Buy TicketsSeven Keeneland sales alumni entered in Kentucky Oaks
Keeneland’s sales have produced 11 3-year-old colts who have been entered in the 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Post time for the 1¼-mile race, the 12th of 14 races on the card, is 6:57 p.m. ET.
Graduates of Keeneland sales include 24 Kentucky Derby winners such as 2023 winner Mage. Other recent winners are champion Nyquist (2016), Always Dreaming (2017), Triple Crown winner Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020). Justify and Authentic both were named Horse of the Year.
A total of 22 horses were entered in the Derby, including these Keeneland sales graduates:
Catalytic (Catalina Cruiser-One Show Only): Warrendale Sales, agent, consigned the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa runner-up as a weanling to the 2021 November Breeding Stock Sale, where he sold for $70,000 to Machmer Hall. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Catalytic for owners Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George G. Isaacs. He will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Catching Freedom (Constitution-Catch My Drift): With Berry Berkelhammer, agent, owner Albaugh Family Stables purchased the colt, who won the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and the Smarty Jones Stakes, for $575,000 from Book 1 of the 2022 September Yearling Sale. He was consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent for WinStar Farm Bred & Raised. Brad Cox trains Catching Freedom, who will be ridden by Flavien Prat.
Dornoch (Good Magic-Puca): Grandview Equine bred the colt, who is a full brother to Mage and won the Remsen (G2) and the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2). Consigned by Runnymede Farm, agent, to the September Sale, he sold to Oracle Bloodstock, agent, for $325,000. Danny Gargan trains Dornoch for owners West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stables. Luis Saez will ride.
Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo-Lilies So Fair): Breeder John D. Gunther’s Glennwood Farm, agent, offered the colt – third in the Florida Derby, the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3), the Zuma Beach (G3) and the Swale Stakes – at the September Sale. Granpollo Stable owns Grand Mo the First, who is trained by Victor Barboza Jr. and will be ridden by Emiseal Jaramillo.
Honor Marie (Honor Code-Dame Marie): Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and second in the Louisiana Derby, he was consigned to the September Sale by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, and sold for $40,000 to Legion Bloodstock, agent for In the Trees. Royce Pulliam bred Honor Marie, who is trained by Whit Beckman for owners Ribble Farms, Michael H. Eiserman, Earl I. Silver, Kenneth E. Fishbein and Dave Fishbein. He will be ridden by Ben Curtis.
Just a Touch (Justify-Touching Beauty): Offered by Brookdale Sales, agent, in Book 1 of the September Sale, the colt was second in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and the Gotham (G3). Just a Touch was bred by Don Alberto Corporation and races for owners Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel. Trained by Brad Cox, he will be ridden by Florent Geroux.
Just Steel (Justify-Irish Lights [AUS]): During Book 1 of the September Sale, John Bellinger and Brian Coelho’s BC Stables paid $500,000 for Just Steel, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and the Southwest (G3). Bred by Summerhill Farm, he was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. D. Wayne Lukas trains Just Steel, who will be ridden by Keith Asmussen.
Society Man (Good Magic-You Cheated): Oracle Bloodstock, agent, purchased the Wood Memorial (G2) Presented by Resorts World Casino runner-up for $85,000 from the consignment of Hartwell Farm, agent, at the September Sale. Danny Gargan trains Society Man for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces Racing, GMP Stables and Carl and Yurie Pascarella. He will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.
Track Phantom (Quality Road-Miss Sunset): L&N Racing purchased the Lecomte (G3) winner for $500,000 from Book 1 of the September Sale from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, and owns him with Clark O. Brewster, Jerry Caroom and breeder Breeze Easy. Second in the Risen Star (G2) and fourth in the Louisiana Derby, Track Phantom is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.
West Saratoga (Exaggerator-Mo Wicked): Two Hearts Farm II bred the winner of the Iroquois (G3), who was second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and third in the Sam F. Davis (G3). Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent, he sold to owner Harry Veruchi for $11,000 at the September Sale. Larry Demeritte trains West Saratoga, who will be ridden by Jesus Castanon.
Also-eligible:
Epic Ride (Blame-Pick a Time): Fred W. Hertrich III bred the Leonatus Stakes winner, who was consigned to the September Sale by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, and sold to Frank Alosa, agent for owner Welch Racing, for $160,000. Epic Ride also was second in the John Battaglia Memorial (L) and third in the Toyota Blue Grass. John Ennis trains the colt, who will be ridden by Adam Beschizza.
Keeneland sales graduate, Central Bank Ashland winner Leslie’s Rose
second choice in Kentucky Oaks
Sixteen 3-year-old fillies were entered in the 150th running of the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1), to be run at Churchill on Friday. The 1 1/8-mile Oaks is the 11th race on the card with a post time of 5:51 p.m.
The field features seven Keeneland sale graduates, including Leslie’s Rose, who sold for $1.15 million during Book 1 of the 2022 September Yearling Sale and captured the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) here on April 6.
The second choice on the morning line at 4-1, Leslie’s Rose 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 2024 Kentucky Oaks are:
Into Champagne (Into Mischief-Bedford Land): Robert and Lawana Low bred the Davona Dale (G2) Presented by FanDuel TV runner-up, who races for owners Six Column Stables, Randall L. Bloch, Jim Gladden, Mike Davis and Michael Steele. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned her to the September Sale, where she sold for $300,000 to Six Column Stables. Ian Wilkes trains Into Champagne, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.
Lemon Muffin (Collected-Pelt): Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Kuster and Collected Syndicate bred the Honeybee (G3) winner, who sold for $20,000 at the September Sale to Dark Star Thoroughbreds. She was consigned by Shawhan Place, agent for the Kusters. Aaron Sones, Julie Gilbert and Harrison Sones own Lemon Muffin, who is trained by D. Wayne Lukas and will be ridden by Keith Asmussen.
Leslie’s Rose (Into Mischief-Wildwood Rose [IRE]): John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services bred the Central Bank Ashland winner. Gunther’s Glenwood Farm consigned Leslie’s Rose to Book 1 of the September Sale, where she sold to Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for $1.15 million. Todd Pletcher trains the filly, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
Power Squeeze (Union Rags-Callmethesqueeze): The Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) Presented by FanDuel TV winner races for Lea Farms and is trained by Jorge Delgado. Bred by Forging Oaks Farm, Power Squeeze was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, to the September Sale and sold for $50,000 to Monarch Farms. Daniel Centeno will ride.
Regulatory Risk (Omaha Beach-Walkwithapurpose): Upson Downs Farm and Louis W. Wright bred the Gazelle (G3) runner-up, who was consigned by Upson Downs to the September Sale. Ridgewood Bloodstock paid $235,000 for the filly, who races for Klaravich Stables. Trained by Chad Brown, Regulatory Risk will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Where’s My Ring (Twirling Candy-Mapit): Owner Michael McMillan purchased the Gazelle winner, who was second in the Santa Ysabel (G3), for $100,000 at the September Sale. Brookdale Sales, agent, consigned the filly, who was bred by Don Alberto Corporation. Where’s My Ring, who is trained by Val Brinkerhoff, will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.
Also-eligible:
Our Pretty Woman (Medaglia d’Oro-Dazzletown): Woods Edge Farm and Godolphin bred the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) runner-up. Woods Edge Farm consigned Our Pretty Woman to Book 1 of the September Sale, where owner Courtlandt Farms bought her for $900,000. She is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario.