Day at the Races: Mongolian Saturday scores first win since Breeders’ Cup triumph

The Day at the Races

Saturday's figures: On-track attendance, 28,101, on-track betting, $1, 681,076.90; total betting including simulcast, $15,926,396.05 .

This day last year: On-track attendance, 15,984; on-track betting, $1,571,913; total betting including simulcast, $13,739,938 .

Coming up: Multiple Grade I winner I’m a Chatterbox is the overwhelming 4-to-5 morning line favorite in a field of five entered for the Grade I, $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on Sunday going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. The Grade III Dixiana Bourbon Stakes for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf is also on the card with a full field of 14 set to go to post.

Final furlong

▪  Dancing Rags and A.P. Indian, winners of Friday’s Grade I Darley Alcibiades and Grade II Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes, respectively, were each reported to be in good order Saturday morning. Graham Motion, trainer of Dancing Rags, said he is still mulling whether to keep the filly at Keeneland or ship her back to Fair Hill to prepare for a possible start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 5. Arnaud Delacour, who conditions A.P. Indian, is planning to ship his multiple Grade I-winning charge back to Fair Hill Sunday where he will prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

▪  Despite missing the break and trailing the field of eight early, Irish Jasper rallied along the rail to wear down favored Stonetastic late to win the Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes by 1¾ lengths and earn a berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park.

▪  Returning to Keeneland for the first time since winning last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Mongolian Saturday emerged with the lead at the top of the stretch after an early duel with Bucchero and Shogood and had more than enough left to hold off Hogy by a half-length to win the Grade III Woodford Stakes on the turf.

▪  The crowd of 28,101 was the second-highest attendance for a Fall Stars Saturday in track history. All-sources wagering on the 10-race card surpassed the previous record of $14,135,204 from Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007.

▪  Due to a power outage on Saturday morning that impacted Blue Grass Airport and the surrounding area, Keeneland had to delay the start of its Oct. 8 race card by 35 minutes.

This story was originally published October 8, 2016 at 9:55 PM with the headline "Day at the Races: Mongolian Saturday scores first win since Breeders’ Cup triumph."