Keeneland: Mike Battaglia’s picks for Sunday’s races
First post 1:05 p.m.
FIRST RACE—$21,000, claiming ($20,000), fillies & mares 3-years-old and up, 7 furlongs
PP | Horse | Wt. | Jockey | Odds |
1 | Sachi | 116 | M. Fadlovich | 10-1 |
2 | Belief | 122 | R. Hisby | 5-2 |
3 | Smilingsundae | 122 | J. Leparoux | 2-1 |
4 | Jazz Apple | 124 | A. Cox | 5-1 |
5 | Paige Got Even | 122 | D. Osorio | 3-1 |
6 | Bon Vivant | 116 | J. Gilligan | 6-1 |
Trainers: 1 I. Vazquez, 2 N. Sanchez, 3 M. Maker, 4 W. Rice, 5 T. Mills, 6 P. McEntee.
BELIEF was third when dropped to this level last out. Give her the edge in a fairly weak claiming race. PAIGE GOT EVEN drew off to win easily against a weaker field at Mahoning but does seem to be improving and is the one to beat. SMILINGSUNDAE is a definite threat.
SECOND RACE—$24,000, claiming ($16,000), 4-years-old and up, 6 1/2 furlongs, post 1:39
1 | Del Mar Sunset | 118 | C. Lanerie | 2-1 |
2 | Profluent | 120 | B. Hernandez | 3-1 |
3 | Madelyn’s Wild Max | 118 | R. Albarado | 5-1 |
4 | Utmost Intensity | 118 | M. St. Julien | 6-1 |
5 | Bracigliano | 118 | J. Castellano | 3-1 |
6 | Montezuma Express | 118 | J. Leparoux | 8-1 |
Trainers: 1 W. Catalano, 2 J. Sharp, 3 K. Bourgeois, 4 W. Duvall, 5 M. Maker, 6 D. Vance.
BRACIGLIANO lost all chance when he hopped at the start in a race here on opening day. Maker moves him up in class for this one but he is capable of winning with Castellano picking up the mount. DEL MAR SUNSET drops in class after a solid effort at Oaklawn and anything close to his best would make him tough to beat. PROFLUENT is a contender in a tough race.
THIRD RACE—$26,000, claiming ($30,000), 3-years-old and up, 6 furlongs, 2:12
1 | My Friend David | 116 | R. Hisby | 15-1 |
2 | Street Moxie | 122 | J. Bravo | 2-1 |
3 | Rare Art | 122 | B. Hernandez | 4-1 |
4 | Forest Mist | 122 | A. Jimenez | 6-1 |
5 | Flatter Me Big | 122 | Bridgmohan | 8-5 |
6 | Purimeter | 122 | M. Murrill | 8-1 |
7 | Even Rob Scores | 122 | R. Aragon | 20-1 |
Trainers: 1 N. Sanchez, 2 J. Sharp, 3 J. Sharp, 4 M. Hubley, 5 T. Amoss, 6 P. Pizzo, 7 M. Pinzon.
FLATTER ME BIG was an impressive winner here on opening day. He was claimed from that one by Tom Amoss and looks like a good bet to make it two in a row despite the class hike. STREET MOXIE is one of two in here trained by Joe Sharp. He drops in class and ran well over this track in October. RARE ART is the other Sharp trainee. He posted a near bullet work on Sunday and has to be respected.
FOURTH RACE—$23,000, maiden claiming ($40,000), 3-years-old and up, 7 furlongs, 2:45
1 | Promises to Keep | 116 | S. Doyle | 15-1 |
2 | Mountain Cry | 122 | L. Goncalves | 3-1 |
3 | Hard Labor | 116 | J. Leparoux | 3-1 |
4 | Three Fifteen | 116 | A. Jimenez | 10-1 |
5 | Duke of Denver | 122 | F. Geroux | 8-1 |
6 | L T’s Best Tale | 122 | C. Lanerie | 7-2 |
7 | Bankers Holiday | 122 | J. Rocco | 5-2 |
Trainers: 1 T. Boulmetis, 2 J. Wells, 3 I. Wilkes, 4 A. Crupper, 5 A. Granitz, 6 A. McKeever, 7 S. Hobby.
LT'S BEST TALE has been idle since October but drops in for a tag for his return. He has been training steadily and Lanerie is named to ride. HARD LABOR is a 3-year-old taking on older runners but he is lightly raced and eligible to improve. BANKERS HOLIDAY also takes the class drop.
FIFTH RACE—$62,000, allowance, fillies & mares 4-years-old and up, 1 1/8 mile (turf), 3:18
2 | Walking the Kitten | 118 | J. Leparoux | 3-1 |
3 | Ursula Andress | 118 | G. Stevens | 10-1 |
4 | Julie Darlin | 118 | M. Murrill | 15-1 |
5 | Salty Breeze | 118 | J. Castellano | 6-1 |
1 | a-Freethinker | 118 | R. Albarado | 4-1 |
1A | a-Wild Covey | 118 | C. Lanerie | 4-1 |
6 | Sister Blues | 118 | J. Graham | 4-1 |
7 | Valseuse | 118 | C. Hill | 8-1 |
8 | Dyna’s Recoleta | 118 | F. Geroux | 9-2 |
a-coupled | ||||
Trainers: 1 M. Maker, 2 K. McPeek, 3 P. Pizzo, 4 J. Carroll, 5 V. Oliver, 6 V. Oliver, 7 T. Proctor, 8 D. . Lukas, 9 R. Attfield.
