$1M Coolmore Turf Mile boasts Deep Field incl. Santin, Smooth Like Strait

Three Grade 1 races to be run on 11-race card on Opening Saturday of Keeneland Fall Meet

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Godolphin’s Santin and Cannon Thoroughbreds’ Smooth Like Strait, the 1-2 finishers in the Arlington Million (G1) at Churchill Downs in August, head a field of 12 plus four also-eligibles entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 37^th running of the $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1).

In addition to the Coolmore Turf Mile, Saturday’s 11-race program will offer two other Grade 1 tests: the 25^th running of the $750,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare for fillies and mares going a mile on the turf and the 109^th running of the $600,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track

The Coolmore Turf Mile is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race that awards the winner a fees-paid berth into the 39^th running of the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to be run here Nov. 5. Two Turf Mile winners have gone on to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile: Wise Dan in 2012 and Steinlen (GB) in 1989.

The Coolmore Turf Mile will go as the 10^th race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:45 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Santin is a two-time Grade 1 winner this year with his other Grade 1 triumph also coming at Churchill in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day, May 7. In his lone Keeneland start, Santin was an allowance winner last fall in his second career race. Tyler Gaffalione will ride Saturday and exit post position seven.

Smooth Like Strait, who has finished in the top three in all eight of his starts in Grade 1 stakes, is trained by Michael McCarthy. In his lone Keeneland race, Smooth Like Strait finished third this spring beaten a nose and a neck in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1). John Velazquez has the mount Saturday and will break from post position two.

In addition to Santin and Smooth Like Strait, four other Grade 1 winners are in the field: Classic Causeway (2022 Belmont Derby), Order of Australia (IRE) (2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile), Ivar (BRZ) (2020 Shadwell Turf Mile) and Casa Creed (2022 Fourstardave and 2021-2022 Jaipur).

COOLMORE TURF MILE, Race 10 post 5:45 PM ET

1.     CLASSIC CAUSEWAY                     Julien Leparoux                Kenny McPeek

2.     SMOOTH LIKE STRAIT                   John Velazquez                 Michael McCarthy

3.     ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (IRE)        Christophe Soumillon       Aiden O’Brien

4.     GRAY’S FABLE                                Brian Hernandez Jr.          Brian Lynch

5.     MASEN (GB)                                    Flavien Prat                      Chad Brown

6.     IVAR (BRZ)                                       Joe Talamo                       Paulo Lobo

7.     SANTIN                                            Tyler Gaffalione                Brendan Walsh

8.     ANNAPOLIS                                     Irad Ortiz Jr.                     Todd Pletcher

9.     CASA CREED                                   Luis Saez                          Bill Mott

10.   SOMELIKEITHOTBROWN               Jose Ortiz                          Mike Maker

11.   EMARAATY (GB)                              Florent Geroux                 Chad Brown

12.   SET PIECE (GB)                              Joel Rosario                      Brad Cox

Also-Eligibles

13.   ATONE                                            Ricardo Santana Jr.           Mike Maker

14.   DARK SHIFT (GB)                           Vincent Cheminaud          Conor Murphy

15.   NATURAL POWER (IRE)                Adam Beschizza               Jeff Hiles

16.   GREYES CREEK                            Gerardo Corrales              Paulo Lobo

Main Photo: Santin winning the Old Forester Bourbon Classic in May. (Coady Photography)
Keeneland Press Release

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