Keeneland’s Fall Stars Draws Country’s Top Star
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Wise Dan won last year's edition of the Shadwell Turf Mile on his way to a Breeders' Cup Mile victory... and Horse of the Year honors (Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire).
Keeneland will kick off the fall meeting with Fall Stars weekend, a three-day stretch of key prep races for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships that includes seven “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series races.
It’s fitting that Fall Stars weekend will be headlined by the biggest Thoroughbred racing star in the U.S. — 2012 Horse of the Year Wise Dan.
Wise Dan is a perfect 5-for-5 this year, most recently winning the Woodbine Mile Stakes by 3 ½ lengths on Sept. 15. Wise Dan has won his five 2013 races by a combined margin of 12 ½ lengths with no opponent finishing closer than a length behind.
In the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes on Saturday’s card at Keeneland, Wise Dan is scheduled to face nine challengers. Considering his dominance this season, it is a bit surprising that the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile drew so many entrants.
The top threat to Wise Dan in the Shadwell Turf Mile figures to be Silver Max. The 4-year-old Badge of Silver colt has won three of his last four starts and enters the race on the crest of back-to-back wins in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes on July 28 at Monmouth Park and the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap on August 31 at Saratoga Race Course.
Other top contenders entered in the Shadwell Turf Mile include Turallure, winner of the 2011 Woodbine Mile; 2013 Dixie Stakes winner Skyring; and multiple graded stakes winners Summer Front, Handsome Mike and Willcox Inn.
The Shadwell Mile winner earns an automatic starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Fall Stars weekend kicks off Friday with the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades serving as the feature race on the Opening Day card.
The Alcibiades is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and the 1 1/16-mile race drew 13 2-year-old fillies. My Conquestadory, the 3-to-1 morning-line favorite comes into the race off a dazzling debut race. She made her first career start in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes against males on Sept. 14 at Woodbine and powered to a 3 ¼-length romp.
Friday’s card also includes the $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes, a six-furlong race that guarantees the victor a starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
The Woodbine Mile headlines an action-packed Saturday card that includes four other graded stakes.
Two-year-olds will take center stage for the $400,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity. The 1 1/16-mile race drew a full field of 14 with two others on the also-eligible list, those two horses will need a defection from the race in order to draw in. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity winner will secure an automatic starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
The $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes is a Grade 2 race for fillies and mares that serves as a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Last year's champion female sprinter Groupie Doll headlines the race.
Saturday’s card also includes the $400,000 First Lady Stakes, a Grade 1 race for female horses at one mile on the grass; and the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes, a $150,000 turf sprint at 5 ½ furlongs.
Sunday’s card for Fall Stars weekend features two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races. The feature race is the 1 1/8-mile Spinster Stakes for fillies and mares that rewards the winner with a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 1. The Bourbon Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 2-year-olds, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
$750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes
Saturday, Keeneland Race Course, Race 9, 5:21 p.m. ET
3-year-olds and older, one mile (turf)