Keeneland, Race 5 – Wednesday, October 25, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
KEE5:102523 – Seven furlongs over the dirt. A chock-full entry box of sixteen juvenile fillies have been entered. As you know, only twelve can go into the gate, so four will have wait patiently (or not so patiently) on the Also Eligibles list. Half of the field has at least some experience (five have been out one time and one has already put in four races), while six will be making their debut performance. Six of these youngsters interest me, so let’s dig in and peel this one back…
#3 – Tarifa (6/1) – Brad Cox, who saddled two winners in these 2YO MSW races here at Keeneland last week, will sling the saddle across this FTS filly. She’s by Bernardini and is a Godolphin homebred from an unraced Awesome Again mare and this gal is her first foal. Brad has had today’s contestant out to work twelve times. Her first time on the track, in late July, she was here at KEE and zipped 3/8th of a mile in an impressive 34.8 seconds to earn a bullet (1/9). Then she vanned over to northern Kentucky for seven drills over the All-Weather track at Turfway Park. She was under the 12 second per furlong mark one time there and finished up with two five pole moves there before heading back to Keeneland for her most recent four breezes. Her third work back here on 10/7/23 she went 5/8th of a mile in a flashy 59.8 seconds (3/49) when she worked in company with the recent winner Denim and Pearls (and she galloped out strong). Her most recent was a half mile work in 47.8 seconds (5/79). Florent gets the call to be in the saddle.
#4 – Nota Belle (8/1) – First-Crop WinStar sire – Audible – is responsible for this filly who is out of a Speightstown (WinStar) mare that was only 1 for 9 with $58,000 in prize money. She is a homebred by Larry Best’s top-notch OXO Equine. This gal has experienced the racetrack in the afternoon one time – in mid-October she competed over five and a half furlongs on the dirt at Horseshoe Indiana. In that event, she broke awkwardly, languished near the back of the pack for much of the race and then made a nice run late to finish only two lengths short of the winner, but in fifth place. Trainer Paulo Lobo has not put any work into her since that race.
#5 – Yes to Champagne (9/2) – Clever owner – Jim Gladden – picked up this Mitole filly at the Keeneland November sale last year as a yearling for $40,000 (87/116) after she originally sold as a weanling in 2021 for $80,000. Conditioner Ian Wilkes sends her out to do battle for the second time after debuting at CD in late September. That event was five and a half furlongs on the dirt oval and she raced wide early, between horses, but passed horses in the stretch to finish fourth, 10+ lengths shy of the winner. She is the first one to run back from the top four finishers that day. Ian has given her two works since her debut, both at CD. The first was four furlongs and the most recent was a solid 1:00.0 breeze that covered 5/8th of a mile (4/27).
#6 – Life Advice (6/1) – Into Mischief, who sired two 2YO winners in MSW races here last week, is the stallion behind this filly. She hammered for $295K earlier this year as a two-year-old (13/23) and was foaled by a Hold Me Back mare that finished with a record of 3 for 16 on the track and $87,000 in earnings. This gal’s 3YO full sis was a winner at two in her their race at Horseshoe Indiana when she sported an 82 Equibase Speed Fig. She’s been out one time prior today, but it was a race to forget as she finished a well beaten eighth place on the dirt at CD five weeks ago. Trainer Branden Walsh then shipped her here to Keeneland and she’s had three spins over the oval here in Lexington. Tyler rides her again today.
#7 – Snow Dance (7/2) – The Morning Line fav is by far the most experienced filly in the field having already been out for four competitions. Trainer Kevin Rice was able to fit in three races at Saratoga and her most recent was at Presque Isle Downs in late September when she finished four lengths back in fourth at off odds of 3/1. This gal has no record of being sold at public auction and is a daughter of Commissioner from a 19 YO mare that was a dandy as a race mare – 6 for 19 with nearly $400K in purse money, including a record of 3 for 4 as a juvenile. This is her 10th foal of racing age. Rice kept this filly at PID after her last run and has worked her two more times there since her afternoon outing. Luis Saez picks up the mount for the first time.
#8 – Regulatory Risk (5/1) – The always dangerous combo of Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown team up on this Omaha Beach filly. Candy Ride is mama’s sire who was fashioned a sparkling 5 for 7 record, bringing nearly $300K to her owners. She’s produced one filly that banked $196K and a gelding who earned $319K, along with two more that brought home over $100K. This is from six other foals of racing age. Today’s runner did well in the auction ring, bringing a final bid of $235K last fall as a yearling (28/87). Like many of these others, she’s raced once previously, however she did very little running that day in mid-September at Churchill Downs over six furlongs on the dirt, even though she was sent off at odds of 7/2. Chad kept her in Louisville after her race and sent her out for three, half mile breezes at CD. Flavien will slip his feet into the stirrups for the first time.
Pick – #3 Tarifa – Clearly this is a solid field that includes three or four that really caught my eye. Although experience is always a plus, I think that this filly is locked and loaded for today’s affair. Brad Cox devours these races here in the fall at Keeneland and this juvenile has put in some dandy works. I find it very interesting that she rifled off a bullet first time out and she’s been humming along ever since, right up to today. She should feel comfortable on the Keeneland dirt as she’s worked very well over it four times (most of any of the six contenders listed above). And I really like the fact that Brad paired her up with Denim and Pearls in her second spin over the track and I was quite impressed with her gallop out that morning.
We’ve got another dandy for your tomorrow here at Keeneland – Race 8 goes back to the boys. Seven furlongs out of the chute on the dirt. So, get right back here to the wonderful PastTheWire.com and let’s do this again. Fun stuff! Be well and be safe, my devoted Edgies.
