Fingal's Cave One of Six Stakes Winners in Raven Run
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Fingal's Cave wins the Fleet Indian Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
The $350,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) Oct. 22 at Keeneland may not have drawn Echo Zulu , who runs next in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), but it lured most of the other 3-year-old sprinting fillies of stakes consequence.
Even without last year's reigning 2-year-old filly champion, Saturday's race is of high quality, drawing stakes winners Smash Ticket , Last Leaf , Fingal's Cave , Freedom Sparks, Wicked Halo , and Midnight Stroll . Graded-placed runners Union Lake and Colorful Mischief and three-time winner Republique complete the nine-horse lineup.
Alifyfe Racing's undefeated Fingal's Cave, a daughter of Carpe Diem , hits the road from New York to run in the Raven Run, which is restricted to sophomore fillies. She is one of four entrants shipping into Keeneland after recording their last workouts at Belmont Park.
"At some point, we will challenge her and this seems to be a good spot," trainer David Donk said.
Fingal's Cave, 4-for-4, won the restricted Fleet Indian Stakes against New York-bred competition in her first stakes attempt Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course. Though that race came at 1 1/8 miles, she is versatile, having recorded two blowout victories in sprints at Belmont Park before she twice routed at Saratoga.
"We looked at the Cotillion (G1) and elected not to go, which was a good move because the race came up tough over a tricky track," Donk said. "I am not sure what her best distance is. She ran so well sprinting in her first two starts, and she has been training really well the past few weeks."
The filly will mark Donk's first Keeneland starter since April 2015, when King Kreesa finished sixth in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T).
Fingal's Cave could give him his second stakes victory here to go with the win by Rough Opening in the Forerunner Stakes (G3T) in 1996. Donk has three overall wins at Keeneland from 16 starters.
Joel Rosario rides.
Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Wicked Halo, winner of the Prioress Stakes (G2) at Saratoga in her most recent start Sept. 2, is the most accomplished of the Raven Run entrants. She scratched from the Sept. 24 Dogwood Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs due to the presence of her stablemate Echo Zulu within the entries. Echo Zulu scored handily.
"I chose not to run them against each other," Asmussen said.
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He indicated the question mark for her and Gunite , who he runs in the Perryville Stakes on Saturday's undercard, is simply not having raced at Keeneland. Both have breezed locally for their stakes engagements.
"Happy with how both of them are doing," he said.
Asmussen typically bases his better horses at Churchill Downs when they are in Kentucky but brought a high-class group to train at Keeneland this fall with assistant Scott Blasi to prepare for the Breeders' Cup.
Tyler Gaffalione rides Wicked Halo.
Smash Ticket, perfect in three starts this year and 4-for-6 overall, is another contender. She owns some of the highest speed figures among the participants but has not yet raced beyond six furlongs.
Trainer Rob Atras trains for owners Brad King, Stan and Suzanne Kirby, and Barbara Coleman.
New York-based rider Kendrick Carmouche comes in for the mount.
Keeneland, Saturday, October 22, 2022, Race 9Entries: Lexus Raven Run S. (G2)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Union Lake (KY)
John R. Velazquez
118
John P. Terranova, II
6/1
2
2Smash Ticket (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
120
Rob Atras
5/2
3
3Republique (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
15/1
4
4Last Leaf (KY)
Martin Garcia
118
Eddie Kenneally
12/1
5
5Fingal's Cave (NY)
Joel Rosario
120
David G. Donk
4/1
6
6Colorful Mischief (KY)
Gerardo Corrales
120
Todd A. Pletcher
12/1
7
7Freedom Speaks (KY)
Florent Geroux
120
Jeremiah C. Englehart
6/1
8
8Wicked Halo (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Steven M. Asmussen
4/1
9
9Midnight Stroll (FL)
Luis Saez
120
John P. Terranova, II
10/1
