Java's War Wins Blue Grass, Palice Malice 2nd

Will Take Charge remains a strong possibility for the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 13, Lukas said. However, he said another option with the horse, who leads all 3-year-olds in points towards the Kentucky Derby with 60, is to train up to the May 4 classic at Churchill Downs.

"He's in a tremendous growth spurt right now," Lukas said of Will Take Charge. "Weekly, I think he grows an inch! He's like that kid that you wake up one day and all of the sudden he's six-foot-six. This horse is making such a growth spurt and he's maturing rapidly. I think he's headed in the right direction, big time."

Will Take Charge races for Willis D. Horton.

Until they switch from Flubber to dirt, the Bluegrass will continue to be an irrelevant prep as was the SA Derby during the Flubber years. This is not rocket science but it is Quantums!

As of now only 1 Baffert (War Academy) and 1 Pletcher (Charming Kitten) expected LOL

Full field expected in Blue Grass

A full gate of 14 three-year-olds likely will be the order of the day for the 89th running of the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes, the centerpiece of Keeneland's 16-day spring meet, to be run April 13.

With 170 points available in the Kentucky Derby Championship Series with 100 points going to the winner, the Blue Grass represents one of the final major steps toward the starting gate for the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Second place is worth 40 points, with 20 for third and 10 for fourth.

Tops among the three-year-olds considering the Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack are Willis D. Horton's Will Take Charge and John Oxley's Uncaptured.

Trained by two-time Blue Grass winner D. Wayne Lukas, Will Take Charge broke his maiden at Keeneland last fall in his second start and this year has won the Smarty Jones and Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Will Take Charge has 60 Kentucky Derby points.

Uncaptured, winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club and Grade 3 Iroquois last fall at Churchill Downs, finished second in his 2013 debut on March 23 in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park. A winner of six of eight career starts, Uncaptured is trained by Mark Casse.

Other horses considered as probable for the Blue Grass by Keeneland Racing Secretary Ben Huffman are Charming Kitten, trained by Todd Pletcher; Dewey Square (Dale Romans), Dynamic Sky (Casse), Falling Sky (John Terranova), Fear the Kitten (Mike Maker), Footbridge (Eoin Harty), Java's War (Ken McPeek), Noble Tune (Chad Brown), Reporting Star (Kathleen O'Connell), Rydilluc (Gary Contessa), Tesseron (Josie Carroll), Tiz a Minister (Paul Aguirre), Undrafted (Wesley Ward) and War Academy (Bob Baffert).

War Academy has also been mentioned as likely for the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, however, on the same day at Oaklawn Park, and Tiz a Minister is listed as a candidate for Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby as well.

Pletcher revealed that Palace Malice could come right back for the Blue Grass after his troubled seventh in this past Saturday's Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, where he was blocked for much of the stretch. Blue Grass possibles also include Eton Blue (Nick Zito) and Mudflats (Doug O'Neill).

Rydilluc, winner of the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 3 in his most recent start, arrived at Keeneland Monday morning.

Entries for the Blue Grass will be taken April 10.

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It's Official: Palace Malice to Blue Grass
ShareThis4/5/201311:32 am
By Dick Downey
@downeyprofile

With Cot Campbell confirming that Palace Malice will be entered in the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, there are some provisos.

“We expect to obtain a top rider, and need to get a good post position," Campbell said. "Otherwise, we will re-adjust our plans.”

On Tuesday before the Grade II Louisiana Derby, Dogwood Stables' Cambell said if Palace Malice would get another chance to make the Kentucky Derby if he ran well but didn't get the points he needed.

“Our colt’s Louisiana Derby effort was a non-race, in that he was completely blocked for the last half-mile," Campbell said. "We said if he ran a competitive race but got no points, we would consider the Blue Grass two weeks later. This is what happened. Palace Malice arrived back at Todd Pletcher’s barn unscathed and had good energy after a race in which he had no opportunity to ‘lay it on the line’."

The colt would not be sent into totally uncharted waters at Keeneland.

