Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes is on tap for Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky this Closing Day Friday, April 24. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for fillies and mares four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/2 miles on Keeneland’s turf track.
The Bewitch Stakes has attracted a full field of 14 plus two Alternate Entries to go in race 9 on Keeneland’s Friday card. Post time is 5:13 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 16 possible entries for this Grade 3 stakes on closing day of Keeneland’s Spring Meet.
Kitten’s Point – Graham Motion trained mare won the 2013 Herecomesthebride Stakes in 2013 and finished second in the Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes on this track a year ago but went on to a pair of ugly sevenths – the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes in April and the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes in October and an eighth in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes three back at Del Mar. Last time out was an OK third at this distance in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes March 28 which followed a sixth in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes in February and a win in the minor Astra Stakes at Santa Anita January 18. She has placed in two of her last three starts after some ugly efforts and is in decent form as we head into Friday’s race. Edgar Prado gets the call aboard the 120 pound co-highweight from post 9.
Tabreed – British bred Christophe Clement trained mare is perhaps unlucky not to have claimed victory lately. She is coming off a good second in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes March 28 after a third in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes February 21 and another second in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante Stakes December 27. She also had a pair of thirds – in an Allowance Optional Claiming August 15 and in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes September 24. Tabreed has 19 career starts with three wins, five seconds and seven third place finishes and enters having placed in three straight graded stakes starts (5 straight overall). She looks for her first win since October, 2013 however with John Velazquez guiding her from post 10.
White Rose – Bill Mott trained mare has five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes in 19 career starts. She won two minor stakes starts in the fall – the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon and the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes but has failed to place in two starts since. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes March 28 after a fifth in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes in February. White Rose hopes to channel her minor stakes success into graded stakes company when she leaves from gate 11 with Shaun Bridgmohan aboard.
Caroline Thomas – 2013 Lake Placid Stakes winner Barclay Tagg trained filly has 20 career starts with four wins, two seconds and five third place finishes. She had eight starts in 2013 – an upset win in the Grade 2 Lake Placid being the highlight. She had seven starts in 2014 – an OK third in the 2014 Bewitch Stakes, a decent third in the third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland October 12 and another third to close out 2014 in the Grade 3 Glen Falls Stakes being the best results. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream February 21 which followed an OK second behind White Rose in the minor Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland October 19. Caroline Thomas has placed in three of her last five starts overall and has placed in her last three starts on Keeneland turf but looks for her first graded stakes score since August 2013 from gate 6 with Rajiv Maragh in the saddle.
Hellenistic – made her North America debut in November after six starts overseas yielded two wins and three third place finishes. She finished eighth in that debut – in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct and followed that with an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream Park March 12. Before shipping she had two straight wins in Ireland – both Handicap races – the last coming by 6 1/2 lengths at Leopardstown July 10. Hellenistic will depart from the outside post 14 with Javier Castellano aboard.
Lots o’ Lex – has eight career starts for trainer Gerald Aschinger with three wins, a second and two third place finishes. She raced in stakes company for the first time three starts back and finished a respectable third in the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay January 31 and followed that with a seventh in the Grade 3 Hillsborough Stakes March 7. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score March 27. Lots o’ Lex has placed in five of her last six starts and is expected to be competitive again Friday. Rosemary Homeister Jr. will be in the saddle from the rail.
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Anipa – Christophe Clement trained British bred filly makes her North American debut Friday after failing to place in her last three starts at home- an eighth place finish at Chantilly in October was her best result over that time. She won three straight races at this time last year but has not been the same since. Julien Leparoux will be in the saddle hoping to change Anipa’s fortunes around from gate 2.
Cay Dancer – Chad Brown trained British bred filly has 13 career starts with three wins, a second and three third place finishes. She made her North American debut December 27 and finished ninth in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante Handicap at Gulfstream and followed that with a fourth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 8. She did place in her last four starts at home – two wins, a second and a third place finish in Handicap races on four different tracks. She hopes to make a little noise in North America with Joel Rosario aboard from gate 4.