SISTER BLUES had to drop in for a tag to win last out but that was an impressive score in her first try on the grass. She is facing much better today but is training well and could make it two in a row. WALKING THE KITTEN comes off two solid efforts at Fair Grounds. She figures to be tough but hasn't won a race since 2014. DYNA'S RECOLETA has been off since October but hooked stakes runners in Canada and has to be respected.
SIXTH RACE—$60,000, maiden special weight, 3-years-old, 7 furlongs, 3:51
1 | Nessy | 121 | J. Gilligan | 10-1 |
2 | Keene Sense | 121 | J. Graham | 12-1 |
3 | Conquest Streetwar | 121 | J. Lezcano | 9-5 |
4 | Fearless Dragon | 121 | P. Lopez | 8-1 |
5 | Vilma | 121 | G. Stevens | 4-1 |
6 | Abstract Cape | 121 | J. Leparoux | 5-1 |
7 | Power Driven | 121 | C. Lanerie | 7-2 |
8 | Chasin Charlie | 121 | J. Castanon | 15-1 |
Trainers: 1 J. Corrigan, 2 I. Mason, 3 M. Casse, 4 E. Guillot, 5 N. Zito, 6 B. Lynch, 7 W. Catalano, 8 T. Richardson.
CONQUEST STREETWAR exits a couple of decent races at Oaklawn and appears to be in a good spot to get his maiden win for Casse and Lezcano. POWER DRIVEN closed strongly to finish second last out in a $50,000 maiden claimer. This is a tougher spot but he looks dangerous. VILMA has a race over the track and is a contender.
SEVENTH RACE—$62,000, allowance, 4-years-old and up, 1 1/2 mile (turf), 4:24
1 | Tiz Town | 118 | B. Hernandez | 10-1 |
2 | Uncle Mitcho | 118 | R. Hisby | 30-1 |
3 | Bokeelia Island | 118 | J. Castellano | 2-1 |
4 | Circus Performer | 118 | F. Geroux | 3-1 |
5 | Johns Kitten | 118 | J. Leparoux | 10-1 |
6 | Hudatbe | 123 | A. Cox | 99-1 |
7 | Good Response | 118 | J. Bravo | 3-1 |
8 | Colonel Krenz | 118 | J. Graham | 30-1 |
9 | Tobias | 118 | S. Doyle | 10-1 |
10 | Elusive Neko | 118 | R. Albarado | 20-1 |
Trainers: 1 I. Wilkes, 2 J. Woodbury, 3 C. McGaughey III, 4 T. Pletcher, 5 M. Maker, 6 W. Rice, 7 K. McLaughlin, 8 J. McSorley, 9 R. Fernandez, 10 N. Howard.
CIRCUS PERFORMER is a lightly raced 4-year- old from the Pletcher barn. He was seventh in a tough allowance race over this turf course and is bred to love the added distance. Give him the slight edge in here. BOKEELIA ISLAND beat the top pick last out. He has never run a bad race on the grass and is the main competition. TOBIAS is proven at the mile and a half and could add value to the gimmicks.
EIGHTH RACE—$60,000, maiden special weight, fillies & mares 3-years-old and up, 6 furlongs, 4:57
1 | Ola Gatita | 116 | O. Mayta | 20-1 |
2 | Dakota Wind | 122 | F. Torres | 4-1 |
3 | Stylish Quality | 122 | J. Castellano | 2-1 |
4 | Candy Sioux | 122 | F. Geroux | 5-1 |
5 | Etiquette | 122 | J. Leparoux | 5-1 |
6 | Athena Grande | 116 | B. Hernandez | 12-1 |
7 | Delay of Game | 122 | J. Lezcano | 3-1 |
8 | Cool Cat Jazz | 122 | Bridgmohan | 15-1 |
Trainers: 1 A. Ramirez, 2 J. Baker, 3 R. Nicks, 4 M. Matz, 5 W. Bradley, 6 M. Tomlinson, 7 K. McLaughlin, 8 G. Cox.
STYLISH QUALITY and DELAY OF GAME finished a half length apart behind a runaway winner at Gulfstream. It's tough to separate the two but give a slight edge to the former off her race last year at Belmont. ETIQUETTE is training well for her 4-year-old debut.
NINTH RACE—$60,000, maiden special weight, 3-years-old, 1 1/16 mile (turf), 5:30
2 | Shoe Show King | 120 | J. Graham | 20-1 |
1 | a-Archangel Rose | 120 | B. Hernandez | 8-1 |
3 | Douglascrowfeather | 120 | R. Aragon | 30-1 |
4 | Conquest Sabre Cat | 120 | J. Lezcano | 5-1 |
1A | a-Collateral Kitten | 120 | B. Hernandez | 8-1 |
5 | Baires Boy | 120 | J. Bravo | 8-1 |
6 | Kismet’s Heels | 120 | J. Castellano | 6-5 |
7 | Ekati Wildcat | 120 | P. Lopez | 6-1 |
8 | Tacola | 120 | F. Geroux | 15-1 |
9 | Street Preacher | 120 | M. Murrill | 30-1 |
10 | Gio’s Calling | 120 | J. Leparoux | 6-1 |
a-coupled | ||||
Trainers: 1 A. McKeever, 2 J. Sharp, 3 M. Castaneda, 4 M. Casse, 5 J. Sharp, 6 I. Correas IV, 7 T. Pletcher, 8 R. Attfield, 9 M. Maker, 10 N. Pessin, 11 B. Lynch.
KISMET'S HEELS is back in against maidens after being beaten just 2 1/2 lengths in the Grade III Palm Beach. She looks like a solid bet to win at short odds. BAIRES BOY ran well in his turf debut and figures second best. CONQUEST SABRE CAT is a contender.
This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Keeneland: Mike Battaglia’s picks for Sunday’s races."