Keeneland Barn Notes: American Rascal Is Impressive

(American Rascal / Photos by Coady Photography)

From Keeneland Media Team:

AMERICAN RASCAL PROVES TO BE AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED

The expectations for Stonestreet Stables’ American Rascal were sky high before his debut here Thursday, April 20

Expectations met and exceeded.

The first foal from the brilliant Lady Aurelia romped by 10¼ lengths in :51.21 for the 4½ furlongs on the dirt under Joel Rosario. The time is the fastest of the meet for the distance.

“I think he can be better next time,” trainer Wesley Ward said Saturday morning of the son of Curlin.

The next time figures to be the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot in England going 5 furlongs on June 22. Ward has won the Norfolk twice with No Nay Never in 2013 and Shang Shang Shang in 2018.

“He came to us highly recommended,” Ward said about American Rascal. “Joel (Rosario) drove up to Payson Park (from Gulfstream) to work him, and not many jockeys make that (90-minute) drive.

“We came up here, and he worked at Turfway and then here. His last work here (five days before his debut), the light bulb went on. Lady Aurelia was the same way. She got outworked in the mornings.”

In Lady Aurelia’s debut in April 2016 – also at Keeneland – she won by 7½ lengths and in a then track-record time of :50.85 for 4½ furlongs. Lady Aurelia went on to win the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot and the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in France that season. She received the Cartier Award as Europe’s 2-year-old filly of the year.

GALLOPING OUT

Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds’ Hidden Connection, game runner-up in Friday’s Baird Doubledogdare (G3), is scheduled to rejoin trainer Bret Calhoun’s string at Churchill Downs next week, said Calhoun assistant Mike McEachern on Saturday morning.

Via text, Calhoun said, “I thought she ran great” and that plans for a next start were to be determined.

Flurry Racing Stables’ Interstatedaydream, fourth as the favorite, also is scheduled to head to Churchill Downs in the coming days to join trainer Brad Cox’s string there with plans to be determined. …

AMO Racing USA’s Affirmative Lady is scheduled to complete her major preparation for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Keeneland next week.

“The plan now is to work Friday and then ship to Churchill on Sunday,” said Alice Clapham, who is overseeing trainer Graham Motion’s string at Keeneland.

Winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) Presented by FanDuel TV on April 1 to punch her ticket to the Oaks, Affirmative Lady worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 here on Friday. …

Apprentice Yoel Navas notched his first Keeneland victory Friday when he rode Andrew Warren’s Jump Into the Fire to a half-length victory in the third race for trainer Ben Colebrook.

The mount was the seventh for Navas, a 20-year-old native of Guatemala. He won with his first mount last month at Gulfstream Park for trainer Ian Wilkes. Navas is an exercise rider for Wilkes.

Navas said he plans to continue riding on the Kentucky circuit.

PROSPECTIVE FIELD FOR CLOSING-DAY BEWITCH

Here are the prospective entries for the $300,00 Bewitch (G3) on the April 28 closing day of the Keeneland Spring Meet compiled by Stakes Coordinator Baley Hare:

$300,000 Bewitch (G3) – Possible: Atomic Blonde (GER) (trainer Christophe Clement), Sopran Basilea (IRE) (Graham Motion), TempleCityTerror (Brendan Walsh), Transient (GB) (Saffie Joseph Jr.), Viburnum (Kelsey Danner).

Entries will be taken Sunday.

SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through April 21 (10 days of 15-day season)

SPRING MEET WEEK 3 SPECIAL EVENTS

Year-round

Official Keeneland Tours. Visit keeneland.com/tours for availability and to purchase.

Through August

Located on Keeneland’s campus, Keeneland Library features the free exhibit The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneersthrough August. The Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To reach the Library, enter Keeneland at Gate 1 (Man o’ War Blvd.) on Keeneland Blvd. and take the first right on Entertainment Ct. The Library is to the left of the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center.

Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23

The Hill. Keeneland’s official tailgating area now is open Friday, Saturdays and Sundays during the Spring Meet. No ticket or reservation is required for The Hill, located adjacent to the Keene Barn & Entertainment Center and accessible via Gate 4. Amenities, available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., include a jumbo TV, wagering, live music presented by The Burl, food trucks and complimentary shuttles to the track. Keeneland partner RevelXP will offer tailgate packages for groups of any size. Visit Keeneland.com/tailgating.

Sunday, April 23

Keeneland Kids Club Family Day Presented by Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The Keeneland Kids Club is the Official Kids Club for Keeneland fans 12 and younger. Kids Club members and their families are invited to enjoy a special day at the races and receive free general admission and access to reserved Grandstand seating when they present their membership cards at admission gates. Children’s activities, which will take place in the North Terrace from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., include face painting and activities with local community partners such as Explorium of Lexington, Kentucky Horse Park, Eckert’s Orchard, Kentucky Children’s Hospital and Amplify Horse Racing. A treat from Hoggy’s Ice Cream will be available for Kids Club members.

Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Telethon Presented by Lane’s End. The fifth annual fundraising event will be based in the Limestone Café in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion. The telethon will be broadcast on both FanDuel TV and America’s Day at the Races in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports and be streamed on tvg.com. Fans can participate by calling 1-844-884-7353 between noon and 6 p.m. ET or can donate directly at https://pdjf.org/donate/