Buy Tickets10 Keeneland sales alumni entered in Kentucky Oaks
Two Keeneland sales graduates – champion Forte and Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner Tapit Trice – lead the 13 graduates of Keeneland’s 2021 September Yearling Sale who were entered today in the 149th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Forte is the 3-1 morning line favorite for the race, and Tapit Trice is the second choice at 5-1.
Keeneland sales have produced 23 Kentucky Derby winners, including champion Nyquist (2016), Always Dreaming (2017), undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020). Justify and Authentic both were named Horse of the Year.
The 23 3-year-olds entered in the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby include these Keeneland sales graduates:
Angel of Empire (Classic Empire-Armony’s Angel): Owner Albaugh Family Stables purchased the colt, who won the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Risen Star (G2) Presented by Lamarque Lincoln and Lamarque Crescent City Ford, for $70,000 at the September Sale from the consignment of Warrendale Sales, agent. Angel of Empire also was offered as a weanling at the 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale by St George Sales, agent. Brad Cox trains Angel of Empire, who was bred by Forgotten Land Investment and Black Diamond Equine. He will be ridden by Flavien Prat.
Confidence Game (Candy Ride [ARG]-Eblouissante): Summer Wind Equine bred the Rebel (G2) winner, who sold to trainer Keith Desormeaux for $25,000 at the September Sale. Consigned by Lane’s End, agent, he races for Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Ocean Reef Racing. James Graham will ride.
Forte (Violence-Queen Caroline): The champion 2-year-old male who won this year’s Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa and the Fountain of Youth (G2), Forte is a graduate of two Keeneland sales. Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent for breeder South Gate Farm, consigned the son of Violence as a weanling to the November Sale, where he sold to Silver Hill Farm for $80,000. At the September Sale, West Bloodstock, agent for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, purchased Forte for $110,000 from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent. Todd Pletcher trains Forte, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
Jace’s Road (Quality Road-Out Post): Owners West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables purchased the Gun Runner Stakes winner for $510,000 from Book 1 of the September Sale. Bred by Colts Neck Stables, he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Jace’s Rode will be ridden by Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox.
Mage (Good Magic-Puca): Grandview Equine bred the Florida Derby runner-up, who sold to New Team for $235,000 at the September Sale from the consignment of Runnymede Farm, agent. Gustavo Delgado trains Mage for OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMMWLTH. He will be ridden by Javier Castellano.
Practical Move (Practical Joke-Ack Naughty): Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley own Practical Move, winner of the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1), San Felipe (G2) and Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). St George Sales, agent, offered Practical Move at the September Sale. Bred by Chad Brown and Head of Plains Partners, he will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez for trainer Tim Yakteen.
Raise Cain (Violence-Lemon Belle): Andrew N. Warren, who races the Gotham (G3) winner with Rania Warren, purchased the colt for $180,000 at the September Sale from the consignment of Warrendale Sales, agent. Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds bred Raise Cain, who is trained by Ben Colebrook and will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales.
Reincarnate (Good Magic-Allanah): Breeder Woods Edge Farm consigned the Sham (G3) winner to the September Sale, where he sold for $775,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for SF Bloodstock/
Starlight/Madaket. Tim Yakteen trains Reincarnate for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. He will be ridden by John Velazquez.
Skinner (Curlin-Winding Way): Warrendale Sales, agent for breeder Stonestreet Stables, consigned the third-place finisher in both the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) to the September Sale, where he sold to First Finds for $40,000. John Shirreffs trains Skinner for C R K Stable. Juan Hernandez will ride.
Tapit Trice (Tapit-Danzatrice): Whisper Hill Farm purchased the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner for $1.3 million from Book 1 of the September Sale and races him with breeder and consignor Gainesway Stable. Pletcher trains Tapit Trice, who will be ridden by Luis Saez.
Two Phil’s (Hard Spun-Mia Torri): Phillip Sagan bred the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and Street Sense (G3) winner and races him with Patricia’s Hope and Madaket Stables. Jareth Loveberry will ride Two Phil’s for trainer Larry Rivelli. Ballysax Bloodstock offered him in Book 1 of the September Sale.
Verifying (Justify-Diva Delite): Justin Casse for M.V. Magnier purchased the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) runner-up for $775,000 in Book 1 of the September Sale. He was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, who bred him in partnership with Mountmellick Farm. Brad Cox trains Verifying, who will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.
