Millionaire and Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) participants Classic Road 12 horse field spotlight for $300,000 a mile Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) on October 29 at Keeneland.
He will face stiff competition from people like Craftiness and Balnikhov among others.
The son of Giant high riser is the biggest name in the field but is finishing seventh in the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) on the same track as Saturday’s race. He’s got three wins and three thirds this year, but the problem may be the gap.
Prior to the Coolmore Turf Mile, Kenny McPeek’s trainees often started strong and then faded as the race lasted a mile or so.
“I’d like to think he could be a little more adaptive at this stage,” McPeek said. “We’ll leave it to (rider Brian Hernandez Jr.). Brian has ridden him there once or twice and knows a little bit about him. But it will be interesting to see how he rates. “
In the Caesars Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T), the Classic Causeway led the way to the 1/4 mile mark and finished third. Before that, he soon took the lead in the Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) but could not hold it.
It was a similar story on dirt track in the Ohio Derby (G3) and Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1).
The exception, at least since the spring, is the Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). In that race, he led the gate with a surprise long shot 26-1.
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“The last time (Coolmore Turf Mile) we got him running, we put him against older horses,” McPeek said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s going to be 3-year-olds; it’s going to be right down his alley. This will be his last race of the season.”
Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper Classic Causeway (4-1) is one of the faster horses in the field, a talent he failed to show in the Kentucky Derby in the 20-man field.
He certainly won’t be intimidated by the field. Of his 12 career starts, all but his maiden have a ranked contribution.
If the path is fast Saturday, the biggest threat in terms of speed is Balnikhov. The Adaay gelding, coached by Phil D’Amato, with a score of 8-1, hasn’t been tested to the level the Classic Causeway has, but he has finished in the top four in five starts this year. This includes a second in the American Turf Sprint presented by BMW (G2T) and most recently, a fourth in the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby (G2T). He is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Old Bones Racing Stable.
And while no one else in the field has been able to earn a Classic Causeway career, the third-place earner — Wit — is the favorite (3-1) to win the race. race.
The son of Realistic jokes was very impressed. He was 4-2-1 in the eight games he started his career. And, like the Classic Causeway, races almost exclusively in decentralized stakes. He came in second behind another Bryan Station competitor, Ready to Purrform , which is 1 1/4 the length in the National Museum of the Shared Hall of Fame (G2T). Wit, owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable, also ranked fourth in the Woody Stephens Bet presented by Mohegan Sun (G1), behind Jack Christopher and won one in the Bay Shore Stakes (G3).
Back in 2021, Wit, who was coached by Todd Pletcher, won his second Sanford Stakes (G3), finishing second in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and third in the Champagne Stakes (G1).
This will be his third game on the pitch.
“He was successful from the very beginning and very early on at the age of 2,” says Pletcher. “He was back at the Bay Shore, but then he stalled a little bit. We blocked him on the pitch and was like ‘Wow, that’s impressive.'”
The rest of the school includes: Portfolio company (8-1), Double Clutch (10-1), Play Action Pass (10-1), Fuerteventura (15-1), Fort Washington (15-1), Axthelm (20-1), The facility is stolen (20-1), and Wow Whata Summer (30-1). Gold Dakota (8-1), Church area (8-1), Red Danger (20-1), and Lack of clothes (30-1) also qualify.
Item: Bryan S. Station (G3T)
KeenelandSaturday, October 29, 2022, Race 8
- Level IIIT
- 1m
- Turf
- 300,000 dollars
- 3 yo
- 4:44 pm (local)
