Keeneland Shadwell Turf Mile worth $1 million and a trip in the Breeders’ Cup Mile
Keeneland Shadwell Turf Mile is Breeders’ Cup Mile warmup
A field of fourteen will enter the starting gate for the G1 $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. All looking for a chance to break from the gate at Del Mar in the G1 $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile for a trip around two turns on the turf on November 4.
There are already plenty of contenders. But only World Approval has won their way in to the Mile by way of a winning effort in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile as part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championship Challenge series.
In the Shadwell, as expected, the Europeans will be well represented by the entries of Mondialiste who was fourth in this race last year before finishing a dismal 12th and last in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita. At age seven, this son of Galileo is reaching the end of his racing career. Listed at 4-1 in the morning line for the Shadwell, he’s still considered to have a shot to go back to the BC Mile off a fourth place finish last time out in the Woodbine Mile. In that one, he was customarily late to make a wide move to the wire and was out finished for the show spot.
Suedois is a French bred six year old son of Le Havre who is expected to get Lasix for the first time. His chart is full of decent graded stakes efforts. He comes in to this one off a win at Leopardstown in a G2, making it his first graded victory in 14 tries and his first win in 13 starts over the past two years.
Miss Temple City returns to defend her title
Miss Temple City returns to defend her title as the 3-1 favorite after getting home first at 7-1 last year on her way to a fifth place finish in the ’16 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Interestingly, she followed that west coast effort with a return to the winner’s circle a month later at Del Mar as the heavy favorite in the G1 Matriarch Stakes showing that at least she can win where it counts come Breeders’ Cup Mile day. But first things first. And the first thing she’ll want to do is win this one. Her record of two wins and two seconds from four starts at Keeneland shows she also likes it here. But this is a different group of open company runners than she faced in last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile.
