Classic Causeway's Speed May Shine in the Bryan Station

Millionaire and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) participant Classic Causeway  headlines the 12-horse field for the one-mile $300,000 Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) Oct. 29 at Keeneland. 

He will face stiff competition from the likes of Wit  and Balnikhov , among others.

The son of Giant's Causeway  is the biggest name in the field but is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) on the same track as Saturday's race. He's picked up three wins and three thirds this year, but the trick may be the distance. 

Prior to the Coolmore Turf Mile, Kenny McPeek's trainee had typically started strong and then faded as the races got to a mile or longer.

"I'd like to think he's a little more adaptable at this stage," said McPeek of fast starts. "We'll leave it up to (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.). Brian's ridden him a time or two there and knows a little bit about him. But it will be interesting to see how he rates."

In the Caesars Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T), Classic Causeway led until the 1 1/4-mile marker and finished third. Before that, he got out to an early lead in the Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) but couldn't hold it down the stretch. 

It was a similar story on the dirt in the Ohio Derby (G3) and Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1). 

The exception, at least since spring, was the Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). In that race, he took the lead gate-to-wire as a surprising 26-1 longshot.

"The last time (Coolmore Turf Mile) we ran him, we ran him against older horses for the first time," McPeek said. "I think in hindsight that maybe that wasn't a good idea. It'll be straight 3-year-olds; it'll be right up his alley. It will be his last race of the season."

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper's Classic Causeway (4-1) is one of the faster horses in the field, a talent he did not get to exhibit in the Kentucky Derby in a field of 20.

He certainly won't be intimidated by the field. Of his 12 career starts, all but his maiden have come in graded stakes. 

Should the course prove fast Saturday, the biggest threat in terms of speed is Balnikhov. The Adaay  gelding, trained by Phil D'Amato, at 8-1, has not been tested to the extent Classic Causeway has, but he's finished in the top four in his five starts this year. This includes a second in the American Turf Sprint Presented by BMW (G2T) and most recently, fourth in the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby (G2T). He is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable.

And while no one else in the field can approach Classic Causeway's career earnings, the third-leading earner—Wit—is the slight favorite (3-1) to win the race.

The son of Practical Joke   has been impressive. He's 4-2-1 in eight career starts. And, like Classic Causeway, has raced almost exclusively in graded stakes. He finished second to another Bryan Station rival, Ready to Purrform , by 1 1/4 lengths in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T). Wit, owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable, also finished fourth on the dirt in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1), well behind Jack Christopher , and victorious by a nose in the Bay Shore Stakes (G3).

Going back to 2021, Wit, who is trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Sanford Stakes (G3) his second time out, was second in the Hopeful Stakes (G1), and third in the Champagne Stakes (G1).

This will be his third start on turf. 

"He was successful on the dirt and was very precocious as a 2-year-old," Pletcher said. "He came back in the Bay Shore, but then he plateaued a bit. We breezed him on the turf and it was like 'Wow, this is impressive.'"

The rest of the field includes: Portfolio Company  (8-1), Double Clutch  (10-1), Play Action Pass  (10-1), Fuerteventura  (15-1), Fort Washington  (15-1), Axthelm  (20-1), Stolen Base  (20-1), and Wow Whata Summer  (30-1). Dakota Gold  (8-1), Churchtown  (8-1), Red Danger  (20-1), and Underdressed  (30-1) are also eligible.

Entries: Bryan Station S. (G3T)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 29, 2022, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $300,000
• 3 yo
• 4:44 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Ready to Purrform (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Brad H. Cox	5/1
2	2Balnikhov (IRE)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Philip D'Amato	8/1
3	3Fort Washington (KY)	James Graham	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	15/1
4	4Axthelm (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	20/1
5	5Classic Causeway (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	4/1
6	6Portfolio Company (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Chad C. Brown	8/1
7	7Double Clutch (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	George R. Arnold, II	10/1
8	8Wit (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Todd A. Pletcher	3/1
9	9Wow Whata Summer (KY)	Reylu Gutierrez	122	James L. Lawrence, II	30/1
10	10Fuerteventura (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Jonathan Thomas	15/1
11	11Stolen Base (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	122	Michael J. Maker	20/1
12	12Play Action Pass (KY)	Jose Lezcano	118	Robert Medina	10/1
13	13Red Danger (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Brian A. Lynch	20/1
14	14Underdressed (KY)	Edgar Morales	118	Rey Hernandez	30/1
15	15Churchtown (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Roger L. Attfield	8/1
16	16Dakota Gold (NY)	Luis Saez	118	Danny Gargan	8/1