KEENELAND DAILY NOTEBOOK
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2007
by Brian P. Turner
The 2007 fall meet at Keeneland will undoubtedly be remembered as a chalk
player’s nightmare as favorites just did not fare as well as would typically be
expected. This is evidenced by the fact that not one of the 19 stakes races for
the meet was won by the horse whom the betting public elected to send to the
starting gate with the lowest odds. In the end though, this may be little more
than a reflection of the quality of the racing itself as a total of 18 horses
who competed here on the opening Fall Stars Weekend alone went into the starting
gate at Monmouth Park to compete in the Breeders’ Cup.
The only one of those contenders to find the winner’s circle, though, was
Nownownow (Whywhywhy), who improved off his second-place effort in the Bourbon
S. to take the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf by rallying
from dead last with an explosive move through the stretch to claim the victory
by a half-length.
Keeneland ended the fall meet with one final graded stakes offering of its
own as a field of nine went to the gate for the Fayette S. (G3) for
three-year-olds and up going nine furlongs over the Polytrack. Brass Hat
(Prized) was sent to the gate as the near 3-1 second favorite off his
performance last out in the Massachusetts H. in which he stalked the pace early
before finish determinedly late to claim the victory by three parts of a length.
In his only other start over a synthetic track, the bay had won the 2005 running
of the Prairie Bayou S. at Turfway Park by 2 1/2 lengths, so the betting public
obviously felt he would be tough to beat in this spot.
In the end though, the day belonged to GO BETWEEN (Point Given), who was
content to lay just off the pace while well in hand early through opening
fractions of :24 4/5 and :48 2/5 before gaining the lead in the stretch drive
and digging in determinedly late to hit the wire a neck in front.
The chestnut was making his first start over a synthetic surface after
competing on the grass in 18 of his 19 career starts. In his most recent effort,
the four-year-old colt rallied from 8 1/4 lengths off the early pace to capture
the Unbridled Breeders’ Cup H. by 4 3/4 lengths. Go Between had absolutely no
trouble with the switch to the Polytrack, though, as he was extremely impressive
here.
Stream Cat (Black Minnaloushe), the 9-5 favorite, rallied from off the pace
with a nice closing move through the stretch but could not get by the winner and
was forced to settle for second, three parts of a length clear of early
pacesetter Kona Blend (Dixieland Band) in third.
Everyone at the top of the jockey standings moved on to Monmouth after
Thursday to compete in the Breeders’ Cup, but Rafael Bejarano had a comfortable
enough margin that he was able to secure the riding title with 21 for the meet.
Julien Leparoux finished second in the standings with 15 followed by Robby
Albarado with 14.
Bill Mott saddled the winner of the feature and his nine winners for the meet
were enough to capture the training title. Graham Motion and Kenny McPeek
finished in a tie for second with seven winners each.
Horses to Watch
3RD – WILLIAM TELL (Carson City) cleared his maiden in impressive fashion in
this, his fifth career start. The chestnut pressed the pace through an opening
quarter that went in :23 1/5 before dropping back into a stalking position by
the time the leader had covered a half that went in :46. Once he hit the stretch
though, the three-year-old colt made an excellent three wide move and closed
with a nice turn of foot late to claim the victory by 2 1/4 lengths.
4TH – TACTICAL WEAPON (Tactical Cat) guided the field through opening
fractions of :23 2/5 and :47 2/5 and appeared to be on his way to a hard-fought
victory in the stretch drive when his jockey lost his whip. Though he dug in
determinedly late, the gray could not hold on and was forced to settle for
second, beaten by only a head.