LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wertheimer and Frere’s homebred Ziyad (GB), whose European form shows second- and third-place finishes in the past two Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, will make his U.S. debut Thursday when he headlines a field of 10 in the 26th running of the $150,000 Sycamore (G3).
The 1½-mile turf marathon for 3-year-olds and up will go as the eighth race on Thursday’s nine-race program with a 4:57 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1:05 p.m.
Trained by Graham Motion, who has won the Sycamore three times, Ziyad will be making his second trip to North America. Last year he ran third as the favorite in the Pattison Canadian International (G1) at Woodbine.
Sixth in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) at Longchamp in France in his most recent start, Ziyad will be ridden in the Sycamore by Manny Franco and break from post position 10.
Other horses to watch in the Sycamore are Aquaphobia, owned by the partnership of Paradise Farm Corp., David Staudacher, Hooties Racing and Skychai Racing, and Trinity Farm’s Red Knight.
Aquaphobia, winner of the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth in July, will be making his first Keeneland start since April 2017 and third start here overall. Trained by Mike Maker, Aquaphobia was third in the Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga in his most recent start.
Florent Geroux will ride Aquaphobia and break from post position six.
Trained by Bill Mott, Red Knight came off a 7½-month layoff to run second in the Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 behind Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1)-bound Arklow. Second in the 2019 Elkhorn (G2) in his lone Keeneland start, Red Knight will break from post position two and be ridden by James Graham.
Runnymoore Racing’s Postulation, second at 35-1 in this year’s Elkhorn that was run in July during Keeneland’s Summer Meet, is back to try the Sycamore for a third time. Trained by Michael Matz, Postulation was sixth in the race in 2016 and third last year.
Julien Leparoux will have the mount and break from post position one.
The field for the Sycamore, from the inside with riders and weights, is:
1. Postulation (Leparoux, 121 pounds)
2. Red Knight (Graham, 121)
3. He’s No Lemon (Rafael Bejarano, 121)
4. Split the Wickets (Colby Hernandez, 121)
5. Big Agenda (Tyler Gaffalione, 121)
6. Aquaphobia (Geroux, 125)
7. North Dakota (Corey Lanerie, 121)
8. Morning Stride (Gabriel Saez, 121)
9. Eons (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121)
10. Ziyad (GB) (Franco, 121)
Photo: Ziyad in the shedrow at Woodbine. Credit: Michael Burns