“Palace Malice showed a liking for the Keeneland Polytrack when he worked on it prior to the 2012 2-Year-Old Sale where I bought him," said Campbell. "Our colt will ship to Churchill on April 8 and be ready for what comes up.”

www.thedowneyprofile.com/More_Racing_News/2013/04/05/its-official-palace-malice-to-blue-grass.601207

Bloodgusher - Are you still on him?

Brown: Balance the Books to Blue Grass


Trainer Chad Brown told Keeneland officials April 8 he will enter Balance the Books instead of Noble Tune in the April 13 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).

Brown said Noble Tune, who had been considered for the race, instead would make his next start in the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) Churchill Downs May 3. Noble Tune breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 on the Keeneland Polytrack April 7, while Balance the Book covered four furlongs in :48 2/5 on the same surface the same day.

"I don't feel like (Noble Tune has) handled the Polytrack as well as I would have hoped, but Balance the Books is now a probable to run in there," said Brown, who trains Balance the Books for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence.

Balance the Books, a 3-year-old by Lemon Drop Kid , is coming off an 11th-place finish in the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) on Polytrack at Turfway Park March 23. The race marked his first start of 2013.

"Things didn't go his way," Brown said. "He never really ran but half of the race. I was so surprised he didn't handle it. Maybe it was Turfway or the shipping. I bought that horse at Keeneland last year, and I thought he'd trained so well on the Polytrack before I bought him.

"He breezed (April 7) just as I suspected he would on Poly–terrific. I'm going to draw a line through Turfway and take a shot in the (Toyota) Blue Grass."

Javier Castellano will ride Balance the Books.

In other Blue Grass news, Long Island Racing Stables, Sunrise Stables, and Gina Bentivegna's West Hills Giant worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on the fast Belmont Park training track. Trainer John Terranova said West Hills Giant would arrive at Keeneland April 9.

Darley Stable's Footbridge worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on the Cushion Track at Betfair Hollywood Park April 8. Trained by Eoin Harty, Footbridge is scheduled to ship to Keeneland April 9 as well.

Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass will be drawn April 10.



Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/77404/brown-balance-the-books-to-blue-grass#ixzz2PufJPkVt

Blue Grass gets 15, Uncaptured 7-2 favorite
By Marty McGee

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Uncaptured has been listed as a 7-2 morning-line favorite after being assigned post 7 among a full gate of 14 3-year-olds for the Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, the annual Keeneland showcase which will be run Saturday for the 89th time.

Uncaptured, with Miguel Mena to ride, is a slight favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race over Java’s War (post 4, Julien Leparoux, 4-1) and Rydilluc (post 13, Edgar Prado, 4-1). In all, 15 were entered, with Divine Ambition a lone also-eligible.

The Blue Grass, which offers 100 points to the winner (and 170 overall) on the new eligibility system in use toward the Kentucky Derby, is one of five graded stakes to be run here Saturday. It will be featured along with the Arkansas Derby on a 90-minute broadcast (4:30 p.m. Eastern) on the NBC Sports Network, with post time for the Blue Grass set for 5:40.

Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Post Horse Jockey Odds

1 Dynamic Sky, J. Rosario, 10-1

2 My Name is Michael, S. Bridgmohan, 15-1

3 Undrafted, C. Nakatani, 10-1

4 Java’s War, J. Leparoux, 4-1

5 Palace Malice, G. Gomez, 8-1

6 Channel Isle, J. Rocco Jr., 30-1

Uncaptured, with Miguel Mena to ride, is a slight favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race over Java’s War (post 4, Julien Leparoux, 4-1) and Rydilluc (post 13, Edgar Prado, 4-1). In all, 15 were entered, with Divine Ambition a lone also-eligible.

The Blue Grass, which offers 100 points to the winner (and 170 overall) on the new eligibility system in use toward the Kentucky Derby, is one of five graded stakes to be run here Saturday. It will be featured along with the Arkansas Derby on a 90-minute broadcast (4:30 p.m. Eastern) on the NBC Sports Network, with post time for the Blue Grass set for 5:40.

Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Post Horse Jockey Odds

1 Dynamic Sky, J. Rosario, 10-1

2 My Name is Michael, S. Bridgmohan, 15-1

3 Undrafted, C. Nakatani, 10-1

4 Java’s War, J. Leparoux, 4-1

5 Palace Malice, G. Gomez, 8-1

6 Channel Isle, J. Rocco Jr., 30-1

Uncaptured, with Miguel Mena to ride, is a slight favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race over Java’s War (post 4, Julien Leparoux, 4-1) and Rydilluc (post 13, Edgar Prado, 4-1). In all, 15 were entered, with Divine Ambition a lone also-eligible.

The Blue Grass, which offers 100 points to the winner (and 170 overall) on the new eligibility system in use toward the Kentucky Derby, is one of five graded stakes to be run here Saturday. It will be featured along with the Arkansas Derby on a 90-minute broadcast (4:30 p.m. Eastern) on the NBC Sports Network, with post time for the Blue Grass set for 5:40.

Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Post Horse Jockey Odds

1 Dynamic Sky, J. Rosario, 10-1

2 My Name is Michael, S. Bridgmohan, 15-1

3 Undrafted, C. Nakatani, 10-1

4 Java’s War, J. Leparoux, 4-1

5 Palace Malice, G. Gomez, 8-1

6 Channel Isle, J. Rocco Jr., 30-1

7 Uncaptured, M. Mena, 7-2

8 Charming Kitten, J. Bravo, 10-1

9 Tesseron, A. Garcia, 50-1

10 Footbridge, C. Lanerie, 20-1

11 Balance the Books, J. Castellano, 15-1

12 West Hills Giant, J. Espinoza, 20-1

13 Rydilluc, E. Prado, 4-1

14 Fear the Kitten, R. Napravnik, 30-1

15(ae) Divine Ambition, J. Graham, 50-1

All carry 123 pounds

www.drf.com/news/keeneland-blue-grass-gets-15-uncaptured-7-2-favorite

The $750,000, GI Toyota Bluegrass Stakes might just be our favorite 3yo race of the spring each year, as 14, 3YOs, usually critical need for some derby points, that will for many in here be a first time have to navigate this Keeneland poly surface and do it at a distance of a 1 1/8 mile which few of them will have any experience at. It’s a recipe for a wild GI outcome here at Keeneland every spring.

1. Dynamic Sky J Rosario 123 M E Casse 10/1
2. My Name Is Michael S Bridgmohan 123 W I Mott 15/1
3. Undrafted C S Nakatani 123 W A Ward 10/1
4. Java’s War J R Leparoux 123 K G McPeek 4/1
5. Palace Malice G K Gomez 123 T A Pletcher 8/1
6. Channel Isle J Rocco, Jr. 123 D W Lukas 30/1
7. Uncaptured M Mena 123 M E Casse 7/2
8. Charming Kitten J Bravo 123 T A Pletcher 10/1
9. Tesseron A Garcia 123 J Carroll 50/1
10. Footbridge C J Lanerie 123 E G Harty 20/1
11. Balance the Books J Castellano 123 C C Brown 15/1
12. West Hills Giant J L Espinoza 123 J P Terranova, II 20/1
13. Rydilluc E S Prado 123 G C Contessa 4/1
14. Fear the Kitten R Napravnik 123 M J Maker 30/1

Picks are – 13,7,4,5 exacta box, with the 3,1 or 8 in the super spot!

downthestretchs.wordpress.com/2013-gi-toyota-bluegrass-stakes-post-positions-picks-ml-odds-free-pps/

PP's
www.brisnet.com/php/bw_pdf_viewer.php?track=KEE&race=10&date=2013-04-13

BG - LOL I'm putting him in my exacta box! He's better than his last and it was his first start this year so maybe he needed a race - and - he will be nice odds!

Top two finishers will earn ticket to Kentucky Derby
By Marty McGee


LEXINGTON, Ky. – With college basketball and horse racing being as wildly popular as they are here, folks may find delight – along with a touch of irony – in recognizing a tournament-style elimination being a part of the racing game Saturday at Keeneland.

This is the home of the 2012 NCAA champion University of Kentucky, where 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will try earning a berth three weeks hence in a certain race at a certain racetrack that borders the University of Louisville, Kentucky’s arch-rival and the newly crowned 2013 NCAA champion.

