Keepmeinmind Slated for Oaklawn Arrival

Keepmeinmind, among the country's leading 2-year-olds, is scheduled to arrive at Oaklawn Park between Christmas Day and New Year's Day to begin preparations for a 2021 campaign, according to the colt's trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind has been in light training at WinStar Farm in Kentucky since breaking his maiden in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. The trainer said he hasn't mapped out an early 2021 race schedule for Keepmeinmind, but he probably isn't a candidate for the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, a one-mile event that is Oaklawn's first of four races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

"Probably too short for him, especially with the mile here," Diodoro said. "It's a short lane and stuff."

Oaklawn's mile races begin and end at the sixteenth pole in the stretch. Diodoro said Keepmeinmind will be considered for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. The late-running son of Laoban  has raced four times this year (all routes), finishing second in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 3 at Keeneland and third in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland before his breakthrough victory as the 2-1 favorite in the Kentucky Jockey Club. His last three starts have been at 1 1/16 miles.

Diodoro said Keepmeinmind is jogging at WinStar in advance of shipping to Oaklawn. He has already banked 18 points to rank second on the early Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) leaderboard, and the goal, Diodoro said, is a return to Churchill this spring for the first leg of the Triple Crown. The colt also ran second at Churchill in his Sept. 2 career debut.

"Just one step at a time," Diodoro said. "It's easier said than done, keeping these horses happy and healthy. It's the same with all horses, but, obviously, our long-term plan is, hopefully, live the dream of being at Churchill in May. But that's a ways out. I won't say anything. Let the horse tell us. We're not going to force anything. He came back really good out of his race and is doing well at WinStar, so we'll just play it by ear."

David Cohen, Oaklawn's leading jockey in 2019, has ridden Keepmeinmind three times, including his victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

Diodoro, who has never had a Triple Crown starter, already has horses training at Oaklawn. He added that Dreamer's Disease, who finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is scheduled to arrive at the Arkansas track in early January as well. Dreamer's Disease, also by Loaban, closed his 2-year-old campaign with a seventh-place finish as the heavy favorite in the Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes Dec. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack after stumbling badly at the start.