Keeneland Sales Graduates Prominent among July 4 Weekend Graded Stakes Contenders

Keeneland sales are well represented in major stakes at Belmont, Gulfstream, Delaware and Los Alamitos held during the long July 4 weekend.

Sales graduates seek automatic berths in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar with wins in the Suburban (G2) at Belmont and Princess Rooney Invitational (G2) at Gulfstream on Saturday. Highlighting the field for the Suburban, a “Win & You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), are recent Salvatore Mile (G3) winner Informative and multiple Grade 1-placed Max Player. 

Multiple graded stakes winner Laura’s Light comes into the Princess Rooney Invitational following a victory in the Ouija Board Distaff Stakes in May at Lone Star. Other notable contenders in the Challenge race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) are multiple graded stakes winner Pacific Galeand Thissmytime, second to Pacific Gale in the Inside Information (G2) in her last start.

On Sunday, Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduates Defunded and Classier, second and third, respectively, in the Affirmed (G3) last month, meet again in the Los Alamitos Derby (G3).

SATURDAY, JULY 3

SUBURBAN S. (G2), Belmont, 1¼ Miles, 4YOs & Up

INFORMATIVE, 4YO colt by Bodemeister – Lucky Black ($15,000, 2018 Jan Horses of All Ages, Consignor- Paramount Sales, agent; Buyer- Three Rivers Stables) O/T- Uriah St. Lewis; B- Rose Hill Farm & John Trumbulovic (KY)

PRIORITIZE, 6YO gelding by Tizway – Whey Sauce (JPN) ($45,000, 2016 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Legacy Bloodstock, agent; Buyer- H. James Bond) O- William Clifton Jr.; B- Spendthrift Farm (KY); T- James Bond

MAX PLAYER, 4YO colt by Honor Code – Fools in Love ($150,000 RNA, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Lane’s End, agent) O- George Hall & SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.; B- K & G Stables (KY); T- Steve Asmussen

PRINCESS ROONEY INVITATIONAL (G2), Gulfstream, 7 Furlongs, 3YO & Up, F&M

THISSMYTIME, 4YO filly by Carpe Diem – Seraphic Too ($100,000 RNA, 2018 Jan Horses of All Ages, Consignor- Four Star Sales, agent; $95,000 RNA, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Four Star Sales, agent) O- Windylea Farm; B- Katherine Devall (FL); T- Kathleen O’Connell

PACIFIC GALE, 6YO mare by Flat Out – Pacific Whisper ($50,000, 2015 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Garrencasey Sales, agent; Buyer- Colt Creek) O- Holly Hill Stables; B- Bally Breeders (KY); T- John Kimmel

LAURA’S LIGHT, 4YO filly by Constitution – Light of a Star ($95,000, 2017 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Select Sales, agent, Buyer- McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, agent; $25,000 RNA, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Hidden Brook, agent) O- Gary Barber; B- Golden Pedigree (KY); T- Peter Miller

SOUND MACHINE, 4YO filly by Into Mischief – Ava Pie ($500,000, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent; Buyer- Mike Ryan, agent) O- e Five Racing; B- Farm III (FL); T- Saffie Joseph Jr.

DELAWARE OAKS (G3), Delaware, 1 1/16 Miles, 3YO Fillies

ORBS BABY GIRL, 3YO filly by Orb – This Is War ($15,000, 2019 January Horses of All Ages, Consignor- Paramount Sales, agent; Buyer- Cool Hill Farm) O- Triple JD Stable & A R M Racing; B- Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate (KY); T- Anthony Margotta Jr.

