Keeneland, Race 2 Friday, October 4, 2024
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By The 2YO EdgeMan
KEE2:100424 – One Mile on the Turf. 16 colts are entered, but only 12 will start. Three are firsters, two have started once, three have been out on two previous occasions, three have three races under their belt, and one experienced lad has raced eight times already.
#1 – Scorpius (8/1) – Brad Cox (M = 28.1%; FTS = 26.3%) will saddle this Into Mischief (ALL = 17.8%; Turf = 16.0%) colt who hails from a talented Empire Maker (BM = 13.7%) mare. Mama won half of her eight starts in Ireland, including a G2 and a G3 affair. She’s tossed four other foals of racing age, one was Mandaloun (7/12, $3.3 million, FTS, G1). Today’s runner is a homebred by Juddmonte and he’ll be making his first start. Brad has put him to work in the morning 14 times (58 furlongs). His times have been solid, yet unspectacular. Florent gets the leg up from Brad.
#4 – War and Majesty (20/1) – First-Crop sire, War of Will (eight winners from 49 starters), is pops to this colt and his dam is by Giant’s Causeway (BM = 10.2%). Mom banked $188K on the track with a four-for-21 record and a 3rd in a G3 event. She’s produced ten other foals of racing age – six have eclipsed the $100K mark in earnings and two were winners at age two. By far the best runner that she tossed was Tom’s d’Etat who scored at the highest level (G1). Today’s colt sold last year for $225K as a yearling (7/67). He’s been out on two previous occasions – the first time was on dirt at ELP an he showed nothing. Last out was a Kentucky Downs on the grass and he ran forward and lost by less than three lengths in 6th of 10. Trainer Dale Romans (M = 3/17, 17.7%) has given him one work since his run. Corey Lanerie gets his second try aboard this fella.
#8 – West Beach – (5/2) This colt has three races of experience and he nearly scored in the $1 million Juvenile Mile last time out at KD, only losing by a neck to finish runner-up after having earned the lead at the head of the lane. He is by Omaha Beach (ALL = 18.3%; Turf = 4/40, 10.0%) and his broodmare sire is Medaglia d’Oro (BM = 14.2%). His dam was four-for-13 with $184K of purse money and a third-place trophy in a G3 race. She’s thrown one other foal of racing age, but that one has not yet been successful. $100K was the final hammer price earlier this year when this lad was a two-year-old (16/32) and he’s already banked double that amount. Brendan Walsh (M = 14.3%) trains him and he’s drilled one time since his race on the All-Weather surface at Turfway Park. Tyler, who rode him in his second start, will tickle the leather.
#11 – Major Mischief (20/1) – Another Into Mischief (ALL = 17.8%; Turf = 16.0%) colt, this guy is a homebred who was bred in PA. His unraced mom is by Galileo (BM = 10.9%) and she’s had two other undistinguished foals of racing age. HOFer Bill Mott (M = 2/13; 15.4%) is his conditioner and he’ll send him out for his second competitive event. His first race was at KD, but he showed very little, languishing at or near the back of the pack throughout. He’s worked at Churchill three times since his run and his second drill back was a small bullet – five panels in 1:00.4 (1/4). Jose received the call for a return riding engagement.
#12 – High Ceiling (15/1) – This FTS colt comes out of the Joe Sharp barn (M = 0/25) and was produced by a cross of Mendelssohn (ALL = 13.2%; Turf = 13.3%) and an unraced mare from Pioneerof The Nile (BM = 11.3%). His dam has two other foals of racing age, one with a win as a baby and $100K+ in earnings. The hammer fell on him at $145K as a yearling (8/65). In prep for his debut, he’s put in 34 furlongs of work over the span of eight spins – the last three covered 5/8th of a mile. His times have been nothing to write home about. Frankie will slip his boots into the irons.
Final Analysis – As you likely know, I try to steer clear from selecting the favorite, but my pick is #8 West Beach. He’s never finished more than a length and a quarter back in the three races to run and it looks quite likely that he’ll graduate today. Tyler knows him and that is certainly a plus. I’m pleased to see that he got a solid work in since his run and I’m confident that he’ll be ready to roll. We’ll try to find some horses with some better odds over the weekend.
Keeneland has two of our races scheduled on Saturday and three more on Sunday. Thank you for being the best part of what we do – we appreciate you. Take care and stay safe, my Outrageous Edgies.
