Juju’s Map Much the Best in Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades on Opening Day of Keeneland’s Fall Meet

Albaugh Family Stables’ Juju’s Map swept to the lead on the far turn and cruised to a 4¼-length victory in the 70^thrunning of the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) for 2-year-old fillies to highlight opening day of the 17-day Keeneland Fall Meet. In the race prior to the Darley Alcibiades, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Special Reserve held off Aloha West by a diminishing neck to win the 169^th running of the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2).

In the Darley Alcibiades, Juju’s Map gave trainer Brad Cox his second victory in the race to go with the triumph by British Idiom in 2019. Ridden by Florent Geroux, Juju’s Map covered the 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.52.

With the victory, Juju’s Map earned a fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Breaking from the outside post, Runup won the race to the first turn and quickly opened a daylight advantage with Juju’s Map tracking in second through fractions of :22.75 and :46.

On the far turn, Geroux angled Juju’s Map to the outside of Runup with Matareya, Penny Saver and Dream Lith taking up the chase. At the top of the stretch, Juju’s Map quickly spurted clear to erase any doubt of the outcome.

The victory was worth $240,000 and improved Juju’s Map’s earnings to $280,800 with a record of 3-2-1-0. A Keeneland September Yearling Sales graduate, Juju’s Map is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Liam’s Map out of the Flatter mare Nagambie.

Juju’s Map paid $6.80, $3.80 and $3.40. Distinctlypossible rallied for second under Tyler Gaffalione and returned $6.40 and $4.80 with Sequist finishing another neck back in third under Junior Alvarado and paying $7.40 to show.

Mama Rina was another 1¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Dream Lith and Matareya, who finished in a dead heat for fifth, Penny Saver, Miss Interpret, Runup, Myfavoritedaughter and Pipeline Girl. 

Special Reserve wins Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Special Reserve overhauled pacesetting Quick Tempo at the top of the stretch and then held off a late bid from Aloha West to win the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2).

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Joel Rosario, Special Reserve covered 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:08.54.

With the victory, Special Reserve earned a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Special Reserve broke on top out of the gate but quickly surrendered the lead to Quick Tempo, who led the field through fractions of :21.90.

Turning for home, Special Reserve shook off a brief bid from Just Might, opened a daylight margin and had enough left to hold off Aloha West.

The victory was worth $150,000 and increased Special Reserve’s earnings to $638,647 with a record of 22-8-2-7. It is the second graded-stakes victory for the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Midshipman out of the Hard Spun mare Love Spun.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of seven, Special Reserve returned $4.40, $2.80 and $2.20. Aloha West, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3 and $2.40 and finished 2 lengths in front of Mucho, who paid $4.80 to show under Reylu Gutierrez.

It was another 3 lengths back to Endorsed, who was followed in order Sir Alfred James, Just Might and Quick Tempo.

Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET and featuring five graded stakes, three of them Grade 1s, headlined by the $750,000 Keeneland Turf Mile.