Keeneland Sales Produce Seven of Eight Horses Entered in Belmont

We the People and Mo Donegal top two choices

Seven alumni of Keeneland sales – including 2-1 morning line favorite We the People and 5-2 second choice Mo Donegal – are among the eight horses entered today in the 154^th running of the $1.5 million Belmont (G1) Presented by NYRA Bets to be run Saturday at Belmont Park. 

Nine of the past 16 Belmont winners have come from Keeneland sales: Sir Winston (2019), undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify (2018), Creator (2016), Palace Malice (2013), Ruler On Ice (2011), Drosselmeyer (2010), Da’Tara (2008), Rags to Riches (2007) and Jazil (2006).

The 3-year-olds who are graduates of Keeneland sales and are entered in the 1½-mile Belmont are:

Barber Road (Race Day-Encounter) – William Simon’s WSS Racing owns Barber Road, who was second in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Southwest (G3) and third in the Rebel (G2). Susan Forrester bred the colt with Judy Curry and consigned him as a weanling to the 2019 November Breeding Stock Sale, where he sold to Long Lick Bloodstock for $15,000. Barber Road is trained by John Ortiz and will be ridden by Joel Rosario. 

Creative Minister (Creative Cause-Tamboz) – Third in the Preakness (G1), Creative Minister sold to trainer Kenny McPeek, agent, for $180,000 at the 2020 September Yearling Sale from the consignment of St George Sales. Del Ridge Farm bred Creative Minister, who is owned by Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing and Magdalena Racing. He will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

Golden Glider (Ghostzapper-Golden Scarf) – The Peter Pan (G3) runner-up is trained by Mark Casse for owners Gary Barber, Manfred Conrad and Penny Conrad. Bred by Nursery Place and Dicken Equine, Golden Glider was consigned by Nursery Place, agent, as a weanling to the 2019 November Sale, where he sold to Justin Casse, agent, for $395,000. Dylan Davis will ride the colt.
Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo-Callingmissbrown) – Co-owner Donegal Racing purchased the winner of the Wood Memorial (G2) Presented by Resorts World Casino and Remsen (G2) for $250,000 at the 2020 September Sale. Ashview Farm bred Mo Donegal with Colts Neck Stables and consigned him as agent. Donegal races Mo Donegal with Mike Repole’s Repole Stable. Todd Pletcher trains the colt, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Nest (Curlin-Marion Ravenwood) – Pletcher also trains Nest, the filly who won the Central Bank Ashland (G1), Demoiselle (G2) and Suncoast (L) and was second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Another entrant bred by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables and consigned by Ashview, agent, to the 2020 September Sale, she sold for $350,000 to Aron Wellman’s Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Mike Repole’s Repole Stable. Eclipse and Repole own Nest with Michael House. She will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator-Twinkling) – Third for owner Daniel Alonso in the Wood Memorial (G2) Presented by Resorts World Casino, Skippylongstocking was bred by Brushy Hill. South Point Sales Agency, agent, consigned him to the 2020 September Sale, where he sold to Doble Jak Investments for $15,000. Manny Franco will ride Skippylongstocking for trainer Saffie A. Joseph Jr.

We the People (Constitution-Letchworth) – The Peter Pan (G3) winner, trained by Rodolphe Brisset, is a graduate of two Keeneland sales. Bred by Henley Farms, he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, as a weanling to the 2019 November Sale and sold for $110,000 to Machmer Hall. In 2020, Machmer Hall Sales, agent for Machmer Hall, consigned the colt to the September Sale, where he sold for $220,000 to Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent. Flavien Prat will ride We the People for owners WinStar Farm, CMNWLTH, Siena Farm and Bobby Flay.