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Keeneland Jessamine Stakes loaded with talent
- Updated: October 11, 2017
Rushing Fall modest favorite in Jessamine
A full field of fourteen have been entered for the G3 $150,000 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland for two-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Rushing Fall by More Than Ready out of the Forestry mare, Autumnal, will open at 3-1 for trainer Chad Brown and eFive Racing Thoroughbreds. She was the winner of a 1 mile MSW as the favorite on the turf at Belmont last month in the first start of her career. Javier Castellano returns in the irons. Castellano is 0 for 9 so far at Keeneland. And trainer Brown is looking for his first win at the meet having started just three runners.
Gary Barber’s Miss Mo Mentum, by Uncle Mo, notched her first win from four starts last time out in a 1 mile MSW turf event at Churchill less than three weeks ago. Trained by Mark Casse, she’ll open as the second choice at 5-1 with Chris Landeros back aboard. Landeros is 0 for 5 Casse is sending out winners at a rate of nearly 50% since Keeneland opened its Fall Stars Meeting last weekend having 5 wins from 11 starts.
Pletcher’s Sugar Queen gets blinkers
Todd Pletcher has two entered for the Jessamine with Sugar Queen looking to have the edge over her stablemate Stainless who, despite having turned in decent back-to-back performances in graded stakes company at Saratoga in her last two starts, isn’t genetically suited for the turf being the daughter of Flatter. Sugar Queen, by Gemologist, won a 5 1/2 furlong sprint on the slop at Saratoga two back. And put in a decent third place performance last time out in a stakes over the turf at the same distance. John Velasquez has been aboard for all four of her career starts and will get blinkers for her first try around two turns and is expected to be the pace-setter at 8 to 1.
Happy Ticket winner looks for Breeders’ Cup entry
Lady O’Toole, winner of the Happy Ticket on the turf at Louisiana Downs in her last start, will break from the rail under Corey Lanerie who was aboard this miss for the first of her three career wins when she broke her maiden at Churchill in a MSW sprint this summer. The Happy Ticket was her first go on the grass and her first around two turns and the daughter of Colonel John has every right to be in here at 6 to 1 as she seeks to gain a spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf on November 3 at Del Mar.
The Oklahoma bred Rosie O’Prado (30 to 1), third in the Happy Ticket, has drawn widest of all for the Jessamine. Her late running style will require a fast pace upfront but the added 1/16 of a mile should help her gain ground on the leaders. And despite her modest breeding and longshot status in the morning line, she’s bred for the turf and has a shot at a price.
