Edited Keeneland Staff Release –Pozo De Luna’s recent Grade 1 winner Blue Stripe (ARG) drilled 5 furlongs in 1:00 over a track labeled as good shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday in preparation for an expected start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) here on Nov. 5.
Working on her own with Ferrin Peterson aboard, Blue Stripe reeled off fractions of :12.20, :25.20, :37.60, 1:00 then out 6 furlongs in 1:12.20, seven-eighths in 1:24.80 and a mile in 1:39.40.
“She’s got some nice gears,” Peterson told trainer Marcelo Polanco, who put the rider on her first Southern California winner at Los Alamitos in 2019.
Blue Stripe, a half-sister to 2019 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner and two-time Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner Blue Prize (ARG), made six starts in native country, where her four wins included the 2021 Criadores (G1) at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo.
Blue Stripe earned a fees-paid berth into the Distaff by virtue of her victory in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 6. She finished seventh in last year’s Distaff in what served as her U.S. debut.
“I was a little concerned (about the track after the rain overnight),” Polanco said of Blue Stripe, who arrived at Keeneland Sunday afternoon. “But it was a really nice work and she handled it pretty good.”
The work was the 10th for Blue Stripe since winning the Clement L. Hirsch.
“Her work last week at Santa Anita (:59.60 for 5 furlongs) was very good,” said Polanco, who watched this morning’s breeze from the backstretch rail. “She’ll have one maintenance work next week.”
FIRST CAPTAIN HEADLINES FIELD FOR CLOSING-DAY HAGYARD FAYETTE
West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing’s First Captain headlines a field of six entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 65th running of the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Serving as the main attraction on the Fall Meet’s closing-day program that features three stakes, the Hagyard Fayette will go as the ninth race with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.
Trained by Shug McGaughey, First Captain comes into Saturday’s race off a third-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) behind Olympiad, one of the leading contenders for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position four.
First Captain will share top weight of 123 pounds with Willis Horton Racing’s Last Samurai and Juddmonte’s Fulsome.
Last Samurai, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, has compiled a 6-1-1-1 record in 2022 with the victory coming in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and will break from post six.
Fulsome, a four-time Grade 3 winner for Brad Cox, has won three of five starts in 2022 with the highlight being the Oaklawn Mile (G3) in April. Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post three.
The field for the Hagyard Fayette, with riders and weights from the rail, is: West Will Power (Joel Rosario, 121 pounds), Chess Chief (Rey Gutierrez, 121), Fulsome (Geroux, 123), First Captain (Saez, 123), King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121) and Last Samurai (Gaffalione, 123).
CLASSIC CAUSEWAY TOPS OVERFLOW FIELD FOR BRYAN STATION
Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper’s Classic Causeway, winner of the Belmont Derby (G1), heads a field of 12 3-year-olds plus four also-eligibles entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 18th running of the $300,000 Bryan Station (G3).
Run at a mile on the grass, the Bryan Station will go as the eighth race Saturday afternoon with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, Classic Causeway comes into Saturday’s race off a seventh-place finish in the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) on Oct. 8, his first try against older runners. In his other grass tries, Classic Causeway finished third in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) and the Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3).
Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on Classic Causeway and will break from post five.
Three Grade 2 winners are in the field: Three Diamonds Farm and Deuce Greathouse’s Stolen Base, winner of the American Turf in May at Churchill Downs; Jeremy Brooks’ Wow Whata Summer, winner of the Penn Mile in June at Penn National; and Donegal Racing’s Ready to Purrform, winner of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in August at Saratoga.
The field for the Bryan Station, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Ready to Purrform (Joel Rosario, 122 pounds), Balnikhov (IRE) (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Fort Washington (James Graham, 118), Axthelm (Luis Saez, 118), Classic Causeway (Hernandez Jr., 122), Portfolio Company (Florent Geroux, 118), Double Clutch (Corey Lanerie, 118), Wit (Jose Ortiz, 118), Wow Whata Summer (Rey Gutierrez, 122), Fuerteventura (John Velazquez, 118), Stolen Base (Gerardo Corrales, 122) and Play Action Pass (Jose Lezcano, 118). Also-eligibles: Red Danger (Julien Leparoux, 118), Underdressed (Edgar Morales, 118), Churchtown (Tyler Gaffalione, 118), Dakota Gold (Luis Saez, 118).
SIR LANCELOT PUTS UNBEATEN MARK ON THE LINE IN BOWMAN MILL
Susan and John Moore’s undefeated homebred Sir Lancelot heads a field of six 2-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s third running of the $200,000 Bowman Mill.
Slated to be run at 6 furlongs on the main track, the Bowman Mill will go as the sixth race on Saturday’s 10-race program with a 3:40 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.
Trained by Mike Stidham, Sir Lancelot trounced maidens in his Sept. 9 debut at Delaware Park going 6 furlongs and winning by 7¾ lengths. Sir Lancelot came back Oct. 4 to win the Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile by 7 lengths as the 3-5 favorite going 6½ furlongs over the all-weather track at Presque Isle Downs.
Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for the Presque Isle victory, has the call Saturday and will break from post two.
The field for the Bowman Mill, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Raise Cain (Gerardo Corrales, 118 pounds), Sir Lancelot (Ortiz, 120), Quick Hammer (Luis Saez, 118), Jeremy’s Jet (Jack Gilligan, 118), Super Chow (Chantal Sutherland, 118), Hurricane J (Joe Talamo, 118) and Bourbon Bash (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).
PROBABLES FOR KEENELAND SUPPORTING STAKES
FOR BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Entries taken Monday, Oct. 31
$350,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) – 3-year-olds and up, 1 5/8 miles (Race Friday, Nov. 4) – Always Above (trainer Michelle Nihei), Bal Harbour (Robertino Diodoro), Heywoods Beach (John Sadler), Next (William Cowans), Ridin With Biden (Butch Reid), Sheriff Brown (Todd Fincher), Win the Day (Doug O’Neill).
$350,000 Fall Harvest Presented by Mint Gaming Hall – Fillies and Mares, 1 mile turf (Race Saturday, Nov. 5) – Dalika (GER) (Al Stall Jr.). Possible: Princess Grace (Mike Stidham).
