Keeneland, Race 2 – Saturday, October 28, 2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
KEE2:102823 – One and 1/16th miles on the turf. The max of sixteen males (15 colts and a lone gelding) have been entered and twelve will head post ward. We’ve got four newbies to racing, four that have competed once, three that have been out twice and one experienced dude that has battled five times already. It’s an interesting event on closing day, so let’s jump on in…
#2 – Disattached (6/1) – Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher team up to send out this Blame colt for the first time. His mom, by Malibu Moon, was not a success on the track having only won $23,000 with one win from nine starts. This is her first foal of racing age. In the auction ring today’s runner was sold for $135K as a yearling (6/42). TAP began putting him to work back in mid/early July at Churchill Downs. He stayed there and worked 14 times (59 furlongs) prior to recently being vanned over to Keeneland for today’s affair. He’s never put in a work that was clocked in less than 12 seconds per furlong, but it’s interesting that his first ever morning move was a minor bullet – three poles in 36.6 seconds (1/9). Luis Saez will be on board.
#3 – Raguel (8/1) – This colt is sired by Justify and is from a Medaglia d’Oro mare that was 2 for 11, with $85,000 in earnings. He hammered for $320K as a yearling last fall (27/78). Trainer Branden Walsh has run him one time – back on 8/31/23 at KD he went a mile and was only a length back midway through the race, but faltered and ended ninth of 12, over a dozen lengths behind the victor. His off odds that day were 5/2. Walsh then sent him to Louisville where he put in six works – half at a half mile and half at 5/8th of a mile. Prat will take Tyler’s place in the saddle today.
#7 – Lat Long (5/2) – The Morning Line fav ran into a monster last out, two weeks back. Dornoch, Mage’s half bro, ran the field off their feet and looks to be a future star, but that affair was on the dirt. Lat Long did a reasonably good job of staying in touch with him until Dornoch put it into another gear in the stretch and broke this colt’s spirit that day. He’s by Liam’s Map and is out of a Street Cry mare that could not find the Winner’s Circle in ten tries. He was picked up as a yearling for the sum of $130K (29/64). Conditioner Kenny McPeek has not had time to work him since his last outing.
#8 – Publius (4/1) – Trainer Brad Cox has won five of ‘our races’ this meet in fifteen tries (33.3%), while the second highest trainer total is two wins (Arnold, Asmussen, Walsh and Ward). He’ll saddle this colt who comes by way of Constitution (WinStar) and an Awesome Again mare who was 3 for 7, including a win in her second race at two, but it was a maiden claiming event. She’s foaled nine of racing age – four have won north of $100K on the track and one of those won half of his 18 races and over $1/2 million in purse money. Today’s combatant sold well last fall as a yearling when the winning bid was $450K (12/105). He’s competed one time before – he ran in the same Kentucky Downs race as the #3 horse, above. This fella ran well that day, moving wide in the lane and ending only three lengths back in third place. Since then, Brad shipped him over to Ellis Park for four works (the last three covered five panels). Tyler picks up the duties to ride.
Pick – #8 Publius – Cox and Tyler teamed up for a winner at this level on Thursday when Rocketeer blasted away from the field. Constitution is crushing it this year with his babies and his last race was a great learning experience. I also like the fact that he’s put in 19 furlongs of work since his run. He nearly sold in the top 10% of his class last year and all signs point to a big race today. Iyng05 Stables is the fortunate owner of this guy in the Game of Silks – we wish you the best of luck!
