Last Saturday was marked the first Saturday I was able attend the Keeneland Fall Meet and it was awesome. The America’s Best Racing ambassadors and myself were the official hosts of Keeneland’s Tailgate on the Hill. When it comes to tailgating, it literally gets no better – Live music, food trucks, a betting tent and two jumbotrons, side-by-side, broadcasting college football and Keeneland racing. You can also bring your own booze!
We will be back at it again this Saturday, October 19, with music from Roddy Puckett and Lee Owen, #11 South Carolina takes on the Vols at Tennessee at noon, and Keeneland will feature the lone Graded Stake in the country Saturday, in the $250,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2), which has a post time of 5:23pm EDT.
The Raven Run Stakes is headlined by Grade 1 winner Lighthouse Bay, who took the July 27 Prioress S. at Saratoga as a 22-1 shot for trainer George Weaver with jockey Joe Rocco Jr. at the reigns.
Lighthouse Bay taking the G1 Prioress at Saratoga July 27
We will also see Ciao Bella Luna making her return to Keeneland after taking the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes here in April. She is 0-for-2 in her two starts since but should benefit from a nice layoff for trainer Wayne Catalano and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
Ciao Bella Luna takes the G2 Beaumont at Keeneland on April 14
Todd Pletcher-trained Silsita is also entered for this one, who took the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks on the Polytrack at Turfway Park in March. She also won the My Princess Jess Stakes on the turf at Saratoga in late July before finishing a disappointing sixth in her last start, the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes also at Saratoga on August 18. Silsita gets jockey Mike Smith for this one and should benefit from cutting back to 7 furlongs on the Polytrack, where she is a perfect 1-for-1.
Silsita in the winner’s circle after taking the G3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park on March 23
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