Keen Ice Confirmed for Breeders' Cup Classic
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Keen Ice at Belmont Park
Donegal Racing's Jerry Crawford confirmed Oct. 23 grade I winner Keen Ice will be pre-entered in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.
"He's never looked better," Crawford said. "We're certainly aware of the fact that he's pointing at 30-1, and we understand why, but it's an intersection for us of the right distance and the right pace scenario with Melatonin, California Chrome , and Arrogate. We wish them well, but we hope they disappear completely from sight."
According to Crawford, Keen Ice worked one mile at Belmont Park in 1:39 4/5 with fractions of :48 2/5, 1:13, and 1:26. He will have one more breeze at Belmont Oct. 30 before shipping to Santa Anita Nov. 1. Trainer Todd Pletcher will confirm a jockey in the next few days.
Pulling an upset would be nothing new for the 4-year-old son of Curlin —Medomak, by Awesome Again . At 16-1 Keen Ice defeated American Pharoah in last year's Travers Stakes (gr. I), making a strong late move after stalking the pace-setting Triple Crown winner and Frosted.
"If they're ready to take on each other, then we're ready to take on them," Crawford said. "It would take a better lawyer than me to make a case of how Keen Ice could beat California Chrome, but with the right pace scenario, you saw what happened in the Travers.
"He's a legitimate big-time horse. He can show up and give you the kind of effort that it would take if there was a pace-scenario problem."
The 4-year-old colt has two wins in 17 starts, with earnings of $1,827,645. After breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs in his second time out as a juvenile, Keen Ice ran third in the Remsen (gr. II) and the Risen Star (gr. II) before running seventh in the 2015 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). He finished third behind American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) before defeating him two months later in the Travers.
He raced three times in 2016 for trainer Dale Romans before switching to Todd Pletcher's barn in April. He finished third in an allowance/optional claiming race at Belmont Oct. 7.