Buy TicketsDr. Kapur takes Perryville two races earlier
WinStar Farm homebred Movie Night collared front-running longshot Mythical to gain command in midstretch en route a 2-length victory in the 28th running of the $400,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.
Two races earlier, Ken Ramsey’s Dr. Kapur stormed home and edged Chief Wallabee just before the finish to score a 24-1 upset victory in the 18th running of the $350,000 Perryville (G3).
Movie Night and jockey Flavien Prat rallied late to win the Lexus Raven Run, covering seven furlongs in 1:23.28 and defeating 10 other 3-year-old fillies.
Sent off at odds of 33-1, Mythical took the early lead and set fractions of :22.75, :45.84 and 1:10.34. Movie Night tracked the pace four wide down the backstretch before steadily closing the gap. In the final strides, the Speightstown filly drew alongside Mythical and pulled away to secure the victory.
Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Mythical held the place spot by 1 length over 51-1 longshot Army’s Marauder and jockey Luis Saez. Conceit was another 1¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed by 2-1 favorite Mashallah, who stumbled at the start and was never in contention. Star Actress, With a Kiss, A Fine Chardonnay, Percy’s Bar, Hen Party and Coco Connect completed the order of finish.
In capturing her third win in six starts, Movie Night boosted her bankroll to $425,965. Trained by Will Walden, she returned $9.84, $5.56 and $4.48. Mythical paid $25.46 and $16.22 and Army’s Marauder returned $13.14.
Dr. Kapur springs 24-1 upset in Perryville
Named for Dr. Sandip Kapur, a New York surgeon who performed Ramsey’s kidney transplant, Dr. Kapur — a 3-year-old son of Mo Town — won the Perryville by a neck under Tyler Gaffalione for his first graded stakes victory. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Dr. Kapur, who came into the 7-furlong Perryville off a second to Stradale in the Sept. 19 Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx Racing.
Gaffalione, aboard Dr. Kapur in his last two starts, including a win two back in a 6-furlong allowance Aug. 29 at Saratoga, allowed Dr. Kapur to race toward the back of the field while unbeaten California invader Roscoe’s Brother and Emisael Jaramillo jumped out to an early lead. Roscoe’s Brother led a group that included longshots American Man and Mo Koko through the opening quarter-mile in :22.11.
Roscoe’s Brother continued on the lead on the turn and started to edge away from American Man, 4-5 favorite Deep Flame and Chief Wallabee to the half in :44.59. Roscoe’s Brother turned for home in command, but started to tire on a 2-length lead at the eighth pole and the 6-furlong mark in 1:10.27. Chief Wallabee and Junior Alvarado gained on the leader at that point and took control near the sixteenth pole.
Gaffalione angled Dr. Kapur wide out of the turn and in and out of tiring rivals through the stretch before a hole opened up inside the sixteenth pole. Dr. Kapur surged past 6-1 third choice Chief Wallabee just before the finish to win in 1:24.25. Chief Wallabee held second by a nose after a late run from Obliteration and Flavien Prat. Roscoe’s Brother finished 1½ lengths back in fourth, while American Man, Deep Flame, Mo Koko, Street Beast, Solitude Dude and I C Light completed the field.
Bred in Kentucky by Ramsey and his late wife, Sarah, Dr. Kapur is out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Ava’s Kitten, runner-up in the 2016 Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association at Keeneland. Dr. Kapur improved to 3-for-8 with two seconds and boosted his earnings to $435,357.
Dr. Kapur returned $50.24, $14.52 and $6.80. Chief Wallabee, who has finished second or third in five stakes in his career, returned $6.54 and $3.76. Obliteration paid $3.26.
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Sunday is Heroes Day at Keeneland. Click here for more information.
Keeneland will have nine races beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The eighth race at 4:44 p.m. ET is the $350,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, racing 1½ miles on the turf.
The track will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $44,318.52.