Indeed, the discussion goes hoops-to-hooves Saturday when a successful run over 1 1/8 miles of Polytrack in the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes will translate to 72 miles’ worth of pavement to Churchill Downs, where a spot in the 139th Kentucky Derby awaits.

“This is a huge test for everybody involved,” said Mark Casse, who has two horses among the 14 entered in the 89th Blue Grass, including Uncaptured, the tepid morning-line favorite at 7-2. “Making it into the Derby has come down to this one race – just like we’ve been expecting for months.”

Lacking any of the consensus favorites or top point-earners for the May 4 Derby, the Blue Grass could have its top two finishers proceed to Louisville, but that might be all. The race is worth 170 points on the new eligibility system in use toward the Derby, with 100 to the winner and 40 to the runner-up. All that drama will play out during a 90-minute NBC broadcast (4:30 p.m. Eastern), with post time set for 5:40.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Uncaptured, with Miguel Mena riding from post 7, had what Casse termed a “critical” outing three weeks ago when he returned from a four-month layoff to finish second in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes over the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park. The Ontario-bred Uncaptured is 6 for 8 lifetime.

“Getting him back to that race was a really tough deal this winter,” said Casse, referring to minor injuries that interrupted the colt’s training. “But now that he ran so big at Turfway and came out of the race as well as we did, we’re full speed ahead into this one.”

The other Casse starter, Dynamic Sky, does not have the splashy record of his stablemate, but the late-running colt does have the advantage of post 1 and will be ridden by Joel Rosario, the leading jockey so far at the spring meet.

“We’d just love for him to run his way into the Derby because we really think he could be very effective with the [1 1/4-mile] distance,” said Casse.

Dynamic Sky is listed at 10-1 on the morning line, with the good news being that long-priced horses have dominated the Blue Grass since it was first moved to Polytrack for the 2007 running. Only Dullahan, a 3-1 shot last year, has won the race at lower than 8-1 in those six runnings. The last favorite to win the Blue Grass was Peace Rules in 2003.

Still, the logic of past performances say that if Uncaptured does not come through Saturday, it will be one of the other likely favorites, Java’s War or Rydilluc, or one of the fringe contenders, such as the uncoupled Todd Pletcher duo of Palace Malice and Charming Kitten.

Java’s War (post 4, Julien Leparoux) was a decent third on the Polytrack here last fall in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity behind Joha and Dynamic Sky, and trainer Ken McPeek is eager to see how the late-striding colt fares in his return. Java’s War was second to the highly regarded Verrazano in his only start so far this year, the March 9 Tampa Bay Derby.

“He’s a tough horse,” said McPeek. “He really tries. With a good trip, I expect him to be moving fast at the end.”

Rydilluc (post 13, Edgar Prado) has been a terror in winning his last three races, all on grass, and New York trainer Gary Contessa is pumped about having such a talent in his barn.

“The good thing about him is obviously he has speed, but he’ll also rate if you need to,” said Contessa, responding to inquiries about how the race shape may affect his chances.

Palace Malice (post 5, Garrett Gomez) encountered considerable traffic when finishing seventh behind his Pletcher stablemate, Revolutionary, two weeks ago in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. The fact Palace Malice had such a poor trip led Pletcher and the colt’s ownership group at Dogwood Stable to quickly settle on giving him another chance by running back as quickly as they are.

Charming Kitten (post 8, Joe Bravo), second to Rydilluc in the Palm Beach Stakes on the Gulfstream Park turf last month, is a Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred with no experience in dirt races – not that Ramsey cares.

“I know the Derby is on the dirt, but I’ll get there any way I can,” he said. “There’s 100 [Derby] points here to the winner. We’ll sure take ’em if we can get ’em.”

Prado, with three, has the most prior Blue Grass victories among jockeys in this edition, while Pletcher and his former boss, D. Wayne Lukas, lead the trainers with two wins each. Lukas is represented here by Channel Isle.

Twenty-three Kentucky Derby winners have prepped in the Blue Grass, with Street Sense, the 2007 Blue Grass runner-up, being the latest to use the race as a springboard to Derby victory. The last of 11 horses to win both races was Strike the Gold in 1991.