Street of Gold – Eric Reed trained mare finished third in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July – the only time she’s placed in seven graded stakes tries. It was the last time she’s placed in a race. She enters off a fifth in the minor Jersey Lilly Stakes at Sam Houston February 28, a fourteenth in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap in November, a fourth in the minor Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon and a seventh in the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes. Street of Gold hasn’t been all that impressive lately and hopes to chance that from post 5 with Robby Albarado guiding her.
Annabird – has 22 career starts with four wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and posted a win two starts back in an Allowance Optional Claiming in December at Turfway Park. Last time out was a fourth in a similar race in January. Annabird has just one stakes start – a tenth place finish in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs in November. She has placed in just one of her last four starts and looks to be in deep here. James Graham has the mount from post 7.
Maria Maria – James DiVito trained filly has 20 career starts with four wins, two seconds and five third place finishes. She enters off a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Tampa Bay March 27, a fourth in the Grade 3 Hillsborough Stakes March 7 and a sixth in the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes in January. She had an Optional Claiming score December 27 and was a reasonable third in the Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington in September. Maria Maria looks for her first stakes score Saturday from gate 8 in so-so form with Florent Geroux in the irons.
Courtesan – Started her career in good form for trainer Christophe Clement – a third in the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes in her second career start was followed by a win in the minor Juvenile Filly Turf Stakes. He hasn’t been quite the same since – a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 12 followed a sixth in a similar race in November and a seventh in the minor Wild Applause Stakes at Belmont Park in June. Courtesan looks for her first graded stakes score Friday from post 12 with Joe Bravo in charge.
Tapnfire – Chris Block trained mare makes her stakes debut after 17 career starts produced three wins, five seconds and three third place finish. She enters off a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 15, a third in a similar race in February and a string of two wins and two seconds in four Allowance races at Arlington. She makes a huge leap up in competition with Corey Lanerie in the irons from post 13.
Antonia Autumn – finished a respectable third in her graded stakes bow – three starts back in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs in November – the only time she’s placed in five starts over the last year. Antonia Autumn enters off a fourth in the minor Jersey Lilly Stakes at Sam Houston February 28 and an eighth in the minor Wintergreen Stakes in January and that respectable third in the Cardinal. Antonia Autumn enters in less-than-spectacular form and will depart from post 3 with Rafael Manuel Hernandez in the irons.
Honey Lake – Alternate Entry has three wins in 19 career starts but hasn’t looked great lately. A tenth place finish last time out in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante Handicap in December followed a thirteenth in the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap in November and a surprising Allowance score in October – the only time she’s placed in her last five starts.
Tuttipaesi – Alternate Entry Irish bred Bill Mott pupil won the minor Ginger Brew Stakes in January, 2013 and followed that with a third in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes in March of that year and a second in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes in April, 2013. She has just three starts since and has failed to place in any.
Race 9 on Keeneland’s Friday card with a Post Time of 5:13 PM.
Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lots o’ Lex | R. Homeister, Jr. | G. Aschinger | |
2 | Anipa (GB) | J. Leparoux | C. Clement | |
3 | Antonia Autumn | R. Hernandez | B. Colebrook | |
4 | Cay Dancer (GB) | J. Rosario | C. Brown | |
5 | Street of Gold | R. Albarado | E. Reed | |
6 | Caroline Thomas | R. Maragh | B. Tagg | |
7 | Annabird | J. Graham | L. Jurado | |
8 | Maria Maria | F. Geroux | J. DiVito | |
9 | Kitten’s Point | E. Prado | H. Motion | |
10 | Tabreed (GB) | J. Velazquez | C. Clement | |
11 | White Rose | S. Bridgmohan | W. Mott | |
12 | Courtesan | J. Bravo | C. Clement | |
13 | Tapnfire | C. Lanerie | C. Block | |
14 | Hellenistic | J. Castellano | C. Brown | |
15 | Honey Lake | J. Court | V. Oliver | |
16 | Tuttipaesi (IRE) | J. Lezcano | W. Mott |
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