KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2006
by Brian P. Turner
Saturday was the marquee day of the meet at Keeneland and highlighted by the
nine-furlong Blue Grass S. (G1). A field of nine three-year-olds went to the
post, many of whom were trying to get those graded stakes dollars needed
to earn their way into the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 6.
First Samurai (Giant’s Causeway) was named the morning-line favorite, but it was
Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat) who was sent to the post as the favorite.
In the end, neither of those Derby contenders would make it into the winner’s
circle. Instead, the Bob Baffert-trained SINISTER MINISTER (Old Trieste) pulled
off the upset. The bay desperately needed a strong showing here to make it into
the starting gate for the Derby and did exactly what was asked of him.
Sinister Minister bounded out of the gate and onto the lead, guiding the
field through blistering early fractions of :22 4/5 and :45 4/5 while opening up
a seven-length lead. Those watching had to be waiting for the field to begin to
close in on him, but it never happened as the colt continued on determinedly to
the wire, leaving his nearest pursuer 12 3/4 lengths behind.
This has to be one of the finest displays of training in Baffert’s legendary
career. It was only back in January that the colt broke his maiden for a tag and
then he moved into the three-time Derby winner’s barn. Sinister Minister showed
marked improvement in each of his two starts since and looked absolutely
dazzling in winning the Blue Grass.
The Steve Asmussen-trained Storm Treasure (Storm Boot), who went off at odds
of more than 65-1, rallied from off the pace to pick up the place, 4 1/2 lengths
clear of Strong Contender (Maria’s Mon) in third.
Also on Saturday, a field of 12 contested the seven-furlong Commonwealth
Breeders’ Cup S. (G2). SUN KING (Charismatic) was named the 3-1 morning-line
favorite despite the fact that this was his first attempt sprinting since his
career debut at Saratoga in August, 2004, when he finished a well-beaten fourth.
The betting public sided with the Eddie Kenneally-trained Kelly’s Landing
(Patton), who was sent to the gate as a lukewarm favorite, but horse players
should have gone with the morning-line choice. Sun King rallied from dead last,
with a spectacular turn of foot through the stretch, to hit the finish line 2
3/4 lengths in front and paid $16.40 at 7-1.
Kazoo (Tabasco Cat), recent winner of the Toboggan H. (G3) at Aqueduct, took
the lead out of the gate and guided the field through opening fractions of :21
4/5 and :44 1/5. The chestnut pulled clear in the stretch but could not hold off
the late rush of Sun King, settling for second, a nose in front of a very game
Spanish Chestnut (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) in third.
A field of eight fillies and mares, four-years-old and upward, contested the
1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley S. (G2) over the Keeneland turf course. The Bill
Mott-trained WEND (Pulpit) was sent to the gate as the post time favorite. One
had to wonder about the bay early though as she didn’t show her expected speed,
instead rating in fifth, some three lengths off the early leaders, through early
fractions of :24 and :48.
As the field approached the second turn though, Wend began to close in on the
leaders and came four wide to gain the lead at the top of the stretch. From
there, the five-year-old mare gradually edged away and hit the finish line 1 1/2
lengths in front.
Asi Siempre (El Prado [Ire]), who had won each of her last two starts last
year here at Keeneland, rallied from last to pick up the place, a length in
front of the Bobby Frankel-trained Mirabilis (Lear Fan) in third.
There were five sprints contested on the main track today and horses on or
near the pace won three of them. The lone route on the day, the Blue Grass, was
easily won in wire-to-wire fashion. As for the four turf routes, horses on or
near the pace won two of them while runners coming from off the pace accounted
for the others.
Nick Zito saddled a winner on the day, Sun King in the Commonwealth Breeders’
Cup, and remains in the top spot in the trainer standings with nine for the
meet. Todd Pletcher picked up a victory as well to take sole possession of the
second spot with seven winners thus far. Dale Romans is currently in third with
six.
As for the jockeys, John Velazquez booted home two winners on the day to
Julien Leparoux’s one, leaving the pair in a tie for the top spot with nine
winners each. Javier Castellano picked up two winners on the day and Rafael
Bejarano picked up one, creating a four way log jam for the third spot in the
jockey standings with Rene Douglas and Shaun Bridgmohan. They have six apiece.
Horses to Watch
2ND – HIGH FINANCE (Talk Is Money) looked extremely impressive in this maiden
special weight event. The three-year-old colt stalked the early pace through
opening fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 4/5 before taking the lead and widening his
advantage to hit the finish line 9 1/4 lengths clear of the field.
3RD – WHEN THE SAINTS (Saint Ballado) was making a nice move through the
stretch of this turf allowance event when he was forced out by Kelly G’s Cat (Catienus),
causing the dark bay to completely lose all momentum. Kelly G’s Cat was
disqualified from third for the interference. When The Saints would probably
have been a factor at the end and definitely deserves consideration in his next
start.
Outlook for Wednesday, April 19
A mere field of six is set to go to the gate for Wednesday’s featured
Doubledogdare S. for fillies and mares, four-years-old and upward, going 1 1/16
miles on the main track. Nick Zito will be sending out IN THE GOLD (Golden
Missile), winner of last year’s Gazelle S. (G1) at Belmont. The chestnut has had
one start this year, a poor showing in the Shirley Jones Breeders’ Cup H. (G2)
at Gulfstream Park, but has had success at Keeneland in the past when she won
the Beaumont S. (G2) here last April. Zito has been red hot for the meet so
there is little doubt that she will be ready to roll.
POOL LAND (Silver Deputy) had reeled off three nice wins in a row before
finishing sixth in the aforementioned Shirley Jones. The four-year-old filly had
been impressive in each of her victories so it is entirely likely that she will
rebound with a nice effort here. Trainer John Ward will be sending out MISS
MATCHED (Formal Gold), who won the Dogwood Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) at Churchill
Downs last June. The dark bay has had one start this year in which she finished
sixth, beaten by more than 20 lengths, in the Sabin H. (G3). She definitely possesses
some of the best Early BRIS Pace ratings in the field and will be a threat if
she is left alone on an easy lead.
Wednesday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with highs in the low 70s.
Wednesday’s Best Plays
4TH – SEQUOIA KING (Forestry) comes from the always dangerous barn of Asmussen, who is a master at having two-year-olds ready to roll in their first
start, indicated by the fact that he wins 20 percent of his starts in the “Debut
Maiden Special Weight” trainer category. The chestnut is showing all indications
that he is ready for his debut, coming off a bullet work
of :47 3/5 right here over the Keeneland strip.
7TH – GORELLA (Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]) will be making her first start of
the year in this allowance turf affair. The chestnut was last seen finishing a
troubled third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile S. (G1) and in her lone start at
Keeneland she came up only a head short in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational
Challenge Cup S. (G1) last fall. Trainer Patrick Biancone is undoubtedly using
this as a tune up for a return to serious stakes competition.