Stablemates Aquaphobia, Big Agenda to Meet in Sycamore

Trainer Mike Maker will saddle grade 1 winner Aquaphobia and recent allowance winner Big Agenda in the $150,000 Sycamore Stakes (G3T) Oct. 15 at Keeneland as he tries to repeat his victory in the 1 1/2-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up from a year ago with Marzo.

Aquaphobia comes off a third-place finish in the Aug. 29 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) over soft turf at Saratoga Race Course. One start earlier he broke through the graded ranks by taking the July 18 United Nations Stakes (G1T) on firm going at Monmouth Park. The 7-year-old son of Giant's Causeway was claimed at Gulfstream Park in January for $62,500.

The Sycamore will be the third race Big Agenda will make for his current connections after joining the Maker barn in late summer. The 5-year-old Data Link gelding won a Sept. 9 allowance optional claimer going a mile at Kentucky Downs, then took a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race Sept. 23 at Churchill Downs. The Sycamore will be only his third start beyond 8 1/2 furlongs. He was second July 28 at Colonial Downs racing 1 1/8 miles, and in August 2019 he was third at the Virginia track when racing 1 3/16 miles.

Big Agenda will break from post 5 with last-out rider Tyler Gaffalione back aboard, and Aquaphobia will leave post 6 with Florent Geroux in the irons.

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher are partners on both horses. They own Aquaphobia with Hooties Racing and Skychai Racing.

Trinity Farm's Red Knight will aim to return to the winner's circle for the first time since winning the Point of Entry Stakes last October going 12 furlongs at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old Pure Prize gelding returned from an eight-month layoff Sept. 12 to run second in the Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup (G3T) on soft ground at Kentucky Downs, finishing ahead of Maker's turf star Zulu Alpha. Trainer Bill Mott has assigned James Graham the mount. Red Knight will break from post 2. 

Wertheimer and Frere's group 2 winner Ziyad will make his United States debut after battling group 1 winners in France on a regular basis. Now with trainer Graham Motion, the 5-year-old Rock of Gibraltar gelding last ran sixth behind Anthony Van Dyck and Stradivarius in the Sept. 13 Qatar Prix Foy (G2). He also finished third in both the Aug. 30 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville (G2) and the June 29 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1). He traveled to North America a year ago to finish third in the Pattison Canadian International (G1T) at Woodbine. Manny Franco will ride Ziyad from the outside post of 10.

Also entered are North Dakota, who defeated Big Agenda last out in the Colonial Downs allowance, and Kentucky Turf Cup fourth Eons. Postulation, He's No Lemon, Split the Wickets, and Morning Stride complete the field. 

Entries: Sycamore S. (G3T)

Keeneland, Thursday, October 15, 2020, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Postulation (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Michael R. Matz	15/1
2	2Red Knight (NY)	James Graham	121	William I. Mott	3/1
3	3He's No Lemon (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	121	H. Graham Motion	15/1
4	4Split the Wickets (KY)	Colby J. Hernandez	121	Thomas L. Van Berg	15/1
5	5Big Agenda (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Michael J. Maker	10/1
6	6Aquaphobia (KY)	Florent Geroux	125	Michael J. Maker	5/2
7	7North Dakota (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Claude R. McGaughey III	10/1
8	8Morning Stride (KY)	Gabriel Saez	121	Monica McGoey	20/1
9	9Eons (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Arnaud Delacour	20/1
10	10Ziyad (GB)	Manuel Franco	121	H. Graham Motion	5/2