Tepin Among Stakes Nominees at Keeneland

Robert Masterson's Tepin, the reigning champion turf female, headlines the list of horses nominated to Keeneland's opening weekend of the Lexington track's fall meet.

The weekend features nine graded stakes worth a combined $3.7 million. Five of those races are grade I events and seven are "Win and You're In" events for the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park Nov. 4-5.

Trained by Mark Casse, Tepin is nominated to the 31st running of the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT), the richest race of the fall meet, as well as the $400,000 First Lady (gr. IT), a race she won last year. She has earned more than $4 million and won eight consecutive races. 

The Shadwell Turf Mile, for 3-year-olds and older and a "Win and You're In" race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), drew 35 nominations and will be run Oct. 8. Among the nominations are Grand Arch, winner of the 2015 Shadwell Turf Mile, and Arlington Million (gr. IT) winner Mondialiste, who finished second to Tepin in the Breeders' Cup Mile last year at Keeneland.

The First Lady, for fillies and mares going a mile on the turf and also scheduled for Oct. 8, drew 30 nominations. Along with Tepin, the roster includes her stablemate Catch a Glimpse, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) and Canada's 2015 Horse of the Year, and Miss Temple City, who defeated males this spring in the Maker's 46 Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland.

The grade I stakes action begins Oct. 7 with the 65th running of the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades for 2-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. A "Win and You're In" test for the $2 million 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. IT), the Darley Alcibiades drew 45 nominations, led by the two fillies who finished in a dead heat to win the Spinaway (gr. I), Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta.

The 103rd running of the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), to be run Oct. 8 at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, attracted 47 nominations headed by grade I winners Klimt and Practical Joke. The race is a "Win and You're In" test for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).

The fifth grade I race of the weekend is the 61st running of the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Scheduled for Oct. 9, the Spinster is a "Win and You're In" event for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).

A total of 20 fillies and mares were nominated to the Spinster, including grade I winners Curalina, Forever Unbridled, I'm a Chatterbox, and 2015 Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) winner Gomo.

Kicking off the weekend Oct. 7 is the 164th running of the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (gr. II), a six-furlong dirt test that is a "Win and You're In" race for the $1.5 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). Defending winner Runhappy, the reigning champion male sprinter, tops the list of 31 nominees.

The 36th running of the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (gr. II) for fillies and mares going six furlongs on dirt, attracted 23 nominees, including 2015 race winner Fioretti. Scheduled for Oct. 8, the Thoroughbred Club of America is a "Win and You're In" for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I).

Also scheduled for Oct. 8 is the 20th running of the $150,000 Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds and up going 51/2 furlongs on the turf. Topping the list of 48 nominees is Mongolian Saturday, winner of last year's TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. I) at Keeneland.

Completing the lineup is the 26th running of the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon (gr. IIIT) for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The race, a "Win and You're In" for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT), drew 64 nominations that include grass stakes winners All Right and Made You Look.