LEXINGTON, Ky. – San Siro was a well-beaten fourth last month in his stakes debut, the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic. But as he makes his second stakes start, he doesn’t face the likes of Eclipse Award champion Sierra Leone or millionaire Touchuponastar. He continues on with trainer Brendan Walsh’s plan to run in the Grade 3, $350,000 Ben Ali Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile tilt for older horses Saturday at Keeneland.
“He’s doing great, he’s been training great, so I’d expect this will be a good race for him, a good distance,” Walsh said. “The competition the last day was a lot tougher. But, in saying that, I kind of ran him there and left him in there because I had this in the back of my mind.”
San Siro delivered a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure winning a 1 1/16-mile allowance on Feb. 1 at Fair Grounds. The gelding tracked the pace and waited before showing good courage to slip through inside, a skill he may need to employ again, as he has drawn the rail in this field of seven under regular rider Edgar Morales. In the Feb. 1 race, San Siro powered clear by 4 1/4 lengths over two next-out winners, Will Take It and Nash.
San Siro came back March 22 in the New Orleans Classic at 1 1/8 miles, which went with a small field in Sierra Leone’s first start since the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Touchuponastar, who is now a 12-time stakes winner, comfortably led Hall of Fame all the way around the track, and after a modest opening quarter of 24 seconds flat, those trying to rally didn’t have much of a chance. San Siro chased around the track in third before he gave way late to Sierra Leone, who finished third.
“I thought he ran a respectable enough race in New Orleans the last time,” Walsh said. “I think [the race shape] didn’t really suit him, either. I think he’s a horse who’s going to turn into a nice horse.”
The target speed in this field, Prince of Power, isn’t of the quality of Touchuponastar, but he may be dangerous as the potential lone speed. Prince of Power set the pace before finishing third in the Dust Commander Stakes at Turfway Park. He appeared the first week of this Keeneland meet in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes, but in a one-turn, quicker-tempo race, he couldn’t make an impact, finishing seventh. Going back to two turns will likely suit him better.
Chasing in the next flight with San Siro could be Duke of Love, if he returns to his past form, and Tennessee Lamb. Duke of Love, winner of the 2022 Prince of Wales – the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown – and a graded-stakes winner the following year, was away from the races from September 2023 until last month at Gulfstream. Needing a race, he finished fifth in a quality allowance field and is coming off a sharp work at Keeneland that shows the light bulb is back on.
The consistent Tennessee Lamb is coming off a nice allowance win at Gulfstream. He has won two of his last three outings and has been on the board in every one of his dirt starts in 2024 and 2025, his only blips being a few turf forays.
Uno Mas Bourbon likely wants more pace up front than he may get. Last year’s Super Derby winner finished third in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes last fall in his only Keeneland appearance, trailing future Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show. Since then, Uno Mas Bourbon is coming off consecutive troubled trips.
Time for Trouble, who cuts back after finishing third in the 1 1/2-mile Temperence Hill at Oaklawn, and Piroli, whose most recent win came during the fall meet at Keeneland, complete the field.
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