Imprimis Gets Chance to Shine in Keeneland's Woodford
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Imprimis wins the Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland
Breeze Easy's Imprimis will carry top weight in the $200,000 Woodford Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G2T) Oct. 5 on Keeneland's opening weekend.
The 5-year-old Broken Vow gelding is scheduled to take on nine other 3-year-olds and older in the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint.
Trained by Joseph Orseno, Imprimis brings one of the more accomplished records into the race after he finished fourth in the Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs last time out and, one start prior, finished sixth in the prestigious King's Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot. He started the year off with back to back wins in the March 9 Silk Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the April 6 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) on the same course and distance as the Woodford.
Video: Shakertown S. (G2T)
Last year Imprimis won all but two of his seven starts, with losses coming when he was stepped up to graded company in the Highlander (G1T) at Woodbine and the Turf Monster Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing. Paco Lopez will ride Imprimis from post 3.
Two others who finished in front of Imprimis in the Runhappy Turf Sprint also return in Saturday's test. Smart Remark has not won in six starts this year, but the Victoria Oliver trainee had his best finish in the Runhappy Turf when the First Defence gelding finished second to winner Totally Boss.
Although off the board in his other starts, Smart Remark also finished second in his only other graded stakes effort this year—Churchill Downs' Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes presented by Mass Mutual (G2T). He will be ridden by Jose Castellano from post 6.
The other Runhappy Turf Sprint contender was Leinster, who finished a nose in front of Imprimis to get third. The 4-year-old Majestic Warrior colt won three consecutive starts prior to that effort, culminating in a three-quarter-length victory over Disco Partner in the Aug. 3 Troy Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course.
Leinster was winless in 2018 and broke his maiden in an April 18 allowance race at Keeneland when trainer George Arnold II dropped him to the 5 1/2-furlong distance on turf. That effort launched the three-race win streak culminating with the Troy victory. He will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 9.
Other accomplished runners include West Point Thoroughbreds Good Lord Stakes winner Seven Trumpets, who will try turf for the first time, and McShane Racing's Pasadena Stakes winner Stubbins, who enters off a runner-up finish in the Nevada State Bank Franklin-Simpson Stakes Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.
Keeneland, Saturday, October 05, 2019, Race 6Entries: Woodford S. Presented by Keeneland Select (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Seven Trumpets (KY)
Robby Albarado
120
Dale L. Romans
15/1
2
2Extravagant Kid (FL)
Jose L. Ortiz
120
Brendan P. Walsh
3/1
3
3Imprimis (FL)
Paco Lopez
122
Joseph F. Orseno
2/1
4
4Stubbins (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
Doug F. O'Neill
6/1
5
5Win Lion Win (LA)
James Graham
120
Allison Ramsay-Banks
30/1
6
6Smart Remark (KY)
Javier Castellano
120
Victoria H. Oliver
5/1
7
7Fareeq (KY)
Florent Geroux
120
John Alexander Ortiz
12/1
8
8Satellite Storm (BC)
Leandro D. Goncalves
120
Valorie Lund
15/1
9
9Leinster (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
George R. Arnold, II
5/1
10
10Royal Commish (FL)
Christopher A. Emigh
120
Paula M. McCanick
30/1
