Encino scoring in the John Battaglia at Turfway and earning 20 Derby qualifying points. (Coady Photo)
• Encino Works 5 Furlongs For Toyota Blue Grass
• Just A Touch Final Tunes Ups
• Jody’s Pride Breezes Toward Central Bank Ashland
• Appleby’s Godolphin Contingent Arrives At Keeneland
Keeneland Release/Edited
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Godolphin’s Encino, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial (L) at Turfway Park in his most recent racet, turned in his second Keeneland work Saturday morning in preparation for an expected start in next Saturday’s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) with a 5-furlong breeze in 1:01.
Working with stakes-placed Tapit Shoes, Encino posted fractions of :23.80, :37.80, :48.60 and 1:01 over the fast main track. Encino worked the same distance in 1:01.80 last Saturday in company with Tapit Shoes.
“It was a pretty straightforward work, like last week,” said Tessa Walden, assistant to trainer Brad Cox.
Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel’s Just a Touch completed his major preparations under trainer Cox for an expected start in Saturday’s Toyota Blue Grass by working 5 furlongs in :59.20 over a track labeled as wet-fast Sunday morning.
Just a Touch came out after the second harrow break of the morning with the track upgraded from muddy (sealed). Working on his own, he recorded fractions of :13, :24.80, :35.80, :47.40 and :59.20, galloping out 6 furlongs in 1:11.80.
“We got a good track,” said Tessa Walden, assistant to trainer Brad Cox. “I thought about waiting until tomorrow, but there was more rain in the forecast.”
Just a Touch has made two starts, both on sealed sloppy tracks. He won his debut, going 6 furlongs at Fair Grounds, by 4¼ lengths and was second in the 1-mile Gotham (G3) on March 2.
Entries for the Toyota Blue Grass will be taken Tuesday.
Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable’s Jody’s Pride, who figures to be one of the favorites for the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) on Friday’s opening day of the Spring Meet, got a feel for the main track at Keeneland Saturday morning by working 5 furlongs in company in 1:01.40 for trainer Jorge Abreu.
“It was a good work, and I had her going 48 and 2 for the half and out in 1:01 and change with a nice gallop-out,” Abreu said.
Jody’s Pride has won three of four races. She was second by a neck behind eventual champion Just F Y I in the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita in November.
Following a short vacation, Jody’s Pride returned to training in Florida before starting her 2024 campaign with a 2¼-length victory in the Busher (L) at Aqueduct on March 2. Instead of remaining in New York for the $200,000 Gazelle (G3) on April 6, Abreu brought Jody’s Pride to Keeneland last Monday.
“I wanted to get her a work over the track and (the Ashland) is more money,” Abreu said. “Now we need a good post and a little luck. Everybody needs luck.”
The Central Bank Ashland is the first Grade 1 race of the year for 3-year-old fillies and offers 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Held May 3 at Churchill Downs, the Oaks is limited to the top 14-point earners; Jody’s Pride ranks second.
Abreu said plans are to remain at Keeneland for at least two weeks after the Central Bank Ashland and then go to Churchill for her final pre-Oaks work over the track there.
A seven-horse Godolphin contingent trained by Charlie Appleby arrived at Keeneland Friday afternoon following two days in quarantine at Churchill Downs.
“They all went for a hack around the training track,” head traveling lad Chris Connett said of the group headed by Master of The Seas (IRE), winner of the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF at Santa Anita to close his 2023 campaign.
Master of The Seas is being pointed to the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) on Friday, April 12 along with Naval Power (GB), a winner of six of seven races.
Two of the Godolphin runners are eyeing opening weekend stakes. Stakes-placed Musical Act (IRE) is headed for Friday’s $400,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select, and Mischief Magic (IRE), winner of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) here, has a scheduled start in next Saturday’s $350,000 Shakertown (G2).
Group 2 winner English Rose (IRE), who has three wins in four starts, is earmarked for the $600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) on Saturday, April 13.
