Wonder Wheel Hangs on to Win Darley Alcibiades on Opening Day of Keeneland Fall Meet and Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth

Manny Wah, Delight also take graded stakes

D J Stable’s Wonder Wheel took advantage of her inside post position to gain the early advantage and then held off late charges from Chop Chop and Raging Sea to win the 71^strunning of the $500,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) for 2-year-old fillies to highlight the opening day of Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet that runs through Saturday, Oct. 29.

With the victory, Wonder Wheel earns a fees-paid berth into the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run here Nov. 4.

Also earning fees-paid berths into the 39^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held here Nov. 4-5 were Manny Wah in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) and Delight in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2).

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Wonder Wheel covered the 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:45.17. It is the fourth win in the race for Casse, who previously won with Spring in the Air (2012), My Conquestadory (2013) and Heavenly Love (2017). Gaffalione recorded his first victory in the race.

Wonder Wheel won a six-horse charge into the first turn and led the field through fractions of :23.49, :47.16 and 1:11.60 with Xigera in closest pursuit.

On the far turn, Wonder Wheel began to open up on her pursuers and had a daylight advantage in the upper stretch. Raging Sea joined Xigera in pursuit along the inside while Chop Chop made a four-wide move from the back of the pack.

At the wire, Wonder Wheel had her nose in front of Chop Chop with Raging Sea another neck back. However, Raging Sea was disqualified from third to fourth for interfering with Xigera in the final furlong.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Wonder Wheel is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Wonder Gal. Now sporting a 4-3-1-0 record, Wonder Wheel has earned $510,725 with $275,125 coming from Friday’s winner’s check.

Sent off as the favorite, Wonder Wheel returned $10.20, $5.70 and $4.66. Chop Chop, ridden by Joel Rosario, returned $8.12 and $6.04 with Xigera returning $8.66 to show under Joe Talamo.

Following Raging Sea in order were Sabra Tuff, Mustang Lady, Boss Lady Bailey, Fun and Feisty, Stellar Lady, Take Charge Briana, Kaling, Essaouira, Just Cindy and Infinite Diamond.

Manny Wah rallies to win Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix

Susan Moulton’s Manny Wah rallied along the rail to catch Long Range Toddy in the shadow of the wire to win the 170^th running of the $350,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) by a neck.

Trained by Wayne Catalano and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Manny Wah covered the 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:10.31.

With the victory, Manny Wah earned a spot in the starting gate for the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 5. Catalano won the race last year at Del Mar with Aloha West.

Defending champion Special Reserve and Top Gunner dueled for the early lead through fractions of :22.08 and :44.75 as Manny Wah raced at the back of the eight-horse field. At the top of the stretch, Top Gunner took over and opened a daylight advantage while drifting toward the middle of the track.

With room to the inside, Long Range Toddy mounted the first challenge while to his inside Manny Wah was angling between Long Range Toddy and Baytown Bear for a clear path to the finish.

The victory was worth $208,863 and increased Manny Wah’s earnings to $791,355 with a record of 34-5-9-6. It is the first graded stakes win for Manny Wah, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Will Take Charge out of the Proud Citizen mare Battlefield Angel.

Manny Wah returned $37.14, $11.88 and $6.96. Long Range Toddy, ridden by Paco Lopez, returned $16.14 and $8.14 and finished a neck in front of Top Gunner, who paid $6.48 to show under Rey Gutierrez.

Favored Sibelius finished another 1½ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Baytown Bear, Necker Island, Sir Alfred James and Special Reserve. 
 

Delight proves to be delightful in JPMorgan Chase Jessamine

Augustin Stable’s Delight lived up to her favoritism by romping to a 5-length victory in the 32^nd running of the $350,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) for 2-year-old fillies.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas and ridden by Luis Saez, Delight covered the 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf course in 1:44.14. The victory gave Thomas his first Keeneland stakes triumph.

With the victory, Delight earned a spot in the starting gate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) to be run here Nov. 4.

Delight won the race into the first turn and opened a clear lead into the backstretch over Bling and took the field of 12 through fractions of :24.32, :49.61 and 1:14.73. Bling was still off the leader’s flank at the top of the stretch when Saez hit the gas and Delight quickly spurted clear.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Delight is a Florida-bred daughter of Mendelssohn out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Honey Trap. The victory was worth $169,725 and increased Delight’s earnings to $211,905 with a record of 4-2-0-2.

Delight returned $9.68, $5.52 and $3.92. Knockyoursocksoff, who hopped at the start and spotted the field several lengths, rallied for second under Flavien Prat and returned $6.48 and $4.58. Bling, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, was another neck back in third and paid $7.44 to show.

It was another three-quarters of a length back to Sabalenka with C C Cruise Control, Dulcia, Happy Gal, Towhead, Blind Spot, Stephanie’s Charm, Recognize and Promise of Hope following in order.

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Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET and features five graded stakes. Three are Grade 1 events headlined by the $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile.

Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $33,629.