Keeneland: Mike Battaglia’s picks for Thursday’s races
First post 1:05 p.m.
1st-$19,000, Claiming, $10,000-$10,000, 4-Year-Olds & Up Fillies and Mares, 1 1/16 miles
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Lola Getz | 118 | C. Lanerie | 7-2 |
2 | Lady Ann | 118 | S. Doyle | 4-1 |
3 | Pinking of You | 118 | R. Albarado | 5-1 |
4 | Gilley | 118 | J. Valdivia | 8-1 |
5 | Keri This Day Lori | 118 | C. Villasana | 7-2 |
6 | Team Halo | 118 | A. Jimenez | 10-1 |
7 | Jazzy Genius | 118 | F. Geroux | 3-1 |
Trainers: 1. S. Meyers, 2. K. Gorder, 3. L. Hendrickson, 4. J. Hancock, 5. T. Short, 6. J. Davidovich, 7. J. Cowan.
LADY ANN moves up in class after winning two of her last three at Turfway. Give her the slight edge in a well matched claiming test. JAZZY GENIUS drops in class but her 2 for 38 record makes her a vulnerable favorite. KERI THIS DAY LORI is a definite threat.
2nd-$28,000, Claiming, $40,000, 3-Year-Olds & Up Fillies and Mares, Six and One Half Furlongs, 1:39
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Bella Be Proud | 116 | R. Albarado | 8-1 |
2 | Bon Heir | 122 | C. Lanerie | 7-2 |
3 | Lilly Potter | 122 | P. Ouzts | 8-1 |
4 | Bellatori | 116 | F. Geroux | 4-1 |
5 | Cool Moves | 122 | J. Gilligan | 7-2 |
6 | Latent Princess | 122 | Hernandez | 3-1 |
7 | Esken Lady | 116 | M. Murrill | 5-1 |
Trainers: 1. P. Sims, 2. K. Gorder, 3. R. Kahles, 4. A. Stall Jr., 5. I. Correas IV, 6. J. Sharp, 7. G. Dorochenko.
LATENT PRINCESS didn't show much last out but moves back to the dirt and will appreciate the drop in class. She has the tactical speed to be in good position throughout and looks best with Hernandez back aboard for Joe Sharp. COOL MOVES comes off of a couple of solid efforts at Turfway and her best makes her dangerous. BON HEIR ran well over this track last year and Lanerie rides.
3rd-$50,000, Maiden Special Weight, 2-Year-Olds Fillies, 4 1/2 furlongs, 2:12
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Lady Aurelia | 118 | J. Garcia | 4-5 |
2 | Radiantrithym | 118 | S. Doyle | 20-1 |
3 | Another Stone | 118 | C. Lanerie | 6-1 |
4 | Fashion Bid | 118 | M. Murrill | 12-1 |
5 | Murray Hillbilly | 118 | R. Hisby | 15-1 |
6 | Adalzara | 118 | C. Hill | 15-1 |
7 | Tia Celia | 118 | R. Aragon | 20-1 |
8 | Jay Wow | 118 | A. Cox | 15-1 |
9 | Better Belle | 118 | Hernandez | 4-1 |
10 | Saturday’s Catch | 118 | O. Mayta | 20-1 |
Trainers: 1. W. Ward, 2. J. Dyer, 3. J. Hancock, 4. E. Heitzmann, 5. J. Rankin, 6. M. Lightner, 7. M. Castaneda, 8. W. Rice, 9. W. . Calhoun, 10. A. Gonzalez.
LADY AURELIA is a high priced Keeneland sales grad who debuts for Wes Ward. She has been training sharply and looks like a winner at short odds. BETTER BELLE is in the capable hands of Bret Calhoun and is the one to beat. ANOTHER STONE has been training steadily and is a contender.
