Final Score Could Be Decided Early in Bourbon

In two starts over 1 1/16 miles, Final Score  has been uncatchable by his rivals at Saratoga Race Course. Now, Repole Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher hope that dominance continues in Kentucky.

The son of Not This Time   will be a leading choice among a full 12-horse field Oct. 5 in the Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, which awards the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar Oct. 31 through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The final score in both of his route starts was decided at the start as he cruised to the lead and never looked back, including his 4 1/2-length domination of the field in the Aug. 28 With Anticipation Stakes (G3T). Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode the colt in both his first two starts, returns to the saddle in post 6 after Kendrick Carmouche guided him to the stakes victory.

Final Score's graded stakes win stands out among a field that features seven last-out maiden winners, and the only other stakes winner in the field is Don't Tell My Wife Stables' Casa Cielo .

The son of Caravaggio  could pose a challenge to Final Score's early foot as he also has won in front-running fashion in his two starts at a mile or more. He followed up his maiden win with a 2 3/4-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Kitten's Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs Sept. 6 for trainer Keith Desormeaux. Francisco Arrieta will aim to keep the win streak alive from post 11.

Other runners with stakes placings include Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch's Blinging It Back , runner-up in Saratoga's Sanford Stakes (G3) on dirt this summer and a winner of his lone grass start; Dare To Dream Stable's Awesome Connection , runner-up in the Juvenile Mile Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7; and Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds' Password , third in Churchill Downs' Bashford Manor Stakes on dirt this summer and winner of his lone grass start.

Bobrovsky Targets Second Stakes Win in Indian Summer

Two races earlier, nine juveniles are entered for the $300,000 Indian Summer Stakes, traveling 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Two of those runners, Schwarzenegger  and Twilight Delight , were cross-entered for the Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita Park Oct. 4, but Schwarzenegger is listed as a scratch for that spot on Equibase.

The field features two stakes winners, but Bobrovsky  is the only one to do so on the grass.

That victory came Aug. 16 over the same distance at Saratoga when he proved best in the Skidmore Stakes after stalking the pace. Junior Alvarado rides from post 2 for trainer Dale Romans, who co-owns the son of Daredevil   with Steve Berg.