Diodoro Duo Works Toward Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Later Friday morning at Keeneland, Southern Equine Stables’ Keepmeinmind, runner-up in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), and stablemate Dreamer’s Disease, an easy allowance winner here Oct. 3, drilled 5 furlongs in company in preparation for possible starts in the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Nov. 6.

With trainer Robertino Diodoro watching trackside, Keepmeinmind with David Cohen aboard broke off 3 lengths behind Dreamer’s Disease and Adam Beschizza. At the wire, the difference was a length with Keepmeinmind credited with a :58.20 clocking and Dreamer’s Disease in :58.60. The duo galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:11.40.

Diodoro believes Keepmeinmind deserves a shot at the Breeders’ Cup even though the son of Laoban is a maiden after two starts. His resume going into the Breeders’ Cup is similar to Good Magic, who won the 2017 Juvenile and earned the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male.

“In the Breeders’ Futurity, he got in some traffic on the turn but then David (Cohen) tipped him to the outside and he came on again,” Diodoro said about Keepmeinmind. “I may have different thoughts if he had had the perfect trip, but there are two factors here: one, the trouble he had in the last race, and two, the way he has been training.”

Today’s work came on the heels of a :49.20 half-mile on Oct. 17. Keepmeinmind is scheduled to have his final pre-Breeders’ Cup work Oct. 30.

Diodoro said if Dreamer’s Disease, another Southern Equine homebred by Laoban, does not get in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile field, he would pass on running the colt in the $100,000 Nyquist at 6½ furlongs here on the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup undercard and likely wait for a race at Churchill Downs that month.