LEXINGTON, Ky. – The horses who won stakes at Keeneland during this spring meet are off to plenty of big places. The first- and second-place finishers in the Blue Grass Stakes, Burnham Square and East Avenue, are expected to run in next week’s Kentucky Derby, while Ashland Stakes top two La Cara and Take Charge Milady are bound for the Kentucky Oaks.
Some other horses who raced at Keeneland during this meet, including stakes winner Normandy Coast, are potentially off to new homes. The Keeneland April horses of racing age sale takes place Friday evening in the sale pavilion on the grounds following the last race of the closing-day card. First post for the card has been moved up to 12:30 p.m. to expedite the proceedings.
“Strategically positioned at the end of the spring meet and just before Kentucky Derby week, the April sale gathers the industry’s top owners, trainers, and bloodstock agents in one central location,” Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said in a press release. “This competitive buying bench, combined with a catalog of proven and ready-to-run Thoroughbreds, creates the perfect opportunity for buyers to secure talent for the summer season.”
There are currently 82 horses in the catalog for the one-night sale, but horses can be supplemented up until sale time. In past years, horses who have raced during the final days of the Keeneland meet have been wheeled into the sale ring to provide quick rewards. Horses may be offered traditionally in the sale ring or with a remote presentation from another training location.
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Ten of the current entrants in this catalog raced at Keeneland during this meet, including Normandy Coast, who won the off-the-turf Palisades Stakes for 3-year-olds on the first day of the meet, April 6. Overall, the Omaha Beach colt has won three of his five career starts for Red Gate Racing and trainer Eddie Kenneally, who will consign the colt as agent.
Three 2-year-olds who had good placings in early-season, 4 1/2-furlong tilts during this Keeneland meet are among those cataloged. Happyhappyboy and Barstool were second and third, respectively, to Wesley Ward’s runaway winner Pinky Finger on April 7. Happyhappyboy, by Runhappy, is consigned by Taylor Made Sales, while Barstool, by Caravaggio, is consigned by Hunter Valley Sales.
Pupil, the first starter for freshman sire Tacitus, was second to another Ward trainee, Double Talker, on April 10 on a muddy track. It was an encouraging result for a sire whose foals have quietly produced a good commercial return on investment and are expected to develop with experience. Pupil will be consigned by owner White Pines Thoroughbreds.
Some of the main attractions in this year’s catalog are similar to last year’s sale toppers. Dana’s Beauty, who was coming off a stakes win, sold for $450,000, as did the supplemental entrant Cheval de Guerre, a Caravaggio juvenile consigned by Kenneally after finishing second on debut.
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