Keeneland Barn Notes: Wonder Wheel Wheels Back in Friday's G1 Ashland

(Wonder Wheel / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Keeneland Media Team:

CASSE HAS CHAMPION WONDER WHEEL READY TO ROLL
IN FRIDAY’S CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND

She has had her dress rehearsal and now trainer Mark Casse has D. J. Stable’s champion Wonder Wheel ready to roll Friday, opening day of Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet, when she takes on six rivals in the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1).

Wonder Wheel finished second in the Suncoast (L) at Tampa Bay Downs in her season debut on Feb. 11.

“It was either run in the Suncoast (at a mile and 40 yards) and maybe be a little short or wait for the Davona Dale (G2) (on March 4),” Casse said. “I didn’t want to cut back to a (one-turn) mile so she ran in the Suncoast and was maybe 85 to 90 percent fit. She had a wide trip, and she ran out of gas a little bit at the end.”

Wonder Wheel was purchased at Keeneland’s 2021 September Yearling Sale for $275,000.

“She was on our short list, and she reminded me of Make Mischief, a filly (who earned more than $750,000) we did well with,” Casse said. “She was long-legged like Make Mischief. She’s 17 hands and (many of the sons and daughters of Into Mischief) don’t have that height.

“We broke her in Ocala, and she showed she was a cut above early on.”

Wonder Wheel is perfect in two Keeneland starts with victories last fall in the Darley Alcibiades (G1) and the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

“In the Alcibiades we didn’t have the best horse, but we had the best trip,” Casse said of Wonder Wheel’s nose victory. “She improved off that in the Breeders’ Cup and I see a similar scenario where she will give her best effort in the Ashland. I expect her to win.”

In addition to Wonder Wheel, Casse will have runners in Friday’s two other stakes: D. J. Stable’s Webslinger in the 35 running of the $400,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) and John Oxley’s Determinedly in the 75 running of the $400,000 Lafayette.

“Webslinger had a tough trip in the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Turf-G1),” Casse said of the race in which Webslinger finished 11 but was beaten only 4 lengths. “He was wide and with a little better trip, he would have been right there.”

Webslinger has a win and a second in two starts this year with the most recent start being a runner-up finish in the Colonial Liam (L) to Transylvania rival Dude N Colorado (GB).

Determinedly cuts back to a sprint in the 7-furlong Lafayette after running long this winter at Fair Grounds. “We are trying to find the right niche for him,” Casse said of Determinedly, who also raced on turf as a 2-year-old.

On Saturday, Casse will try to complete a possible Central Bank Ashland-Toyota Blue Grass (G1) double when he sends out Gary Barber’s Classic Car Wash.

“After he won his second start (by 8½ lengths at Gulfstream Park), I told Gary that we can have a lot of fun with this horse because he overcame a lot that day,” Casse said. “He ran good in the Sam F. Davis (G3) (finishing third) and ran a big race in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) (finishing second to Toyota Blue Grass favorite Tapit Trice).”

Also Saturday, Casse will saddle Papilio (IRE) for D. J. Stable and Medallion Racing in the 35 running of the $400,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association going a mile on the turf.

“She’s a pretty good horse,” Casse said of Papilio, who joined his barn the first of the year after racing in Ireland as a 2-year-old.

Papilio came off a six-month layoff to finish second in her U.S. debut on March 4 in the Herecomesthebride (G3) at Gulfstream.

“I expected her to run a good race, and she did not disappoint in her first race going two turns,” Casse said.

CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND IS FREQUENT STOP FOR PLETCHER, MCPEEK

When entries are taken each spring for the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), it is a safe bet that trainers Todd Pletcher and Kenny McPeek will have horses in the race. Such is the case again this year for the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies – the division’s first Grade 1 event of the year and the centerpiece of Friday’s 10-race program on opening day of Keeneland’s Spring Meet. Pletcher is represented by Stonestreet Stables’ Julia Shining, and McPeek will send out Defining Purpose, who races for Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball.

Pletcher and McPeek, who both are seeking to win the race for the third time (joining trainers D. Wayne Lukas, Shug McGaughey, Stanley Rieser and four-time winner Woody Stephens), have stats in the race that are remarkably similar. Each has had 14 starters. Pletcher has been runner-up on six occasions, while McPeek’s four second-place efforts have occurred in the past six years.

Pletcher captured the Central Bank Ashland with Nest last year and Malathaat – Julia Shining’s full sister – in 2021. Both earned Eclipse Awards as champion 3-year-old filly. With a win by Julia Shining, he would be the first trainer to take the Central Bank Ashland three years in a row.

The Central Bank Ashland, Pletcher said, “has been a great race for us the last few years with Malathaat and Nest going on to have very successful campaigns. It’s a super prep race for the (Grade 1 Kentucky) Oaks since it is in Kentucky, has Grade 1 status and points for the Oaks. It is a logical place to run at the highest level. Hopefully we will be back every year.”

Julia Shining comes to the Central Bank Ashland off a third-place finish in Tampa Bay Downs’ Suncoast (L) behind Dreaming of Snow and champion and Central Bank Ashland entrant Wonder Wheel. Late last year the daughter of Curlin emulated sister Malathaat by winning the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct.

McPeek won the Central Bank Ashland in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and in 2014 with Rosalind, who finished in a dead heat for the victory.

He is optimistic about Defining Purpose’s chances following her sixth in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 25.

