last fall’s Qatar Fort Springs here on the Breeders’ Cup undercard. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount and will break from post position 7.

The field for the Madison, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Sanenus (Javier Castellano, 118 pounds), Estilo Talentoso (Jesus Castanon, 118), Mundaye Call (Florent Geroux, 118), Bell’s the One (Lanerie, 120), Kimari (Joel Rosario, 118), Sconsin (Graham, 118), and Fair Maiden (Hernandez, 123).

Plum Ali Headlines Field of Six for Appalachian

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables’ Plum Ali, last seen at Keeneland finishing fifth as the second choice in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), tops a field of six 3-year-old fillies entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 33rd running of the $200,000 Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2) going 1 mile on the turf.

The Appalachian will be the first of 6 graded stakes on Saturday afternoon’s 11-race program, going as the sixth race with a 3:51 PM post time.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Plum Ali won her first 3 starts, including the Juvenile Fillies at Kentucky Downs and the Miss Grillo (G2) at Belmont, prior to the Breeders’ Cup. Joel Rosario has the mount Saturday and will break from post position 4.

Expected to vie for favoritism is Starlight Racing’s Jouster, who is a nose away from being undefeated in 3 starts on turf. Runner-up in the Florida Oaks (G3) in her most recent start, the Todd Pletcher trainee will be ridden by Luis Saez and break from post position 1.

Pletcher has won the Appalachian twice with Ocean Drive (2003) and Audacious Chloe (2007).

The field for the Appalachian, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Jouster (Saez, 118 pounds), Spanish Loveaffair (Chris Landeros, 118), Flown (James Graham 118), Plum Ali (Rosario, 120), Gift List (Javier Castellano, 118), and Saranya (Florent Geroux, 118).

Past Winners Imprimis, Bound for Nowhere Return in Shakertown

Wesley Ward’s Bound for Nowhere and Breeze Easy’s Imprimis, respective winners of the 2018 and 2019 runnings of the Shakertown (G2), headline a field of 13 3-year-olds and up entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 25th edition of the $200,000 race going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.

The Shakertown will go as the eighth race on Saturday afternoon’s 11-race program with a 4:57 PM post time.

Also trained by Ward, Bound for Nowhere was caught late in the past 2 runnings of the Shakertown, finishing a neck behind Imprimis in 2019 when running second and a neck behind Leinster and Totally Boss in last year’s running that was his most recent start. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position 13.

Trained by Joe Orseno, Imprimis has a victory and a runner-up finish in his 2021 starts. He ended last season with a troubled trip in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) here in which he finished 13th. Paco Lopez has the mount Saturday and will exit post position 2.

Soaring Free (2004-2005) is the only two-time winner of the Shakertown.

The field for the Shakertown, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Smart Remark (Rafael Bejarano, 122 pounds), Imprimis (Lopez, 124), Chess Master (Jesus Castanon, 122), Hollis (Gabriel Saez, 124), Turned Aside (Chris Landeros, 124), Readyforprimetime (Mitchell Murrill, 122), Kanthaka (Javier Castellano, 122), American Butterfly (Drayden Van Dyke, 122), Just Might (Colby Hernandez, 122), Johnny Unleashed (Gerardo Corrales, 122), High Crime (Julien Leparoux, 122), The Critical Way (Luis Saez, 124) and Bound for Nowhere (Rosario, 122).

Hog Creek Hustle Heads Field of Seven for Commonwealth

Something Special Racing’s Grade 1 winner Hog Creek Hustle heads a field of seven 4-year-olds and up entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 34th running of the $200,000 Commonwealth (G3) at 7 furlongs on the main track.

The Commonwealth will go as the seventh race on Saturday afternoon’s 11-race program with a 4:24 PM post time.

Trained by Vickie Foley, Hog Creek Hustle took the Woody Stephens (G1) in 2019 and has started in the past 2 runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Corey Lanerie has the mount Saturday and will break from post position 7.

Chief among the rivals to Hog Creek Hustle is Lane’s End Racing and Hronis Racing’s multiple graded stakes-placed Flagstaff.

Trained by John Sadler, Flagstaff comes into the Commonwealth off a third-place finish in the Hot Springs at Oaklawn Park on March 13 in which he trailed C Z Rocket and Whitmore, the top two finishers here last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post 1.

The field for the Commonwealth, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Flagstaff (Joel Rosario, 118 pounds), Hidden Scroll (Florent Geroux, 118), Bango (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Special Reserve (Gerardo Corrales, 118), Attachment Rate (Luis Saez, 118), Mucho (Javier Castellano, 118) and Hog Creek Hustle (Lanerie, 118).

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