The Blue Grass is directly preceded by four straight graded stakes as the 10th of 12 Saturday races and ends a 50-cent pick four wager (races 7-10) with a guaranteed pool of $250,000. Those other stakes are the Grade 3 Commonwealth (race 6), Grade 3 Shakertown (race 7), Grade 1 Madison (race 8), and Grade 1 Jenny Wiley (race 9). First post is 1:05.

The Saturday weather forecast calls for sunny skies and a high temperature of 55. Last year, the all-time Keeneland records for ontrack attendance (40,617) and all-sources handle ($21.6 million) were set on Blue Grass Day.

www.drf.com/news/blue-grass-stakes-top-two-finishers-will-earn-ticket-kentucky-derby

Always have to give a good look at Godolphin. Hey - Balance the Books and Footbridge would be a helluva an exacta LOL

Footbridge aims to buck history in Blue Grass

Godolphin Racing's Footbridge attempt to overcome some serious history on Saturday when he makes his stakes debut in the 89th running of the Blue Grass Stakes. No horse has won this major Keeneland prep for the Kentucky Derby after breaking his maiden in his previous start, something Footbridge accomplished in his fourth start.

Footbridge, who will be ridden for the first time by Corey Lanerie, is the only 2013 Blue Grass entrant coming into the race off a maiden win. The Street Cry colt and did not make his debut until December 26, the latest starting point for any Blue Grass starter.

"I did not get him until September," trainer Eoin Harty said. "He was very straightforward and did things very easily. It was not like the light bulb just went on."

In his debut, going 6 1/2 furlongs, Footbridge finished third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths. Following two consecutive runner-up finishes going a mile, Footbridge reached the winner's circle with a victory by three-quarters of a length in a mile race at Santa Anita on March 17.

That victory put Footbridge into consideration for the Blue Grass, a race that awards the winner 100 qualifying points and a spot in the starting gate for the 139th Kentucky Derby.

"It's the nature of the beast," Harty said about making the jump to Grade 1 stakes company for a shot at the Run for the Roses. "It is not like he is coming in here off a 47 Beyer (speed figure) and the company line of who he has been running against is very strong."

In the race before he broke his maiden, Footbridge finished a neck behind Govenor Charlie, who won the Sunland Derby in his next start in track-record time.

On Friday morning, Footbridge visited the Keeneland starting gate and then galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Tim Neal.

"The gate this morning is part of my regular routine," Harty said, noting that Footbridge has not had any gate issues.

"He has been training on a synthetic surface (the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park) and he is improving every race."

In other Blue Grass activity at Keeneland Friday morning,Uncaptured and Dynamic Sky, both trained by Mark Casse, galloped 1 1/2 miles after the renovation break. Wayne Brown was on Uncaptured, the race's 7-2 morning-line favorite, and Juan Bernardini was on Dynamic Sky.

West Hills Giant galloped a little less than 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider Leo Garcia up before the break to the delight of trainer John Terranova.

"He has done well here," Terranova said of West Hills Giant, who arrived at Keeneland Tuesday morning. "He settled in nicely and has gotten over the track well."

Rydilluc made his usual morning stroll through the paddock and then stood trackside for about 15 minutes before jogging once around the main track with exercise rider Ricardo Orantes up.

"I blew him out yesterday (:37 2/5 for three furlongs) and this is all we are doing today," trainer Gary Contessa said.

Rydilluc had another paddock schooling session with Friday afternoon's 2ND race.

"He has been great in the paddock all week; no problems at all," said Contessa, who noted Rydilluc can sometimes be a handful in the paddock. "Of course, you never know what is going to happen on race day, but so far he has been great here."

The Ken McPeek-trained Java's War galloped 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider Danny Ramsey aboard.

For Baldo Hernandez and Sean Ryan, assistants to trainer Chad Brown, Balance the Books schooled in the paddock and galloped once around the main track under exercise rider Kriss Bon.

My Name Is Michael schooled in the paddock and galloped 1 1/8 miles with exercise rider Marnie Pacheco aboard for trainer Bill Mott.

"We are very happy," assistant trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. "He's moving very well."

Tesseron jogged a half-mile and galloped a half-mile under Ruth Schmidt, assistant to trainer Josie Carroll.

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