11/28/13
Last updated: 11/27/13 4:22 PM
Almost Famous meets nine in Ky Jockey Club; Madly Truly
heads Golden Rod
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Almost Famous will look to confirm his status as an
exciting Kentucky Derby prospect
(Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com) |
Almost Famous will seek his first stakes victory when he lines up against
nine challengers in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000
Kentucky Jockey
Club at Churchill Downs. An easy debut winner on September 13, the
two-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song exits a smashing six-length triumph over
optional claiming foes on November 9.
“It was easy for him,” trainer Pat Byrne said after the colt’s last win.
“There’s no doubt he’s got a lot of talent.”
The dark bay has made all three starts under the Twin Spires. Almost Famous
faltered when making his stakes debut in the October 27 Street Sense, checking
in a disappointing fourth, and Byrne concluded that he had “babied” the colt in
the weeks leading up to the race. The conditioner put a fast work into Almost
Famous, added blinkers and brought his well-regarded charge back off of two weeks rest in the
aforementioned optional claimer.
Almost Famous is the co-second lowest price on the morning line among
individual interests in this weekend’s first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool at
20-1 and figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the Jockey Club. Corey
Lanerie retains the mount.
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Tapiture is still a maiden, but the Steve Asmussen-trained colt is a threat
to earn his first career victory on Saturday. After finishing second to
subsequent Grade 1 Hopeful winner Strong Mandate in his debut, the chestnut son
of Tapit just missed with a close third in the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill
Downs on September 7. He exits another respectable effort over the track, a
close third in an October 27 maiden special weight event, and the top two
finishers from that event — Culprit and Notability — will both return in the
Kentucky Jockey Club.
Regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. has the call on Tapiture.
Culprit, who earned his first win in his third outing for Dale Romans, picks
up the services of Miguel Mena. Notability, who was making his career debut last
time for Romans, will have a new pilot in Brian Hernandez Jr.
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Madly Truly will take some
beating following an impressive stakes win at Woodbine
(WEG/Michael Burns Photography) |
The 1 1/16-mile event has also attracted recent allowance winner Laddie Boy.
Two races prior to the Kentucky Jockey Club, a field of 10 juvenile fillies
will square off at 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2, $150,000
Golden Rod
and Madly Truly rates as the one to beat following her victory in the Grade 2
Mazarine at Woodbine.
A daughter of Malibu Moon, Madly Truly placed in her first two stakes
attempts — one at a sprint and the other on turf — before breaking through in
the Mazarine at Saturday’s distance on Polytrack. The Mark Casse filly has
trained at Churchill Downs most of her career and finished fourth as the
favorite when making her career debut over the track against subsequent Grade 2
Pocahontas winner Untapable. She could easily go favored once again with new
rider Joe Rocco Jr.
Vexed, who was beaten less than a length when second in the October 27 Rags
to Riches at Churchill Downs, is a top rival. The Arch filly broke her maiden
over the track two starts back for Al Stall Jr. and keeps Shaun Bridgmohan in
the irons.
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Other contenders include Pochontas runner-up Stonetastic; Naive Enough, who
exits a sharp optional claiming score at Laurel Park; and last-out maiden
winners Bird Maker, Daddy’s Memory and Playful Love.