“She had an excuse or two in the Honeybee – in traffic and went wide,” McPeek said about the daughter of Cross Traffic. “Any time we feel we can be third or better, we are going to make the effort. You can’t win it if you are not in it. The timing of the race fits her schedule, and she has trained well at Keeneland (where she has been stabled for about a month.)”

The Central Bank Ashland is the ninth race on the 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time. The first race is at 1 p.m.

MOTION LOOKS TO GO BACK-TO-BACK
IN KENTUCKY UTILITIES TRANSYLVANIA

No trainer has won the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) in consecutive years, but on Friday Graham Motion has a big chance to change that statistic when he sends out Nagirroc in the 35 running of the 1 1/16-mile grass test.

Owned by the partnership of Madaket Stable, Little Red Feather Racing and William Strauss, Nagirroc finished third here last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) for the best finish by any U.S.-based runner in the race.

“He is doing really good, and I am pleased with him,” Motion said of Nagirroc, who arrived here Wednesday from his winter quarters at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

Nagirroc had one more start to close his 2022 campaign, finishing third in the Eddie Logan (L) at Santa Anita on Dec. 30.

“I felt he was doing well, and it was a long break until the spring,” Motion said of the trip to Santa Anita. “After that, we gave him all of January off and pointed to this race.”

Nagirroc drew post position nine in a field of 12 and will be ridden by Flavien Prat in his 2023 debut.

“I always worry if I have done enough (returning from a layoff), and I think I have,” Motion said. “I felt this way last year with (2022 winner) Sy Dog, but this year’s field is much deeper.”

NBC COVERAGE HAS TOYOTA BLUE GRASS, MADISON, SHAKERTOWN

On Saturday, NBC will have live coverage of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1), along with Keeneland’s Madison (G1) and the Shakertown (G3), from 4-6 p.m.

NBC also will air the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) during the broadcast.

Here are post times for the stakes: Madison (4 p.m.), Shakertown (4:35 p.m.), Toyota Blue Grass (5:15 p.m.) and Santa Anita Derby (5:30 p.m.).

SATURDAY’S CROSS COUNTRY PICK 5 FEATURES GRADED STAKES
FROM AQUEDUCT, KEENELAND

Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features an all-graded stakes sequence from Aqueduct and Keeneland. The minimum wager is 50 cents.

Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features these races:

Leg A: Aqueduct, Race 6 – Bay Shore (G3) at 3:09 p.m.

Leg B: Aqueduct, Race 8 – Carter (G1) Presented by NYRA Bets at 4:19 p.m.

Leg C: Keeneland, Race 8 – Shakertown (G2) at 4:35 p.m.

Leg D: Keeneland, Race 9 – Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at 5:15 p.m.

Leg E: Aqueduct, Race 11 – Wood Memorial (G2) Presented by Resorts World Casino at 6:16 p.m.

PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR APRIL 14-16 STAKES

A total of seven stakes worth a combined $2.75 million will be run during the second weekend of Keeneland’s 15-day Spring Meet. Here are the prospective entries for the races compiled by Stakes Coordinator Baley Hare.

Friday, April 14 races. Entries taken Tuesday, April 11.

$600,000 MAKER’S MARK MILE (G1) – Dr Zempf (GB) (trainer Chad Brown), In Love (BRZ) (Paulo Lobo), Modern Games (IRE) (Charlie Appleby). Possible:Chez Pierre (FR) (Arnaud Delacour).

$250,000 FANDUEL LIMESTONE (L) – Alluring Angel (GB) (Jorge Abreu), American Apple (Daniel Leitch). Possible:Danse Macabre (Kelsey Danner), Love Reigns (IRE) (Wesley Ward).

Saturday, April 15 races. Entries taken Wednesday, April 12.

$600,000 JENNY WILEY (G1) – Didia (ARG) (Ignacio Correas IV), In Italian (GB) (Brown), With The Moonlight (IRE)(Appleby). Possible: New Year’s Eve (Brendan Walsh).

$400,000 STONESTREET LEXINGTON (G3) – Possible:Confidence Game (Keith Desormeaux), Curly Larry and Mo (Caio Caramori), First Mission (Brad Cox), Victory Formation (Cox).

$250,000 GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (L) – Oeuvre (Chris Block), Opening Buzz (Jonathan Wong), Star Devine (IRE) (Abreu).Possible:Goin’ Good (Cox).

Sunday, April 16 races. Entries taken Thursday, April 13.

$400,000 BEAUMONT (G2) PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SELECT – Possible:Opus Forty Two (Delacour), Red Carpet Ready (Rusty Arnold), She’s On the Rocks (Cirilo Gorostieta).

$250,000 PALISADES (L) – Bushido (Darwin Banach), Damon’s Mound (Michelle Lovell). Possible:Olazabal (Eric Foster).

SPRING MEET OPENING WEEKEND 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.

Friday, April 7

Jockey Autograph Signing. Fans will meet active and retired Keeneland riders and Hall of Famers in an event that benefits the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). Signing takes place outside the Walking Ring from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8

The Hill. No ticket or reservation is required for Keeneland’s official tailgating area, 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.

Saturday, April 8

Sunrise Trackside. This free Saturday morning program is geared toward families and offers a unique view of Thoroughbreds during training hours. Children’s activities, located on the first floor of the Grandstand from 8-10 a.m., include a visit with Keeneland’s mascot, Buckles, along with face painting, games and more. Fans can enjoy coffee and donuts at the Starting Gate concession stand while watching horses train. Mini tours will be available at the Welcome Stand in the Paddock. A meet and greet with a horse will take place in the Walking Ring from 8:30-9 a.m.

Easter Sunday, April 9

Keeneland is closed for racing.