October 6, 2023
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
How do you like your Stakes?
Kentucky-bred bragging rights are on the line this Sunday at Keeneland… and with a storyline so rare it’s blue.
This year’s running of the $350,000 Bourbon Stakes (G2T) could just as reasonably be called the all-Kentucky classic considering all 12 runners were bred in the Bluegrass State. In this same group of Kentucky’s finest, 11 of the dozen competitors won their previous race. Oh, and all but one are colts.
But don’t worry, a string of bizarre coincides doesn’t complicate the betting angle. The field of 2-year-old’s is led by 3-1 favorite Noted, who most recently won the Sapling Stakes on Aug. 26.
An interesting name to keep an eye on is Vote No (8-1), who’s 2-0-0 to start his career. The William Morey-trainee is also the most accomplished runner in terms of career earnings, thanks to a win in September’s $487,500 Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs. For that score, he returned $27.22 on a $2 bet.
Experience or Potential?
All the talk heading into Saturday’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) is that it’s Locked’s to lose. At odds of 7-5 on the opening line, there’s plenty of merit to that discussion, but the $600,000 affair will by no means be a cake walk.
Right behind the favorite is Awesome Road (3-1) and Timberlake (7-2, cross-entered in the Grade 1 Champagne on Sunday at Belmont), who both bring very intriguing upside to this Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event despite their relative inexperience. The former is 1-0-0 in one career start, while the latter is 1-1-0 in three tries.
Being a race for 2-year-olds, most of the nine-horse field haven’t had much run either. However, West Saratoga (15-1), a graded stakes winner (Grade 3 Iroquois) with six career contests under his belt, is the most experienced and accomplished of the bunch.
Having raced on the Keeneland dirt once before, West Saratoga presents intriguing value to show (finish first, second, or third) on Oct. 7.
Four-for-One
Two-for-one events are cool, but have you heard about the four-for-one?
Between you and me, there’s four stakes races going off on Woodbine’s Sunday afternoon card, including two Grade 1 showdowns in the Canadian International (G1T) and E.P. Taylor (G1T).
Irish-bred Nations Pride, a multiple graded stakes winner, has his sights set on the $750,000 Canadian International. The colt owns a stellar 8-2-1 line from 13 career starts, and rides into Sunday on the heels of a Group 1 win in Germany.
The other $750,000 main event, the E.P. Taylor Stakes, features homegrown hero and 2022 King’s Plate winner, Moira. Despite an uncharacteristic stretch after her Plate triumph, the filly has rounded back into form, posting a 1-3-0 line in her last four efforts.
Also, on Sunday’s 11-race card is the $250,000 Nearctic Stakes (G2T) and $200,000 Algonquin Stakes. Think of these clashes as undercard events that would stand as the headliners on most other days.
Champagne Showers
The Dom Pérignon isn’t on ice just yet, but it won’t be long before the wining connections celebrate a victory in the Champagne Stakes (G1).
Going down on Saturday at Aqueduct, the champion of the $500,000 affair will earn a spot in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Early on, Fierceness (6-5) and General Partner (7-2) stand out from the field of eight because of their blazing speed.
Fierceness, unaffected by muddy track conditions, put on a dominant display in his debut race, winning by 11 lengths on Aug. 25. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, has won the Champagne stakes a record six times, with the last coming in 2014.
On the flip side, General Partner finished fourth in his first career contest, but emerged victorious in his second try on Sep. 2. The colt will try to become the third consecutive Chad Brown trainee to uncork a winning effort in the Champagne Stakes.
The Amazing Webslinger
Webslinger’s Spidey Senses are tingling ahead of Saturday’s $500,000 Jockey Club Derby (G3) at Aqueduct.
At 7-2, the gelding enters the 1 3/8-mile turf test for 3-year-olds with the second-lowest odds behind lightly raced 2-1 favorite Measured Time (GB). Backed by the hall of fame trainer-jockey duo of Mark Casse and Javier Castellano, Webslinger has put together an impressive 11-start career that has resulted in just one finish outside the top four.
In 2023, he’s 3-2-1 in seven runs, capped off by a victory in the American Turf Stakes (G2T).
Webslinger’s main foe, Measured Time, offers an intriguing mix of mysteriousness and potential. The colt is undefeated to start his career but has only competed in three lower-level dashes. He now faces his stiffest challenge to date in his North American debut, this Saturday.
