KY Jockey Club (Grade 2) (KYD)- $400.000 Purse
CD- For Two Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
November 25, 2023

With the BC Juvenile come and gone, the next race to officially be targeted for two-year-olds is the KYD, as even though it can seem so far away right now, points have been awarded for the race since September. The starting gate will be full for this race, as points gained now could mean all the difference between finishing 20th or 21st on the KYD leaderboard down the road. In reality, this race is more about scoring a nice victory for a two-year-old and the $400.000 purse that goes with it. After all, only one horse that ran in the KY Jockey Club last year was here for the KYD in May. That was Bold Ruler, who was fourth here, then 18th in the derby. He’s since been retired. The winner of this race last year was Napples, for Mo Mentum Farm, and it’s the last time that still active horse has won a race. The second-place horse from the race, Pink Shark, has been deactivated, and the third place Twirling Candy isn’t running at this level anymore. Maybe the horses this year will have better fate as three-year-olds, let’s meet them now!

#1- Master And Commander (Fractious, ridden by D Davis)- Purchased by Fractious last month in private sales for $150.000, and now will make his first start since then. It is also his first race since August, when he struggled in an ELP allowance. With that start in the past and in a new barn, he’s ready for a fresh start. Work times are really good and now we’ll see just how much the rest has helped.

#2- Panionios (Fractious, ridden by J R Velazquez)- The previous trainer clearly thought highly of this horse by naming him after his stable. But he would still end up in a $50.000 claimer in July, and that is where Fractious picked up. Since then, he’s won two more times, increasing his career record to a perfect four-for-four, but none bigger than last month, when he captured the Grade 3 Street Sense. Can he remain undefeated here?

#3- Excoriator (Jerry Garcia Racing, ridden by L Saez)- After not showing much on debut, this colt by State Police bounced back in a big way to break his maiden right here at the start of the month. The win came at seven furlongs, but the way he ran would give confidence that this distance would be fine. His mile works aren’t as good as others, but it’s been a while, too.

#4- Jetstream Blues (Nakamura Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Broke his maiden in his second start, coming at ELP in July. That would lead to him being entered into the $200.000 Saplin at MTH, and after setting the early fractions there, a couple got by leading Jetstream Blues to finish third. He hasn’t run since that August day, and that rest will help him here. Working very well and seems like a good two-year-old prospect.

#5- Super Good (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- While there is plenty of reason to think that this horse can live up to his name, he is not there yet. After two attempts to get into the BC Juvenile Turf that were okay, Mb Stables caught notice and purchased the gelding for $250.000 at the start of the month. He’ll be putting the horse back on the main track, and based on its recent works, it looks to be the right call. For now, the horse is just 1-for-5, but that figures to improve.

#6- Van Go Go (Fractious, ridden by F Geroux)- The third horse in the race for Fractious, and one that he purchased in July for $175.000 after just one start. Since then, he’s race three times with a pair of lackluster efforts in graded races where he was way behind early on. Last month, he ran at SA in an optional claimer, and that would go a lot better as he earned his second win. Now, it’s back into graded company with some momentum on his side.

#7- Freakie The Ghost (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- Back in May, this ghost spooked the competition and won the $200.000 KY Juvenile right here for The Freakshow. That would be their last race together, as two weeks later, he was sold to Mb Stables for $210.000. It’s also the last time he won a race, and that’s not from a lack of starts. In five starts since, the best we can say is that he has been third three times against quality opposition.

#8- Frogs (South Shore Stables, ridden by Ar Bocachica)- In five starts, Frogs has found his way to the winner’s circle once, coming against CA-Breds in May at GG. Following that, he ran second twice, including in the World Trade Center Memorial at AQU in September. It was off of that he was entered into the Grade 1 Pharoah Stakes last month, where he would finish in the middle of the field. That’s enough to earn him a spot here but hopefully some progress will be made.

#9- Saddle Battle (Riggins Racing, ridden by P Husbands)- Won in his second career start, which was against PA-Breds in August. A few weeks after that, he would find himself sold with Riggins Racing picking him up for a reasonable $45.000. Since then, he’s run twice, winning an optional claimer at ALB before settling for fifth against PA-Breds in the McDermott Stakes. He turned in a strong work at SA after that race, and he figures to be competitive in this start.

#10- Beaten Path (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Last month, in his sixth career start, Beaten Path struggled in the Grade 1 Champagne, which was a letdown for a horse that had showed plenty of consistency prior to that. The trainer was not messing around after that race, and the horse was not able to go to sleep that night before being gelded. Now, after some time to recover, this first-time gelding will be looking to bounce back. But were there other reasons for that poor performance, such as no Lasix? That comes back now. Plus, he might not have liked starting from post 12. Nonetheless, he’s a gelding now and we’ll see how this goes.

#11- Diamond Haggis (Arkansas Elite, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Three weeks ago, Diamond Haggis took part in the BC Juvenile Turf and he ran well in the race, placing fourth and being within a length of the winner. He got there by winning the Grade 1 Summer Stakes right before that, so he will have a future on the grass, for sure. However, this time of year you have to see what the horse can do on the main track, and that’s the assignment here. I’m a little more concerned about him on shorter race against many rivals in here who have plenty of rest.

#12- Valance (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J C Ferrer)- From the outside, Valance will be looking to win his second straight race, and it would come after winning the $200.000 NY Breeders Futurity at FL last month. Sure, it was a four-horse field at six furlongs but it’s something that can be built upon. Prior to that, he ran a solid third at the World Trade Center Memorial in September at AQU, though was beaten by Frogs in that one. No reason to think that Valance cannot return the favor on that one, but there’s plenty of others here to take down, too, and this post is never ideal.

Prediction: 4-2-6-7

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES