Before beginning a coast-to-coast trip back home to San Francisco via Charlotte, North Carolina, trainer Greg Gilchrist stopped by Barn 25 early Sunday morning to check in on Indyanne, winner of Saturday’s Thoroughbred Club of America (G3).
“She cleaned up all her feed last night and looked good this morning,” Gilchrist said. “She will head back home to the Bay Area (at Golden Gate) on Tuesday.”
The victory earned Indyanne a spot in the starting gate for the $1 million Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint to be run at Santa Anita on October 24.
“The most important thing for us is to get her back home and see how she is doing after this race,” said Gilchrist, who never had started a horse at Keeneland before Indyanne’s triumph. “If anything is going to show up, it is usually the second day because the day after they still have that adrenaline going and are still a little worked up.
“We probably won’t make a decision on the Breeders’ Cup until next week on whether we go or not.”
The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint is run at seven furlongs, a distance that Indyanne has yet to attempt.
“I don’t think seven-eighths will be a problem for her,” Gilchrist said. “Usually the pace is softer and I really think that she can get a mile.”
CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE GIVES CALHOUN ANOTHER TOP TURF SPRINTER
The number of stakes-winning turf sprinters in the barn of trainer Bret Calhoun increased by two on Saturday, highlighted by a victory by Carl Moore’s Chamberlain Bridge in the $150,000 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland.
“I’m very happy, pleased and surprised,” said Dennis “Peaches” Geier, Calhoun’s assistant in Kentucky. “He (Chamberlain Bridge) came out of the race good and I would guess he will go back to Churchill Downs for their turf sprint (the Cherokee Run on November 16).”
While Geier was taking care of business here, Calhoun was at Retama Park in Texas, where he saddled Gold Coyote to a victory in his turf debut in the Watson Macmanus Memorial Stakes at five furlongs.
“That’s just what we need,” Geier said with a laugh, “another five-eighths turf sprinter.”
The stable star is Mr. Nightlinger, who is co-owned by Moore and Bill Martin. Mr. Nightlinger has won five consecutive turf sprints and is headed for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on October 25.
“Mr. Nightlinger is going to work on the turf in the morning,” said Geier, who anticipates Calhoun returning to Kentucky early this week.
In addition to Mr. Nightlinger, Calhoun also has Richard Davis’ Storm Mesa here with an invitation in hand for Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1). Winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar, Storm Mesa is not scheduled to work this week for the nine-furlong grass test.
SQUARE EDDIE TO LEAVE MONDAY FOR CALIFORNIA
The past few days might best be described as a whirlwind for Neil Morris and Donna Brincat. Making their first trip to the United States, Morris and Brincat arrived at Keeneland last Wednesday with the three horses that English-based trainer John R. Best sent to run in Saturday’s Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1). One of them – Square Eddie – won the race in his first start for owner J. Paul Reddam, while stablemate Deposer (IRE) was fourth and Flashmans Papers (GB) was eighth in the field of 11 two-year-olds.
As Morris and Brincat watched the race, Morris was on his cell phone to Best’s assistant, Martin Smith.
“We were trying to keep track of all of them,” Brincat said. “When Square Eddie starting running through, we didn’t even look at the others. I was like, ‘Go, Square Eddie!’ Everyone was going mad.”
With Rafael Bejarano aboard, Square Eddie won the Breeders’ Futurity by 4 ¾ lengths at odds of 9-1. The margin of victory was the largest in the race since Eurosilver won by the same amount in 2003.
After the race, Brincat led Square Eddie and Bejarano into the infield winner’s circle, where they joined Reddam and the colt’s new trainer, Doug O’Neill. In 2006, Reddam and O’Neill won the Breeders’ Futurity with Great Hunter.
“He wasn’t even blowing that hard,” Brincat said about Square Eddie. “He said, ‘That was easy. It was a piece of cake.’ He’s ready for the Breeders’ Cup. I can’t wait to see that.”
On Sunday, the three Best horses enjoyed a leisurely day with time to graze. Brincat said the trio was happy and “They’re quite pleased with themselves.” Meanwhile, she and Morris were expecting a phone call from Best, who watched the race back home.
On Monday, Square Eddie will leave for Southern California and his next scheduled start in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita on October 25. Understandably, Morris and Brincat have mixed emotions about losing the colt.
“They are very nice people,” said Morris, Best’s traveling head lad, about Square Eddie’s new connections. “I wish them the best of luck with the horse.”
PLETCHER SHOOTS FOR FOURTH JP MORGAN CHASE JESSAMINE WIN
Trainer Todd Pletcher, with three victories in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes on his lengthy resume, will try for a fourth victory in the 1 1/16-mile grass stakes for two-year-old fillies when he sends Phola postward in the 18th running of the $150,000 test.
The JPMorgan Chase Jessamine is part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge in which the winner earns a spot in the starting gate for the $1 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf to be run October 24 at Santa Anita.
Pletcher’s winners in the race are Ocean Drive (2002), Paddy’s Daisy (2004) and J’ray (2005).
Thursday’s race will mark the turf debut for Phola, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Johannesburg. Phola won at first asking at Arlington and rallied for third in the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3) in her most recent start. Rene Douglas, who was aboard for both of those starts, has the call and will break from post position 10 on Thursday.
The field for the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine, from the hedge out, is as follows: Habaya (R. Migliore, 117 pounds), War Tigress (B. Hernandez Jr., 117), Glamorous Gal (C. Borel, 117), Complicity (J. Leparoux, 117), Maybe Baby (J. Theriot, 117), Hint of Lemon (S. Bridgmohan, 117), Laragh (E. Prado, 117), Never Lie (C. Lanerie, 117), Lake Cook (K. Desormeaux, 117) and Phola (R. Douglas, 117). Comprising the also-eligible list are It’s Tiffin Time (M. Mena, 117) and More of the Best (R. Douglas, 117).
GALLOPING OUT
Names of note on Sunday’s work tab over the main Polytrack surface included B. Wayne Hughes’ Super Derby (G2) winner My Pal Charlie (a half-mile in :49.80) for trainer Al Stall Jr.; Silverton Hill Farm’s 2007 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Dominican (five furlongs in 1:00.60) for trainer Darrin Miller; and Jess Yawtz and Rusty Arnold’s Never Lie, who blew out three furlongs in :37.20 for Arnold in preparation for Thursday’s JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes.
Make-A-Wish Day at Keeneland
On Wednesday, October 8
Keeneland and members of the Central Kentucky Thoroughbred industry are partnering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the largest wish-granting charity in the world, to hold Make-A-Wish Day on October 8. That day, nine Kentucky children with life-threatening diseases and their families will be guests of honor at Keeneland, enjoying a VIP lunch and an afternoon at the races.
Nine local Thoroughbred farms have agreed to sponsor a wish for these deserving children. Wishes range from trips to Disney World to meeting a celebrity. Participating farms are Airdrie Stud, Ashford Stud, Darley of America, Greystone Farm, Lane's End, Shadwell Farm, Three Chimneys Farm, Vinery Ltd. and Wintergreen Farm. The children will present the trophy for the race named after the sponsoring farm and will watch the race from the winner's circle.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation (http://www.makeawishky.org) is pre-selling reserved grandstand seat packages – which includes general admission, a reserved grandstand seat and a program – for $10 each for the day. Packages are being sold at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington and at Central Bank locations in Central Kentucky. Proceeds from package sales benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Founded in Phoenix in 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has 67 chapters in the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico. The Greater Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Chapter, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is the largest chapter in the U.S. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the chapter has regional offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, and in Louisville, and Indianapolis. The chapter has two satellite offices in Lexington and Youngstown, Ohio.
The Greater Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Chapter granted 759 wishes last year to children with life-threatening medical conditions. The average cost of a wish is $6,000.
Keeneland has teamed with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the past. In June, the organization held its third annual Walk for Wishes at Keeneland and raised $83,000. More than 450 walkers, runners, families of wish recipients, sponsors, vendors and volunteers participated in a 1.2-mile trek through the Keeneland grounds.
2008 KEENELAND FALL MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Saturday, October 4)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Robby Albarado 19 4 4 3 $1,000,290
Rafael Bejarano 12 4 3 4 $710,052
Jamie Theriot 10 2 2 0 $246,640
Corey Lanerie 10 2 0 0 $ 47,361
Garrett Gomez 7 1 2 2 $157,940
Rene Douglas 17 1 1 1 $ 89,103
Julien Leparoux 17 1 1 0 $259,100
E.T. Baird 3 1 1 0 $ 38,204
John Velazquez 3 1 0 0 $ 33,723
Justin Shepherd 2 1 0 0 $155,000
Diego Rodriguez 2 1 0 0 $18,600
Joe Johnson 1 1 0 0 $32,474
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Ken McPeek 7 2 1 1 $356,365
Dale Romans 7 2 0 0 $425,725
Robert Holthus 4 1 1 1 $ 43,725
D. Wayne Lukas 5 1 1 0 $113,640
Jonathan Sheppard 4 1 1 0 $258,800
Bill Mott 5 1 0 2 $157,049
Wesley Ward 4 1 0 1 $ 13,540
John Best 4 1 0 0 $335,000
Wayne Catalano 3 1 0 0 $27,404
Mark Frostad 2 1 0 0 $33,723
Luis Seglin 2 1 0 0 $21,300