Yesterday's figures: On-track attendance, 14,276; on-track betting, $1,012,255; total betting including simulcast, $6,013,654.
This day last year: On-track attendance, 9,638; on-track betting, $758,494; total betting including simulcast, $5,498,163.
Coming up: Keeneland is dark Monday and Tuesday and there are no stakes races Wednesday. On Thursday, defending race winner Cloudy's Knight and multiple Grade I winner Presious Passion stand out in the field of 12 slated to go to post in the Grade III Sycamore Stakes going 11/2 miles on the turf. Cloudy's Knight edged Grade I winner Winchester to take last year's Sycamore before just missing by a nose two weeks later in the Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita.
Final furlong
■ Multiple Grade I winner Blame had his first serious move since his runner-up effort in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 2, drilling four furlongs in :47.60 Sunday morning at Keeneland. "That was good and he looked great doing it. I am pleased," trainer Al Stall Jr. said about the 4-year-old son of Arch. "He will work in company next Sunday, ship to Churchill on Wednesday the 27th and have a blowout there on the 31st."
■ Speaking of Blame, his half brother, Tend, was a winner on the Keeneland card Sunday taking the day's sixth race, a 61/2-furlong optional claiming race over the main track. Tend is a five-year-old gelding by Dynaformer out of Liable.
■ Insider Tip rallied from far off the pace under Julien Leparoux to win the featured $50,923 Nuckols Purse by 11/4 lengths over En Fuego on Sunday. Trained by Neil Howard, Insider Tip covered the 1½ miles on a firm Keeneland turf course in 2:33.95.
■ The Keeneland Polytrack was playing on the quick side early on as new track records were established in back-to-back races. The first came in the day's second race, a 51/2-furlong test for $16,000 claiming fillies and mares, when Pickpocket Patty covered the distance in 1:02.99, besting the previous mark of 1:03.28 set by Delta Storm in 2008. In the third race over 61/2 furlongs, Suyeta hit the wire in 1:14.34 to top the old record of 1:14.41 set by Lady Belsara in 2007.
ALICIA WINCZE HUGHES
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