Also-eligible:
Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief-Areyoucominghere): Castleton Lyons bred the colt, who was third in the Florida Derby and the Fountain of Youth, with Kilboy Estate and races him with Albaugh Family Stables. At Book 1 of the September Sale, Albaugh purchased the colt for $450,000 from the consignment of Paramount Sales, agent. Joel Rosario is named to ride Cyclone Mischief for trainer Dale Romans.
Sales graduate, Central Bank Ashland winner Defining Purpose entered in Kentucky Oaks
Also drawn today was the field for the 149th running of the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill on Friday.
Seventeen 3-year-old fillies were entered in the 1 1/8-mile race, including 10 Keeneland sale graduates, led by 2021 January Horses of All Ages Sale graduate Defining Purpose, who won Keeneland’s $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) on April 7, and September Sale alumnus and champion Wonder Wheel.
Defining Purpose is bidding to become the latest filly to win the Central Bank Ashland and the Kentucky Oaks. Fourteen fillies have won the two races, most recently Malathaat in 2021. A total of 35 fillies who have competed in the Central Bank Ashland have won the Oaks.
Keeneland sales have produced these recent winners of the Kentucky Oaks: champion Abel Tasman(2017), champion Monomoy Girl (2018), Serengeti Empress (2019), Shedaresthedevil (2020) and champion Malathaat (2021).
Keeneland sales alumni entered in the 2023 Kentucky Oaks are:
Affirmative Lady (Arrogate-Stiffed): Owner AMO Racing USA purchased the winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) Presented by FanDuel TV for $210,000 at the September Sale. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the filly, who was bred by Alastar Thoroughbred Co. She is trained by Graham Motion and will be ridden by John Velazquez.
And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate-Be Fair): The Chandelier (G2) winner races for Peter Redekop B. C. and is trained by Peter Miller. Bred by Lara Run, And Tell Me Nolies was consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent, as a yearling to the January Sale and sold for $70,000 to D.J. Stable. Ramon Vazquez will ride.
Botanical (Medaglia d’Oro-Daisy): Clearsky Farms and Godolphin bred the winner of the Bourbonette Oaks and Cincinnati Trophy Stakes. Clearsky, agent, consigned Botanical to the September Sale, where she sold to Solis/Litt for $220,000. Brad Cox trains the filly for LNJ Foxwoods and Clearsky. She will be ridden by Chris Landeros.
Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic-Defining Hope): Colette VanMatre bred the Central Bank Ashland (G1) winner and races her with Magdalena Racing and James Ball. The filly was offered as a yearling at the January Sale by Four Star Sales, agent. Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride Defining Purpose for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Flying Connection (Nyquist-Free Flying Soul): Liberty Road Stables bred the two-time Sunland Park stakes winner, who races for Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis. Gainesway, agent, consigned her to the September Sale, where she sold for $250,000 to King, Kirby, J. Core, Lewis and R. Andrews. Todd Fincher trains Flying Connection, who will be ridden by Florent Geroux.
Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile-Mo d’Amour): Owner Robert Masterson purchased the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner for $290,000 at the September Sale from the consignment of Denali Stud, agent for breeder WinStar Farm. She is trained by Norm Casse and will be ridden by Rey Gutierrez.
The Alys Look (Connect-Foul Play): G. Watts Humphrey Jr. bred the filly, winner of the Silverbulletday (L) and third in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Consigned by Lane’s End, agent, to the September Sale, she sold to Thrash/Payne Racing for $60,000. The Alys Look races for Ike and Dawn Thrash and is trained by Brad Cox. Luis Saez will ride.
Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief-Wonder Gal): Three Chimneys Farm and Clearsky Farms bred the champion 2-year-old filly. Clearsky, agent, consigned Wonder Wheel to the September Sale, where owner D.J. Stable bought her for $275,000. She is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.
Also-eligibles:
Taxed (Collected-Yankee Union): Breeder Brereton Jones’ Airdrie Stud consigned the Fantasy (G3) and Martha Washington Stakes runner-up to the September Sale, where she sold for $27,000 to Pro Racing Stable, agent. Randy Morse trains Taxed for Richard Bahde. Rafael Bejarano is to ride.
Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief-Tapella): Breeder Candy Meadows sold the Golden Rod (G2) winner, who was third in the Rachel Alexandra (G2), for $510,000 to Lauren Carlisle, agent, at Book 1 of the September Sale. Owned by Gold Standard Racing Stable, she is trained by Tom Amoss. Edgar Morales is to ride.