4th-$60,000, Maiden Special Weight, 3-Year-Olds Fillies, 1 1/16 miles (turf), 2:45
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Perfect Sarah | 120 | P. Lopez | 10-1 |
2 | Bran Bran | 120 | R. Albarado | 30-1 |
3 | Sweet Tapper | 120 | J. Bravo | 8-1 |
4 | Cape Promise | 120 | C. Lanerie | 15-1 |
5 | Veil | 120 | J. Lezcano | 3-1 |
6 | Corby | 120 | F. Geroux | 7-2 |
7 | Special Allure | 120 | J. Graham | 12-1 |
8 | Stormy Play | 120 | J. Rocco | 6-1 |
9 | Queen Caroline | 120 | J. Leparoux | 7-2 |
10 | Red Panther | 120 | S. Doyle | 30-1 |
11 | Yearning | 120 | Hernandez | 30-1 |
12 | Quigley’s Corner | 120 | D. Van Dyke | 20-1 |
13 | Brooks House | 120 | R. Albarado | 15-1 |
14. | Diamonds for Leah | 120 | C. Lanerie | 15-1 |
Trainers: 1. B. Tagg, 2. W. Catalano, 3. I. Wilkes, 4. K. McPeek, 5. C. McGaughey III, 6. B. Walsh, 7. B. Colebrook, 8. B. Colebrook, 9. M. Matz, 10. J. Dyer, 11. C. LoPresti, 12. T. Proctor, 13. P. Oliver, 14. K. McPeek.
QUEEN CAROLINE showed big improvement when moved to the turf last out. She has trained steadily since that start and figures to move forward again today. Give her the edge for Matz and Leparoux. VEIL ran well at first asking for Shug McGaughey and is also a candidate to improve with Lezcan back abaord. CORBY gets lasix for the first time and is a definite threat.
5th-$21,000, Starters Allowance, 4-Year-Olds & Up, 6 Furlongs, 3:18
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Slan Abhaile | 120 | G. Stevens | 3-1 |
2 | Ground Force | 118 | J. Castanon | 5-2 |
3 | Cam | 123 | C. Landeros | 8-1 |
4 | More Than Noble | 118 | J. Court | 10-1 |
5 | Favorite Coach | 118 | M. Franklin | 8-1 |
6 | Ocean Alley | 118 | C. Hill | 20-1 |
7 | Arsnlofdmocrcy | 118 | C. Lanerie | 5-1 |
8 | Here’s Johnny | 120 | A. Jimenez | 5-1 |
9 | Rulelikecleopatra | 113 | S. Doyle | 12-1 |
Trainers: 1. D. Bright, 2. J. Frost, 3. T. Young, 4. R. Kinmon, 5. P. Sims, 6. T. McCarthy, 7. T. Amoss, 8. J. Greenhill, 9. B. Michael.
GROUND FORCE is an 8 year of veteran who has been very popular at the claim box. He is riding a four race win streak and appears to be in a good spot to continue his streak today. SLAN ABHAILE moves up in class after being claimed from a winning effort. He likes this track and looks dangerous with Gary Stevens picking up the mount. HERE'S JOHNNY fits with these.
6th-$22,000, Claiming, $20,000, 3-Year-Olds & Up Fillies and Mares, 6 Furlongs, 3:51
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Bistro Moncur | 116 | F. Prat | 4-1 |
2 | She’s Messi | 122 | J. Graham | 10-1 |
3 | Love the Beach | 116 | M. Pedroza | 3-1 |
4 | Point of No Return | 116 | Bridgmohan | 12-1 |
5 | Blonde in the City | 122 | A. Jimenez | 7-2 |
6 | Smooth Caramel | 122 | Hernandez | 5-2 |
7 | Grand Kendra | 116 | J. Valdivia | 10-1 |
8 | Burstall | 122 | M. Murrill | 12-1 |
Trainers: 1. W. Ward, 2. L. Lay, 3. J. Smith Jr., 4. C. Brownfield III, 5. B. Colebrook, 6. A. Montano Sr., 7. E. Reed, 8. D. Ware.
SMOOTH CARAMEL drops back in for a tag for Angel Montano and has run well in both of her starts over the Keeneland surface. She appears to be in a good spot to pick up the win with Hernandez riding. BLONDE IN THE CITY is also back in a claiming race and her best makes her the one to beat. BISTRO MONCUR has good early speed from the inside post and Wesley Ward is always dangerous.
