Hashtag Bourbon Tough in Breeders' Futurity

Bourbon Lane Stable’s Hashtag Bourbon, who broke his maiden in the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes and then finished a troubled third in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs, looks as if he will take a lot of beating with a clean trip in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland Oct. 4.

The son of Super Saver   was stuck down on the inside after breaking from post 1 in the Iroquois Stakes Sept. 6 and was unable to shake free in the stretch until it was too late when beaten by 1 3/4 lengths.

After shipping to Keeneland, he breezed five furlongs in :59 2/5 for trainer Kellyn Gorder and then two works later, turned in a bullet half-mile breeze in :47 1/5 Sept. 29, suggesting he has really taken to the new dirt surface.

Julien Leparoux gets the mount and will have to save ground this time, breaking from post 10 in the 12-horse field.

The Breeders' Futurity, scheudled for a 5:08 p.m. EDT post time as race 8 on Keeneland's Saturday card, is a Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" Race for the Juvenile Turf (gr. IT).

Hashtag Bourbon’s main foe should be Bold Conquest, who finished ahead of him in the Iroquois while getting beat a neck by Lucky Player. The son of Curlin  , trained by Steve Asmussen for Ackerley Brothers Farm, was second in his career debut at Saratoga before breaking his maiden by a head at the Spa. Stretching out from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles for the Iroquois, he rallied from sixth to get a short lead in the stretch, only to be nipped near the wire.

Rosie Napravnik, who was aboard when Bold Conquest broke his maiden, will be back up and will break from post 6.

An intriguing horse in the field is Conquest Stables’ Conquest Tsunami, who is undefeated in four starts with two stakes victories at Woodbine, but all have been on either Polytrack or grass. The son of Stormy Atlantic   romped on the Polytrack in Woodbine's Victoria and Colin before scoring a game head victory in an allowance race on the grass, also at Woodbine. Patrick Husbands rides for trainer Mark Casse and drew post 7.

Another intriguing horse is Firespike, who tries the dirt for the first time for trainer Mike Maker and gets Mike Smith. The son of Flower Alley is bred for the dirt and closed like a rocket to break his maiden on grass at Saratoga last time out going 1 1/16 miles.

Two other horses with stakes credentials are Zayat Stables pair of Mr. Z and Sharm, both trained by D. Wayne Lukas. Mr. Z, a son of Malibu Moon  , had horrible racing luck in his second-place finishes in the Sanford Stakes (gr. III) and Saratoga Special (gr. II), and then was a disappointing fifth, beaten nearly 10 lengths, in the Iroquois as the 6-5 favorite.

Sharm, a son of Majestic Warrior  , is still a maiden after three starts, and was a distant third in the grade I Hopeful Stakes, beaten 14 3/4 lengths on a good track at Saratoga Sept. 1.

Jon Court picks up the mount on Mr. Z and Luis Saez will aboard Sharm for the first time. The colts drew next to each other in posts 3 and 4.

W V Jetsetter, owned by Reeves Thoroughbreds and R.A. Hill Stable, will have to overcome post 12, but gets blinkers for trainer George Weaver. The Texas-bred son of Jet Phone captured a restricted stakes at Lone Star Park before finishing a solid third in the Saratoga Special in his most recent try.

Of course, there is the usual group of maiden winners moving up to grade I company. Breaking from the rail will be Gary and Mary West’s Tough Customer, who scored by 5 1/2 lengths in his career debut Sept. 26 at Churchill Downs for trainer Wayne Catalano. The son of Giant's Causeway   will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan.

Todd Pletcher will be stretching out WinStar Farm’s Carpe Diem following a 2 1/2-length wire-to-wire tally at 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga. John Velazquez will again ride the son of Giant’s Causeway and break from post 5.