Appleby’s other two runners are headed for the $350,000 VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2) on April 20, and both have had success at Keeneland. Silver Knott (GB) was second, beaten a nose in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and Bold Act (IRE) won the Sycamore (G3) here last fall.
Connett said that depending on how the contingent fares at Keeneland, some of the runners may stay in the U.S. for races at Churchill and/or New York. He said Appleby might be here for the Maker’s Mark Mile and the Jenny Wiley.
Work Tab
Two top candidates for next Saturday’s $600,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1), Vahva and Alva Starr, put in half-mile breezes this morning. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Vahva was clocked in :48.20 in company. Alva Starr, working solo for trainer Brett Brinkman, was clocked in :48. The two fillies finished 1-2 in last fall’s Lexus Raven Run (G2) here.
Saturday marked the first day of turf works with 11 horses breezing over the firm course.
Among them were Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association nominees Austere (:49.60 for a half-mile) for trainer Brendan Walsh and Crown Imperial (:51.80) for trainer John Ortiz. Nominees for Friday’s Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select working were First World War (:49.60) for Walsh and Tennessee (:49.80) for trainer Brad Cox.
Blue Grass Flashback
Keeneland’s 16-day Spring Meet opens Friday, April 5 and runs through Friday, April 26.
First post is 1 p.m. ET except April 26, when the first race is at 12:30 p.m.Click here for the Spring Meet stakes schedule, which includes links to the lists of nominees for each opening weekend stakes and their past performances.
Prospective Stakes Fields
According to Keeneland Stakes Coordinator Jorie Beschizza, here are the prospective fields for the stakes on opening weekend of the Spring Meet:
Friday, April 5. Entries taken Monday, April 1.
$600,000 CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND (G1) – Halina’s Forte (trainer Phil Bauer), Impel (Brad Cox), Jody’s Pride (Jorge Abreu), Just F Y I (Bill Mott).
$400,000 TRANSYLVANIA (G3) PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SELECT – Depiction (Cherie DeVaux), First WorldWar (Brendan Walsh), Musical Act (IRE) (Charlie Appleby). Possible: Tennessee (Cox).
$400,000 LAFAYETTE – Bolt At Midnight (Mick Ruis Sr.), Doncho (Michelle Lovell), Glengarry (Doug Anderson).
Saturday, April 6. Entries taken Tuesday, April 2.
100TH RUNNING OF THE $1 MILLION TOYOTA BLUE GRASS (G1) – Dornoch (Danny Gargan), Encino (Cox), Epic Ride (John Ennis), Just a Touch (Cox), Seize the Grey (D. Wayne Lukas), Sierra Leone (Chad Brown).
Keeneland will have full coverage of the draw for post positions, including an early flash press release with a list of entries followed by a full advance release. Keeneland social media also will report the field of horses after the draw.
$600,000 RESOLUTE RACING MADISON (G1) – Alva Starr (Brett Brinkman), Big Pond (Tim Yakteen), Olivia Darling (Jorge Delgado), Red Carpet Ready (Rusty Arnold), Sterling Silver (Tom Albertrani), Vahva (DeVaux).
$400,000 APPALACHIAN (G2) PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION – Austere (Brendan Walsh), Buchu (Bauer), Crown Imperial (John Ortiz), Mo Fox Givin (Leonard Powell).
$350,000 SHAKERTOWN (G2) – Arzak (Michael Trombetta), Beer Can Man (Phil D’Amato), Front Runthe Fed (Caio Caramori), Mischief Magic (IRE) (Appleby), Our Shot (John Terranova).
$300,000 COMMONWEALTH (G3) – Bo Cruz (Al Stall Jr.), Here Mi Song (Billy Stinson), Manny Wah (Will Walden), MinnesotaReady (Tom Amoss), Raise Cain (Ben Colebrook).
Sunday, April 7. Entries taken Tuesday, April 2.
$400,000 MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT (G2) – Chi Chi (Herman Wilensky). Possible:Legadema (Bauer), TipsyTammy (Bauer).
$250,000 PALISADES (L) – Works for Me (Joseph Lee). Possible: No Nay Mets (IRE) (George Weaver).
