Rubicon Valley View Attracts 42 Nominations
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Juddmonte’s homebred Tacitus, fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) here last fall in his lone Keeneland appearance, heads a list of 27 horses nominated to the 64th running of the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track to be run Oct. 30, closing day of the 17- day Fall Meet.
Trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus has earned more than $3.7 million in his career with five placings in Grade 1 events and three Grade 2 victories. In his most recent start, Tacitus finished fourth behind top 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Knicks Go in the Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Other nominees of note with Keeneland success include Steve Landers Racing’s Night Ops, who was second in the Ben Ali (G3) this spring; Thumbs Up Racing’s well-traveled Sleepy Eyes Todd, winner of the Lafayette Presented by Keeneland Select here last fall, and Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm’s King Fury, winner of the Stonestreet Lexington (G3) this spring and recent 13-length winner of the Bourbon Trail at Churchill Downs.
Closing day of the Keeneland meet will feature two other stakes: the 17th running of the $150,000 Bryan Station for 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf and the new $150,000 Bowman Mill for 2- year-olds going 6 furlongs on the main track.
Homewrecker Racing’s Point Me By, winner of the Bruce D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, tops a list of 38 nominees to the Bryan Station. Eddie Kenneally trains Point Me By.
Other nominees of note are Madaket Stables and Ecurie Ades-Hazen’s Virginia Derby (G3) winner Wootton Asset (FR), trained by Graham Motion, and trainer Rusty Arnold’s duo of Calumet Farm’s Cellist, third in the Belmont Derby (G1), and Ashbrook Farm’s Ginsburned, who was third in the Bruce D.
Robert and Lawana Low’s My Prankster, fourth in the Champagne (G1) in his most recent start for trainer Todd Pletcher, tops the list of 20 nominations for the Bowman Mill.
Rubicon Valley View Attracts 42 Nominations
Lazy F Ranch’s Gam’s Mission and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables’ Plum Ali, both graded stakes winners on the grass, head a list of 42 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 31st running of the $150,000 Rubicon Valley View (G3) to be run Oct. 29 at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Cherie DeVaux trains Gam’s Mission, winner of the Regret (G3) at Churchill Downs this spring who since has finished fourth in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) and fifth in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3).
Plum Ali, trained by Christophe Clement, won the Miss Grillo (G2) last fall and this year has two graded stakes placings.
Also scheduled for Oct. 29 is the new $150,000 Myrtlewood for 2-year-old fillies going 6 furlongs on the main track.
The Myrtlewood drew 24 nominations headed by Barry and Joni Butzow’s undefeated Sea Level. Trained by Brad Cox, Sea Level won the E.L. Gaylord Memorial Stakes at Remington Park in her most recent start.
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Keeneland Barn Notes
Photo: Jose Ortiz gives Tacitus a big hug after their win in the 2019 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. It was Tacitus’ second graded stakes win in a row after breaking his maiden at Aqueduct. (Eric Kalet)
