Point Me By Battles Two Europeans in Franklin-Simpson
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Photo: Coady Photography
Point Me By wins the Bruce D. Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse
Homewrecker Racing's Point Me By is the lightest-raced entry in the overflow field for the $600,000 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G2T) Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs with three starts, but he comes in with sharp form off a win in the Aug. 14 Bruce D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse.
"He's an improving horse, a quality horse. That was just his third start, so for him to win a grade 1 in his third start was pretty impressive," trainer Eddie Kenneally said.
"Kentucky Downs can be a little tricky," he added of the undulating all-turf track. "Some horses love it, some not so much. You can never know until you run a horse over that track, just to see how much they belong there or not."
The 3-year-old Point of Entry colt split horses and overcame bumping in the stretch to defeat eight rivals in the Bruce D., a race formerly known as the Secretariat, which drew a light renewal this year. He won that mile event by 2 3/4 lengths and cuts back to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Franklin-Simpson while remaining against his own age group. In his debut June 20 at Churchill Downs, he won sprinting a furlong shorter on the turf. He is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday with Luis Saez, aboard in the Bruce D., back aboard.
"He did win first out at 5 1/2 and he's since run in two-turn races at a mile. Back to a sprint shouldn't be a problem, but I think it's well within his range to beat good horses at 6 1/2," Kenneally said. "He's got tactical speed."
Also coming back from the Bruce D. is runner-up Tango Tango Tango . Calumet Farm's Tourist colt won the July 17 American Derby at Arlington one start earlier. Trained by Jack Sisterson, he will make his first start at less than a mile.
A pair of international contenders, including the filly Miss Amulet , will take a turn on Kentucky Downs' European-style track.
Doreen Tabor's Miss Amulet, trained by Ken Condon, will try to return to her strong juvenile form after two unplaced efforts in group 1s in Europe this year. The daughter of Sir Prancealot traveled to Kentucky last fall to finish third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Keeneland. That effort followed a victory in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (G2) and a close second-place finish in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) in Great Britain.
Qatar Racing and RacehorseClub's The Lir Jet will also try to get back to a 2-year-old form that saw him win the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot and place in the Darley Prix Robert Papin (G2) and Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1). The Prince of Lir son opened this season with a close third in a group 3, but was unplaced in three subsequent starts. He races as a gelding for North American-based trainer Brendan Walsh after previously racing for Michael Bell.
Qatar Racing has been an owner of the last two Franklin-Simpson winners when the race was run as a grade 3. Guildsman won a year ago for Walsh, and Legends of War , owned in partnership, took the 2019 race for trainer Doug O'Neill.
The Franklin-Simpson drew 12 entries for the main body of the race—all stakes winners—and three also-eligibles.
Entries: Franklin-Simpson S. (G2T)
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 11, 2021, Race 10
- Grade IIT
- 6 1/2f
- Turf
- $600,000
- 3 yo
- 5:18 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Into the Sunrise (KY) |
Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 122 | Wesley A. Ward | 12/1 |
| 2 | 2The Lir Jet (IRE) | Tyler Gaffalione | 124 | Brendan P. Walsh | 12/1 |
| 3 | 3County Final (KY) |
Joel Rosario | 118 | Steven M. Asmussen | 8/1 |
| 4 | 4Easy Time (KY) |
Adam Beschizza | 118 | Mark E. Casse | 15/1 |
| 5 | 5Miss Amulet (IRE) | Julien R. Leparoux | 121 | Ken J. Condon | 15/1 |
| 6 | 6Next (KY) | John R. Velazquez | 122 | Wesley A. Ward | 5/1 |
| 7 | 7Annex (KY) |
Junior Alvarado | 122 | William I. Mott | 9/2 |
| 8 | 8Tango Tango Tango (KY) |
Declan Cannon | 122 | Jack Sisterson | 20/1 |
| 9 | 9Omaha City (KY) |
Victor Lebron | 122 | Mohamed Jehaludi | 20/1 |
| 10 | 10Point Me By (KY) |
Luis Saez | 124 | Eddie Kenneally | 7/2 |
| 11 | 11Bodenheimer (WA) | Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | 122 | Valorie Lund | 12/1 |
| 12 | 12King of Miami (KY) | Florent Geroux | 122 | Larry Rivelli | 20/1 |
| 13 | 13Fauci (KY) |
Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 118 | Philip Antonacci | 8/1 |
| 14 | 14Momos (KY) | Tyler Gaffalione | 118 | Michael J. Trombetta | 8/1 |
| 15 | 15Bob's Edge (KY) | Adam Beschizza | 118 | J. Larry Jones | 20/1 |