EXOGEN, 3YO filly by Dialed In – Run Zippy Run ($10,000, 2018 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Paramount Sales, agent; Buyer- Sharon Biamonte) O- Nauticat Racing; B- Gary & Mary West Stables (KY); T- Miguel Penaloza

BABY GUNDIN, 3YO filly Oxbow – Minx ($4,500, 2018 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Mill Ridge Sales, agent; Buyer- Falcon L&L Stables) O- Bra-Gar Stables; B- Calumet Farm (KY); T- Antonio Machado

SMILE SPRINT INVITATIONAL (G3), Gulfstream, 6 Furlongs, 3YOs & Up

FROSTED GRACE, 5YO horse by Mark Valeski – Class ($14,000 RNA, 2016 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Legacy Bloodstock, agent; $10,000, 2017 Sept Yearling, Consignor- South Point Sales Agency, agent, Buyer- Danny Valdez) O- Reeves Thoroughbred Racing & William Branch; B- Brereton C. Jones (KY); T- Katherine Ritvo

DIAMOND OOPS, 6YO gelding by Lookin At Lucky – Patriotic Viva ($42,000 RNA, 2015 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Eaton Sales, agent) O- Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, D P Racing & Patrick Biancone Racing; B- Kin Hui Racing Stables (KY); T- Patrick Biancone

MILES AHEAD, 4YO gelding by Competitive Edge – Jennie R. ($120,000, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- James B. Keogh, agent; Buyer- Billy Williams) O- David Melin, Leon Ellman & Laurie Plesa; B- Nicholas Lotz & Betsy Kelley (KY); T- Edward Plesa Jr.

KENT S. (G3), Delaware, 1 1/8 Miles (T), 3YOs

LIKE THE KING, 3YO colt by Palace Malice – Like a Queen ($28,000, 2018 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Vinery Sales, agent; Buyer- The Acorn) O- M Racing Group; B- Horseshoe Racing (KY); T- Wesley Ward

EAMONN, 3YO colt by Pioneerof the Nile – Super Espresso ($190,000 RNA, 2019 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Stone Farm) O- Robert Cotran; B- B. Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T- Joseph Orseno

DOUBLEOSEVEN, 3YO gelding by Hard Spun – Great Hostess ($70,000 RNA, 2019 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Hidden Brook, agent) O- McCarty Racing; B- Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds (MD); T- Jeremiah O’Dwyer

SUNDAY, JULY 4

JOHN A. NERUD S. (G2), Belmont, 7 Furlongs, 4YOs & Up

THREE TECHNIQUE, 4YO colt by Mr. Speaker – Nite in Rome ($50,000, 2017 Nov Breeding Stock, Consignor- Garrencasey Sales, agent; Buyer- Spin to Win Stables) O- August Dawn Farm; B- Omega Farm & Bally Breeders (KY); T- Jeremiah Englehart

DOUBLY BLESSED, 4YO gelding by Empire Maker – Via Villaggio ($350,000, 2018 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Woodford Thoroughbreds, agent; Buyer- Whitehorse Stables & Bridlewood Farm) O- Three Diamonds Farm; B- Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY); T- Mike Maker

LOS ALAMITOS DERBY (G3), Los Alamitos, 1 1/8 Miles, 3YOs

CLASSIER, 3YO colt by Empire Maker – Class Will Tell ($775,000, 2019 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Lantern Hill Farm, agent; Buyer- SF/Starlight/Madaket) O- SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm & Robert Masterson; B- Mary Sullivan (KY); T- Bob Baffert

DEFUNDED, 3YO gelding by Dialed In – Wind Caper ($210,000, 2019 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Eaton Sales, agent; Buyer- Three Amigos) O- Karl Watson, Mike Pegram & Paul Weitman; B- Athens Woods (KY); T- Bob Baffert

BACK RING LUCK, 3YO colt by Malibu Moon – Patti O’Rahy ($32,000, 2019 Sept Yearling, Consignor- Eaton Sales, agent; Buyer- J. Stevens Bloodstock, agent) O- Clarke Cooper Family Trust, Mia Familia Racing Stable & Wade Jacobsen; B- Lester Kwok & Dr. Naoya Yoshida (KY); T- John Sadler