Unbeaten Fingal's Cave Takes Show On the Road for Lexus Raven Run

Alifyfe Racing’s undefeated Fingal’s Cave is scheduled to hit the road this afternoon from Belmont Park en route to Keeneland for Saturday’s 24^th running of the $350,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) going 7 furlongs on the main track.

“At some point, we will challenge her and this seems to be a good spot,” trainer David Donk said Wednesday morning from New York. “The Raven Run is for straight 3-year-olds, it’s graded and it is a good spot to see where we stand.”

Fingal’s Cave, who did not make her racing debut until May, in her first two starts walloped fellow New York-breds by a combined 17 ½ lengths sprinting.

The daughter of Carpe Diem, a two-time Grade 1 winner at Keeneland, then walloped open company going 1 1/8 miles. In her most recent start, she won at the same distance in the restricted Fleet Indian on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.

“We looked at the Cotillion (G1 at Parx) and elected not to go, which was a good move because the race came up tough over a tricky track,” Donk said. “I am not sure what her best distance is. She ran so well sprinting in her first two starts, and she has been training really well the past few weeks.”

Fingal’s Cave showed her readiness for the task at hand by working a best-of-42 5 furlongs in :59.21 over the Belmont training track Sunday morning. She is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland Thursday morning with Donk coming Friday.

The filly will mark Donk’s first Keeneland starter since April 2015, when King Kreesa finished sixth in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1).

Fingal’s Cave could give him his second stakes victory here to go with the win by Rough Opening in the Forerunner (G3) in 1996. Donk has started 16 horses at Keeneland with three victories.