Bye Bye J Sprints Into McConnell Springs Stakes

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 13:20
Link: 
Bye Bye J Sprints Into McConnell Springs Stakes
Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Coady Photography
Bye Bye J wins the Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows

In the money in four of five starts this year, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Bye Bye J enters the $150,000 McConnell Springs Stakes Nov. 6 at Keeneland as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. She'll face eight other fillies and mares at six furlongs, the distance at which she's raced all season.

The 4-year-old Uncaptured filly trained by Steve Asmussen was a last-out third beaten less than a length in the Oct. 3 Skipat Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. She previously picked up wins in the July 4 Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows and Feb. 22 Downthedustyroad Breeders' Stakes for Arkansas-breds at Oaklawn Park. Her only off-the-board effort came in the Sept. 6 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

Novogratz Racing Stables' Amy's Challenge will try to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the Sept. 5 Alma North Stakes at Laurel Park and has three races of experience at Keeneland. Her best effort at the Lexington oval came in the 2019 Madison Stakes (G1) when she was second beaten a neck.

The graded winners in the field are Pam and Marty Wygod's Into Chocolate and First Row Partners and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Royal Charlotte. Into Chocolate ships in from Southern California after a victory in the Sept. 25 Chillingworth Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. Royal Charlotte, winner of the 2019 Prioress Stakes (G2), has placed in her last two starts, including when third in the Oct. 3 Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park when eight lengths behind Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) contender Frank's Rockette.

Headland, Harmless, Unique Factor, Unholy Alliance, and Wildwood's Beauty complete the field.


Entries: McConnell Springs S.

Keeneland, Friday, November 06, 2020, Race 4

  • STK
  • 6f
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 1:15 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Bye Bye J (AR) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 120 Steven M. Asmussen 7/2
2 2Amy's Challenge (KY) Jose Lezcano 120 McLean Robertson 4/1
3 3Headland (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Baze 120 Steve Hobby 6/1
4 4Into Chocolate (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Clifford W. Sise, Jr. 12/1
5 5Harmless (KY) Luis Saez 120 Philip D'Amato 30/1
6 6Unique Factor (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 120 Peter Miller 6/1
7 7Unholy Alliance (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Gaffalione 120 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 9/2
8 8Wildwood's Beauty (FL) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 120 Scott Becker 9/2
9 9Royal Charlotte (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 120 Chad C. Brown 6/1