Stakes action at Keeneland resumes October 16 with the Grade 3 $100,000 Sycamores as a field of nine is scheduled to line up for the mile and a half race on the turf.
Unitarian returns from nearly a seven month layoff as the 3/1 morning line favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher. Unitarian was last seen April 25 at Keeneland winning the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes. Pletcher boasts excellent numbers with runners returning from layoffs, but Unitarian and jockey Javier Castellano figure to have their work cut out for them. The four year-old son of Giant’s Causeway out of a Dynaformer mare has four wins, three second place finishes, and four thirds in 15 lifetime starts for earnings of over $331,000.
Pletcher will also saddle the second choice in Red Rifle who is 4/1 on the morning line. Red Rifle, also a four year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, is fresh off a September 6 score in the Yankee Affair Stakes at Belmont after finishing second in a pair of allowance races. John Velazquez has the mount on Red Rifle who finished fourth in two previous tries in his two previous attempt in graded company.
Tricky Hat (5/1) ran fifth in the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup in his last start and is another who must prove he fits at the graded stakes level. Tricky Hat ran fifth behind Unitarian in the Elkhorn and finished fourteenth in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes in June.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
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