Buy TicketsTCC Stables, R. T. Racing Stable and David Fennelly’s Competitive Market took command leaving the far turn and fended off a late run from Next Up to win Thursday’s featured $130,000 Runnymede Purse at Keeneland. (Click here for a video of the work.)
Thursday’s card marked the 90th anniversary of Keeneland. The track opened Oct. 15, 1936 for nine days of racing.
Jose Ortiz rode Competitive Market, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Authentic, to a 2½-length win in the off-the-turf 1 1/16-mile allowance race. Trained by Jose D’Angelo, Competitive Market won for the second straight start after taking another off-the-turf allowance-optional claiming race in early September at Gulfstream Park.
Competitive Market, a graduate of the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, improved to 3-for-8 with three seconds in her career and boosted her earnings to $222,475.
Perrylu and jockey Luis Saez took control early and into the first turn ahead of Competitive Market and Goats On a Tree through the opening quarter-mile in :23.86. Perrylu continued to lead through the half in :48.38, with Competitive Market and Dozen Diamonds trying to make a rally on the far turn.
Competitive Market surged past the leader approaching the quarter pole and turned for home in front. Next Up and Mario Gutierrez made a sweeping move around the far turn to reach contention but didn’t seriously threaten Competitive Market in deep stretch to finish second. Perrylu finished 9¼ lengths back in third with Goats On a Tree fourth in the field of five. Competitive Market won in 1:47 over the good main track.
Competitive Market returned $7.14, $3.44 and $2.72. Next Up paid $3.20 and $2.52, while Perrylu returned $2.64.
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Friday is College Scholarship Day Presented by Lane’s End. Click here for more information.
Keeneland will begin a 10-race card at 1 p.m. ET. The track will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $26,909.23.