Keeneland, Race 2 – Friday, April 28, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
Where in the world did the last three weeks go? It seems like just yesterday that Keeneland opened its doors for the 2023 Spring Meet and now today is closing day. As always, it’s been a blast and we’ve seen some fabulous baby races. Today promises to be much of the same, so let’s jump in with our analysis
KEE2:042823 – 5 1/2f on the lawn and this affair is for fillies only. The entry box was completely packed with 16 hopeful two-year-olds (four of course will have to be patient on the AE list). Two in the main field are returning for their second try here at Keeneland and some excellent trainers and fantastic sires are represented, including one 1CS – World of Trouble (Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms). We’ve plucked out five to look closely at…
#1 – Bundchen (9/5) – ‘The Maestro’ tries to win his sixth juvenile race of the meet (I know, that’s crazy!) with this very expensive filly by Gun Runner. Ward signed the ticket for the tidy sum of $700K (11/66) at the Fasig Tipton October Yearling sale with the ownership then moving to Three Chimney’s Farm. Mom, by Speightstown, was unraced and she’s only had one other offspring – a 3YO filly by Candy Ride who also has never competed. Not surprisingly, TrueNicks likes this mating giving it a ‘B+’ rating. WW has not really cranked this gal up in the mornings like he typically will do, but she does have one bullet effort four back at Palm Meadows Training Center going 37.8 seconds breezing 3f from the gate (1/9). Her last three works have been here at KEE with her last covered four panels. Joel Rosario gets the ride, as expected.
#2 – Beyond Oscar (3/1) – Sired by Oscar Performance, this Jonathan Thomas-trained filly has never been sold at public auction. Her dam was a fine performer on the track having earned $187K by winning three races from 25 starts and placing in two Group 3 events across the pond along and one Grade 3 second place finish here at Keeneland. She also won at first asking as a 3YO at Longchamp. As a producer, she’s had two really good runners (from 11 total foals) – one who banked $428K and another earned $348K. Also, as a reminder, Oscar Performance sired one of the two juvenile turf winners here at KEE last April (more on that below). Thomas has put three total 3f works into this gal, the last two at Keeneland. Luis Saez agrees to be the pilot.
#4 – Donate Life (6/1) – This filly was bred in VA and sired by Munnings, however she only brought $8,000 last fall as a yearling (the least of 91 yearlings sold by her sire last year). Her dam, by War Front, did most of her running overseas and was only 1/7 with earnings of $10,000. TrueNicks says this is a terrific mating – ‘A+’. Conditioner Phil Schoenthal has been putting this gal through her paces in the morning at Fair Hill in Maryland. She has six total works, the first three were at 3f and the most recent three covered 4f. Her last was on 4/21 over the All-Weather Training track and it was a bullet finishing in 48.8 (1/13). Additionally, her first two ever works back in March were bullets. Rey Gutierrez, Wednesday’s juvenile winner, will handle the reins.
#5 – Liam’s Message (8/1) – Not surprising after seeing the name, Liam’s Map sired this grey/roan filly. She did not light up the sales board selling for $42,000 as a yearling (51/64) and is trained by Faustio Gutierrez. Her stakes-winning dam added $214K to her owner’s bank account while winning 3 of 19 races and a third-place finish in a G3 at Aqueduct. Today’s runner has worked five times, including one at KEE (her most recent) which lasted 4f. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is today’s jockey.
#6 – Hollywoodboulevard (15/1) – This is the second filly entered in this race sired by the turf aficionado, Oscar Performance. She sold for $10,000 as a yearling (31/41) and her mom is by Quality Road, but she only competed one time. The mating is seen as a strong one by TrueNicks who gave it a ‘B+’. This gal’s owner / trainer – Susan Moulton / Wayne Catalano – teamed up to win one of these races last year at Keeneland on the turf with a colt by none other than Oscar Performance. Hollywoodboulevard has had five solid, yet unspectacular workouts, all here at KEE – the first three going three furlongs and the most recent two she added an 1/8 of mile. Florent Geroux will have the pleasure of guiding this filly around the oval.
Pick – #6 Hollywoodboulevard – I’m thinking that the connections will be looking to have a baby winner in back-to-back Keeneland Spring Meets and they’ve trained this filly up to today’s event very similar to what they did with their victor last year. The TrueNick’s rating is solid and Geroux can get it done.
Well, that’s it for our ‘Picks, Plays and Pontification’ for Keeneland Spring 2023. Onward to Churchill and Belmont – and of course be on the lookout after the race for our ‘Sum Up and Learnings’ so we can share all the details on how this one unfolded with you, my Edgie buddies.
