Keeneland, Race 8 – Wednesday, October 11, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
KEE8:101123 – One mile on the turf. A jam-packed entry box of 16 fillies, but only 12 will go post ward. One of these gals has started three times previously, five have been out twice, four have competed one time before and two are newbies. It’s a solid field – let’s have at it…
#1 – Butterfly Queen (15/1) – This filly has battled one time prior to this affair and that was in mid-September at Churchill Downs. She didn’t fare well on the dirt that afternoon, as she finished last of 11, beaten by 21 lengths at the odds of 7/2. Omaha Beach is her sire and her Majestic Warrior dam was unraced and has thrown two others of racing age – one has not raced and the other is 3 for 24 with $56,000 in purse money. Today’s runner was not a hit in the sales ring, as she sold for a mere $27,000 as a 2YO at the OBS sale this past June (34/36). She did work well for Maker in her only morning breeze since her last race – on 9/30/23 she went a half mile at Churchill’s Training facility in 47.8 seconds (2/32).
#2 – Mishka (8/1) – Brad Cox (6 of 31 – 19.4% – at KEE Fall Meet from 2018 thru 2022) sends out this firster by American Pharoah and she’s also out of an unraced dam by Distorted Humor. She’s had three other foals of racing age – two winners of less than $100K and one who is unraced. This one also did not do well in the sales ring as she didn’t even bring her reserve of $57,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s October Yearling sale last fall. Brad put her to work back in late May here at Keeneland where she was out five times. He then vanned her to northern Kentucky for six works at Turfway Park, prior to bringing her back to KEE for two more morning efforts. Her fastest work was back on 9/16/23 at TP when she covered a half mile in 47.4 seconds (2/61).
#5 – Joyful Image (12/1) – Turf specialist – Kitten’s Joy – is the proud pops to this FTS filly who comes by way of a mare who only ran five times, winning once for total earnings of $30,000. She went through the Keeneland September Yearling sales last fall and brought $110K. Her work tab shows 11 spins around Turfway Park’s All-Weather oval with one under 12 second per furlong when she went a half mile on 8/31/23 in 47.8 seconds (3/23). Brendan Walsh – who’s only 1 for 11 with firsters at Keeneland in the fall over the prior five meets – will tighten the girth.
#6 – Luz Divina (7/2) – Tim Hamm conditions this
filly and also has an ownership stake in her.
She’s sired by Palace Malice and is out of a Brazilian
bred mare who won the only race that she ever competed in (also in Brazil). This filly has been out in the afternoon twice – once at SAR on 9/2/23 on the turf when she finished a fast closing third and also three weeks
later on Churchill’s turf when she also hit the board – finishing second to Buchu who came back to win the G2 Jessamine Stakes this past weekend with a 90 Equibase Speed Fig.
#7 – Cairo Street (6/1) – This filly comes in with the most experience in the race, having been out three times already. She’s improved every race and was third last out at Kentucky Downs at odds of 7/1. Cairo Prince sired this one and she comes from a dam who was 2 for 17, with $74,000 in prize money, as a race mare. She’s foaled two others that cashed in for $100K+ in winnings, including a filly who went 5 for 23, winning $1/2 million with a third-place finish at the Grade 3 level. She’s a homebred trained by Ian Wilkes. Since her last race, she’s worked twice at Skylight Training Center in Goshen, KY (All-Weather Track). Her most recent – on 9/30/23 – she covered a half mile in 48.4 seconds (2/16).
#8 – Auraculous (9/2) – Cherie DeVaux is responsible for the preparation of this filly whose stallion is Uncle Mo. She’s the only foal from a winless (0 for 7) Bernardini mare. She hammered for $370K as a yearling last September at Keenland (32/95). She’s been out twice – her first run was on the dirt at ELP when she finished 14 lengths shy of the winner. However, on 8/31/23, she came a running at Kentucky Downs and ended less than two lengths back in second to Buttercream Babe who has since run third in a stakes race at KD and also came second in the G2 Surfer Girl Stakes, also at Kentucky Downs. Today’s runner has found time for three works since her most recent outing, all at ELP.
#10 – Spiritual Lady (3/1) – The Morning Line favorite is by Nyquist, out of a mare that was 1 for 6 with $44,000 in earnings. $75,000 was the winning bid for this gal down at OBS this past April (22/30). She’s only thrown one other foal and that 4YO is 3 for 11, $30,000. Today’s filly has raced twice prior to today and she improved off her first when she ran at Kentucky Downs on 9/9/23. On that day, she was bet down to odds of 9/2 and finished third, beaten by four lengths. Trainer Joe Sharp has pumped two more works into her since that race, once at ELP over four furlongs and then here at Keeneland, also over a half mile. Sharp is only 1 for 15 with NonFTSers in the fall here at Keeneland over the prior five years.
Pick – #8 Auraculous – This filly moved way up last out with a switch to the grass at Kentucky Downs and I think the added ground will be a bonus for her today. Uncle Mo’s juveniles improve significantly as they gain experience (in other words, Non FTSers) and Cristian Torres should know this gal as he’s been aboard for her two previous runs. The three works that she’s had recently should also help her today.
