Loading ...Oct 02 2020
Keeneland Friday Precap: Breeders’ Cup Preview Weekend kicks off
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Friday, October 2, 2020. Keeneland reopens today in style, with a Grade 1 and Grade 2 race, both of which are Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. That means the winner gets an automatic spot in a Breeders’ Cup race at this track next month. There are 7 more such races over the course of the weekend, so it’s a huge BC preview weekend.
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The Ogden Phoenix G2 will be run in race 8 at about 5:05PM ET at 6f on dirt. The winner gets an automatic berth for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. None of the horses have yet officially qualified for any BC race but several will no doubt be seen in one of them, most likely the Sprint, next month. Get the Keeneland Grid here to follow along.
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Diamond Oops is the ML favorite and with top LP and Power ratings, he has every right to win. Last seen winning the Churchill Downs Turf Sprint, he also has won on dirt at various distances. He ran 8th in last year’s BC Dirt Mile, his worst career race.
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The ML 2nd choice Whitmore is also 2nd in Power and LP in the Grid. He has multiple stakes wins at this distance this year and was 3rd in last year’s BC Sprint.
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Lexitonian at 4-1 ML is 3rd in Power and EP, but also runs well late, and closed for a close neck loss in the Bing Crosby G1 this year, and only 2 lengths behind the winner in the Forego G1.
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No Parole is listed as 5-1 and is the first speed we’ve mentioned. He won the Woody Stephens G1 in June but went flat last out, fading to 9th in the Jerkens G1. That race was won by Echo Town (8-1 ML) one of the best late runners in this field, and who also qualifies as our first long shot special.
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Now let’s get to some real long shots. Absolutely Aiden at 12-1 is the inside speed, which always counts for something in a 6f sprint. He has top EP and is on a 2 race winning streak, but this will be his first graded competition.
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Super long shot special Empire Gold is at 50-1 and is also on a 2 race win streak if you exclude the turf race. His contest at Lone Star 3 races back ties him for the highest PF in the field, and has a great running style for this type of race.
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As you can tell, this race is a somewhat wide open field of 9 with a lot of possibilities. LP has been doing well at Keeneland today, which bodes well for the chalk. But, it’s a sprint and if the two frontrunners manage to not disintegrate on the front end, they could do OK.
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The Darley Alcibiades G1 in the next race at 5:40PM will give one of 7 2yo fillies a berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies G1. 3 of them in this competitive field are already stakes winners, so we might see all of them in the BC next month.
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Unfortunately this competition looks very chalky, with 4 fillies listed from 5-2 to 7-2 on the morning line. The 4 virtual co favorites will all won their first time out and 3 are stakes winners. The others in the field will need to take a big step up in class to contend.
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Simply Ravishing set the highest PF last out winning the PG
Johnson after breaking maiden on turf.
Thoughtfully also won first out and won the Adirondack G2 last out.
Travel Column won first out and this will be her first stakes.
Crazy Beautiful won her first 2 and got 2nd in the Pocohontas G3
last out, the only 2 turn race of the 4 virtual co favorites.
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That’s it for the stakes racing at Keeneland today, but as stated there are 7 more coming up this weekend. Good luck!
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You can get the Grid for all Keeneland races this weekend, the Preakness, and all the other big tracks and races here for one great price.
