The Keertana ($250.00 Purse)
CD- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
May 23, 2026

Saturday’s action at CD will include the 11th running of the Keertana, which sends older females a mile and a half around the turf course. This ungraded stake began modestly with just a $65.00 purse, but did reach the current $250.00 level for the first time in 2024. That race saw Ponzi Scheme with by a length and a half for TwinTowersRacing, and would be one of two races that the seven year old mare would win. After running in the BC and making a start early this year, she has since been retired. For this year’s race, eight are scheduled to take part. Here’s a look at them!

1- Sannys Legacy (Threshold, ridden by B Curtis)- Last Spring, Sannys Legacy was running well, winning the Grade 2 Appalachian at KEE before running third in the Grade 3 Regret in May. Since then, she has struggled, failing to hit the board in seven of her next eight races, making the second place effort in the Grade 3 Franklin seem like an outlier. Three weeks after trying a sprint, she’s back at it, continuing to get these opportunities.

2- Right As Rain (Alydar Stables, ridden by V Espinoza)- In August, Right As Rain got a big win in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap, but just as everything was looking up for her, she went into a slump of her own. After disappointing in the Franklin in December, the five year old mare was dropped into optional claimers at SA. She ran second in each of them, though one was in a three horse field, and after a couple months, she gets a chance to run in a stake again.

3- Bronxbabesarebest (Big Jd Racing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This five year old mare has won five times in 30 starts, but when running at least eleven furlongs, she’s won once and been second two other times in three such races, and they have all occurred since Christmas Eve. With a little more luck, each of those runner ups could have also been wins, so we should be expecting her to be a force in a race that doesn’t have a clear favorite.

4- Wyldewood (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by E Maldonado)- Heads to the starting gate for the 34th time and looks for her tenth career win. During that time, she has gone back and forth between overnights and stakes. After a disappointing effort in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive, she has not been back to this level as Mo Mentum Farm considered some other options. This includes running on the dirt for her last two races, each a starter allowance, where she did well in hitting the board. Now, it’s back to the grass as well as running long.

5- One Spirit (Nakamura Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- One Spirit had an excellent four year old campaign last year, winning six times in 13 starts, and earning over $1,700.00. 2026 has been a lot quieter, as she would struggle in the Pegasus Fillies and Mares Turf while only picking up fourth place checks in the Grade 3 Orchid and the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes, the latter happening here just three weeks ago. While she did win TAM allowance in the rain, she’s capable of better and doesn’t seem to be missing by much.

6- Last Word Lucy (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- When we last saw Last Word Lucy, she won an optional claimer at TAM, which is one of her three career wins, coming over 18 starts. For the most part, she’s run in overnights, but has been seen in a few stakes. Her best performance in one came in the Grade 3 Goldikova Stakes, where she was third. The Keertana will be the first time she goes more than nine furlongs in her career, but with her inconsistent performances, it makes sense to try something a little different.

7- Change The World (Mb Stables, ridden by A Fresu)- Has not run much since last August, making only two starts over the last nine months. Didn’t do a lot in those races, neither of which were at the stake level. At the start of last year, she made a couple stake appearances, with her best effort being a fourth place finish in the $200.00 Busher. This will only be her third career start, but she put in a strong turf work in anticipation of this and we know the trainer will have her ready to roll.

8- Ailin (Royalty Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- As a three year old, Ailin had some strong moments, such as winning the Grade 3 Matchmaker at MTH, and then running third in both the Grade 1 DMR Oaks and the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks at AQU. Therefore, it seemed like she would be able to build on that this year, but that has not happened as of yet. She’s yet to hit the board in any of her three starts and was a non-factor in the twelve furlong Grade 3 Bewitch last time out. She’ll get another chance to redeem herself here but she’ll have to start stepping up soon as a four year old.

Prediction: 3-5-2-7

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded