Keeneland, Race 2 – Thursday, April 18, 2024
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By The 2YO EdgeMan
KEE2:041824 – 4 1/2f on Dirt. We switch back to the fillies for this affair with 11 young ladies set to battle it out. Once again, McEntee plans to send two out, along with one each from Ward, Ennis, John A. Hancock, and Chapman. As for notable sires, we’ve got American Pharoah, Goldencents (Spendthrift), Omaha Beach (Spendthrift), and Runhappy. Add to that list, one from debut sire, Thousand Words (Spendthrift). Let’s dig in and see what these gals look like…
#1 – Ultima Grace (6/5) – the heavy favorite on the Morning Line is undoubtedly from the barn on ‘The 2YO Maestro’, Wesley Ward. For the People Racing Stable bred this filly and they retain part ownership in her, hence she’s never seen a public auction. She’s by American Pharoah and is out of a Scat Daddy mare that only won one time in 11 tries, but that win was as a two-year-old in a stakes race on the lawn at Kentucky Downs when she earned a 90 Equibase Speed Figure. The American Pharoah/Scat Daddy cross has produced two winners of 2YO MSW races with purses of $30,000+, but both those wins were on the grass. She has only one sibling, a full sister who is a 4YO, but has yet to start. Ward has her pumped with six workouts dating back to 2/15/24 down at Payson Park, with her last two coming at Keeneland. Her first four moves were all bullets and her other two here have been less than 37 seconds over three panels. Johnny V will slip his feet into the irons for Ward.
#6 – Baytown Butterfly (20/1) – The name tells you that she’s one of two to be saddled by Paul McEntee. She is by another excellent sire, Omaha Beach, and his Stormy Atlantic dam never started and had seven other foals, without much success to call out. Today’s filly sold for $10,000 as a yearling (96/99). She’s logged eight works, drilling six times at Blackwood Stables before vanning across town to put in two efforts over the Keeneland oval. Her last at BLK was done in 36 flat, handily from the gate over three furlongs (1/6), and her first at KEE was 47.2 breezing from the gate going ½ mile (2/28). Joseph Bealmear is set to be her pilot.
#9 – Biv (7/2) – This filly is a homebred and comes to us from the stallion Demarchelier. Her dam found the Winner’s Circle one time in 13 competitions and won $39,000 on the track and this is her first foal. John A. Hancock will tighten the girth on her and he’s sent her out for a total of five morning works. Her first two spins were at Turfway Park before coming to Keeneland for three drills, all at a ½ mile from the gate and all done in times ranging from 48.4 to 48.8 seconds. Martin Garcia gets the leg up.
#10 – Belmontis (8/1) – First-Crop sire – Thousand Words – looks to notch his second winner with this filly who was thrown by a Silver Train mare who won one race in 17 tries, banking $49,000. She’s produced two other foals, but neither has scored on the track. Today’s runner hammered down for the bargain price of $3,000 as a weanling in 2022 (13/14). Conditioner Chapman has overseen her five workouts – totaling 14 furlongs – all at Three Diamonds Training Center here in Lexington. Today’s rider will be Javier Padron-Barcenas.
Pick – #1 Ultima Grace – Although I don’t love the rail, but Johnny V should be able to clear early which will create some space for her. Also, I don’t like the price that she’s going to go off, but ya gotta pick the winner or you tear up your ticket. She’s worked very consistently and I like the fact that she has two trips on the Keeneland dirt. My gut is that she wins today and then earns the trip across the pond to compete at Royal Ascot.
Check back into Past The Wire for another piece on the next baby event here at Keeneland on Sunday. Until then, all the best – take care and I very much appreciate your support.
