Bourbon Stakes Proves Popular as 14 Enter

An oversubscribed field for the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 4 at Keeneland includes five juveniles that have finished in the money in a stakes.

There are two stakes winners in the field of 14—Uncle Brennie and Expected Ruler.

Uncle Brennie is a son of Uncle Mo   who took the $75,000 Sunday Silence Stakes at Harrah's Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack Sept. 15. Owned by Flurry Racing Stables and trained by Brad Cox, Uncle Brennie has won two of his three starts. The colt will be ridden by Chris Landeros, who won the Bourbon Stakes last year on Lawn Ranger.

Expected Ruler is Liam Benson's homebred son of Leroidesanimaux. The colt won the $60,000 Tyro Stakes on the Monmouth Park turf course his first time out. In his last start, Expected Ruler finished off the board in the grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. Expected Ruler is also trained by Benson.

One of the more intriguing stakes horse is Unbridled Daddy, a John Brunetti homebred racing for his Red Oak Stable. The Scat Daddy   colt in his last start finished third in the grade II With Anticipation Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the Saratoga Race Course turf.

Unbridled Daddy broke his maiden at Saratoga on the grass in his second start going the same distance. The colt is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Javier Castellano.

The other stakes horses include Hot Ore (by Unusual Heat), who was second in the one-mile Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes; and, Don't Be So Salty (by Tiz Wonderful), who finished third in the 5 1/2-furlong Schenectady Stakes.

Hot Ore is a California homebred racing for Ernie Moody's Mercedes Stable. The gelding is one of the more experienced starters, having run four times since May 15.

He broke his maiden in his third start but first race on the grass in a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita Park. Hot Ore is trained by Robertino Diordoro and will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who has been aboard all four starts.

Don't Be So Salty, previously owned and trained by Adam Rice, is now co-owned by Platinum Seven, Dan Guarino, and Julia Boutelle. Trained by Gary Contessa, the gelding won at first asking at Saratoga Aug. 2 before finishing second in the Schenectady. He comes into the Bourbon off a 9 3/4-length win in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race at Presque Isle Downs & Casino on the Tapeta all-weather surface.

The Bourbon is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race for the one-mile Juvenile Turf (gr. IT).