7th-$67,000, Allowance, 4-Year-Olds & Up, 1 Mile (turf), 4:24
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1. | Dimension | 118 | C. Lanerie | 8-1 |
2. | Under Control | 118 | P. Lopez | 5-1 |
3. | Vyjack | 118 | J. Lezcano | 5-2 |
4. | Hammers Terror | 118 | F. Geroux | 8-1 |
5. | Ghurair | 118 | J. Castellano | 5-1 |
6. | Kulik Lodge | 118 | D. Van Dyke | 5-1 |
7. | Tesseron | 118 | J. Bravo | 15-1 |
8. | Pleuven | 118 | J. Leparoux | 5-1 |
9. | Potomac River | 118 | M. Pedroza | 12-1 |
10. | Rise Up | 118 | J. Graham | 2-1 |
11. | One King’s Man | 118 | Hernandez | 7-2 |
Trainers: 1. C. Murphy, 2. H. . Motion, 3. W. Mott, 4. M. Maker, 5. C. Brown, 6. T. Proctor, 7. J. Carroll, 8. P. Sims, 9. J. Lopez, 10. T. Amoss, 11. J. Sharp.
VYJACK is a classy veteran who has done most of his running on the dirt. He has only tried the turf three times but ran well in all of those races and he gets the nod in what looks to be a very tough allowance race. GHURAIR has only raced once in the past two years but he has been training very well for Chad Brown and Castellano rides. UNDER CONTROLY has the benefit of a race over this turf course and is a contender.
8th-$62,000, Allowance, 4-Year-Olds & Up Fillies and Mares, 1 1/16 miles, 4:57
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1. | Queen’s Princess | 118 | J. Castanon | 3-1 |
2. | a-Romantic Vision | 118 | J. Bravo | 7-2 |
3. | Leading Edge | 118 | G. Stevens | 6-1 |
4. | Legendary Bird | 118 | C. Lanerie | 6-1 |
5. | Sweet Corine | 118 | J. Leparoux | 7-2 |
6. | a-Loom | 118 | R. Albarado | 7-2 |
7. | Carmenere | 118 | S. Doyle | 8-1 |
8. | Dee Dee Bertie | 118 | Hernandez | 9-2 |
a-Coupled | ||||
Trainers: 1. D. Romans, 2. G. Arnold, II, 3. R. Attfield, 4. I. Wilkes, 5. C. McGaughey III, 6. V. Oliver, 7. K. Gorder, 8. C. LoPresti.
DEE DEE BERTIE has been off since breaking her maiden in July but has been training steadily for her return and posted a bullet work on Sunday. She could spring the mild upset with Hernandez aboard for Charlie Lopresti. QUEEN'S PRINCESS has been running well at Gulfstream and should get a good trip from the inside post. She will be tough to beat today. SWEET CORINE is a contender.
9th-$37,000, Starters Allowance, 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/8 miles (turf), 5:30
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1. | Free Rose | 118 | S. Doyle | 30-1 |
2. | Sixes River | 118 | A. Jimenez | 9-2 |
3. | Deep Explorer | 118 | J. Castanon | 10-1 |
4. | Marrakech | 118 | F. Prat | 20-1 |
5. | a-Smarty Kitten | 118 | J. Valdivia | 3-1 |
6. | Parlay Ponti | 118 | F. Geroux | 12-1 |
7. | Tiz a Flyer | 118 | C. Sullivan | 15-1 |
8. | Ticket to Fame | 118 | Hernandez | 12-1 |
9. | Country Money | 118 | C. Hill | 7-2 |
10. | N J Cape | 118 | J. Lezcano | 15-1 |
11. | Krewe Chief | 118 | J. Leparoux | 8-1 |
12. | Parting Gift | 118 | C. Lanerie | 8-1 |
13. | Solve | 118 | J. Graham | 8-1 |
14. | a-Derby Fan | 118 | J. Castellano | 3-1 |
a-Coupled | ||||
Trainers: 1. T. McCauley, 2. W. Ward, 3. D. Habeeb, 4. L. Jolley, 5. W. Ward, 6. N. Pessin, 7. W. Bradley, 8. W. . Calhoun, 9. N. Zito, 10. W. Catalano, 11. P. Sims, 12. N. Zito, 13. A. McKeever, 14. M. Maker.
SMARTY KITTEN is one of two in here from the barn of Wesley Ward. She comes off of a solid runner up finish at Gulfstream back in January and has been training well for her return. Give her the edge. COUNTRY MONEY has also been running well on the Gulfstream turf and figures to be the main competition. SIXES RIVER is the other Ward runner. She is undefeated in two starts at Turfway and has to be considered.
This story was originally published April 21, 2016 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Keeneland: Mike Battaglia’s picks for Thursday’s races."