May 15, 2007

SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1 SCHEDULED FOR KEENELAND

Keeneland Race Course recently announced the storied track's fall schedule, highlighted by FallStars weekend from Oct. 5-7. Four G1 races will be run over that weekend, traditionally featuring some of the most prestigious Breeders' Cup preps in the country. Richest on the weekend, and in fact for the entire fall meet, is the Shadwell Turf Mile-G1, worth $600,000 to 3-year-olds and up. The G1 event will be run on Saturday, Oct. 6. ESPN and ESPN2 will provide television coverage.

The Shadwell Turf Mile-G1 is part of the inaugural Breeders' Cup Challenge entitled "Win and You're In." The winner will automatically be assured a berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile-G1 on World Thoroughbred Championship day, set for Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park.

October 7, 2006

AUSSIE RULES WINS ROUSING EDITION OF SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1

Kentucky-bred but European-sired and raced AUSSIE RULES shipped to Keeneland Race Course for the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile-G1 and came out the smashing winner. Although victor of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1 at Longchamp in France earlier this year, the 3-year-old was an unheralded runner from the powerful stable of trainer Aidan O'Brien. After his scintillating victory in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile, he's sure to attract more notice.

AUSSIE RULES was the only sophomore in the field of nine. He broke last and raced near the back, still no better than seventh with a quarter-mile to go. The Danehill colt came five wide into the stretch to unleash a furious rally that carried him to a 1 3/4 length triumph. A photo showed the next five finishers were separated by only noses and a head.

The gray or roan colt was bred in Kentucky by Belgrave Bloodstock Ltd. and campaigns for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Faisal Salman. He was ridden by Garrett Gomez, the leading North American jockey by earnings this year. AUSSIE RULES wore blinkers for the first time in the Shadwell Turf Mile-G1 and also received Lasix for the first time. He got the mile distance in 1:34 1/5 and returned $11.80 to win.

October 4, 2006

SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1 HIGHLIGHTS KEENELAND'S OPENING WEEKEND

Excitement in the air is palpable in Kentucky in the days leading up to Keeneland's fall meet. Six graded races will be run over opening weekend, with many Breeders' Cup implications, and the richest race of all is the Shadwell Turf Mile S.-G1, open to 3-year-olds and up. Post positions were announced today for the one mile contest on the grass worth $600,000. The G1 event is slated to be contested as race 9 on Saturday, October 7.

The field includes Miesque's Approval, winner of three straight graded events. One of those wins came over the Keeneland grass in the Makers Mark Mile-G2 this past spring. In addition, Silent Name (JPN), Remarkable News (VEN), and Three Valleys are all G2 winners as well.

The official post positions for the nine entrants, with riders, follow:
1. Silent Name - Victor Espinoza
2. Miesque's Approval - Eddie Castro
3. Aussie Rules - Garrett Gomez
4. Remarkable News - Rene Douglas
5. Hendrix - David Flores
6. Cosmonaut - Julien Leparoux
7. Old Dodge - Robby Albarado
8. British Blue - Cesar Mejia
9. Three Valleys - Rafael Bejarano

October 8, 2005

CHILEAN-BRED HOST IS THE TOAST OF SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1

The richest race of the Keeneland fall meet, the Shadwell Turf Mile-G1, gave horsemen and fans a thrilling rendition in 2005. All of the favorites for the G1 event finished off the board while longshots dominated. Chilean-bred Host, at 10-1, rallied from the back of the pack to win by a neck over Vanderlin, at 27-1. Gulch Approval was third at 28-1 and Remind, a 27-1 shot, was fourth.

he winner is owned by Melnyk Racing Stables, is trained by Todd Pletcher, and was ridden by Rafael Bejarano. The latter kept Host wide and out of traffic before devouring ground and surging down the stretch.

"When I asked him to run, he just exploded," said Bejarano.

Host, a champion in his native country and a multiple graded stakes winner in the U.S., got the mile in 1:37 3/5 for his eighth career victory in 14 starts. The Shadwell was his first start in almost eight months. There is a possibility he may go to the Breeders' Cup Mile-G1 on October 29, a race in which he would have to be supplemented for $200,000.

October 7, 2005

SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1 TOPS KEENELAND

The beginning of October means opening weekend at Keeneland Race Course and the final prestigious G1 events of the year prior to the Breeders' Cup. Topping the three G1s offered at Keeneland this weekend is the Shadwell Turf Mile-G1, an eight furlong event on October 8 that promises to be a matchup for the ages. Four G1 winners and a slew of other graded stakes stars are among the field of 10 entered, including Australian superstar filly Alinghi (AUST). What makes her appearance in the $600,000 race so compelling is that she'll be taking on the boys for the first time in this country, although she has beaten them in a G1 event in Australia.

The $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile-G1 is the richest race of the Keeneland fall meet. Post time is at 5:45 pm on Saturday with live coverage scheduled on NBC.

October 9, 2004

SHADWELL DAY AT KEENELAND

Opening Saturday at Keeneland featured the richest race of the fall meet, the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile S.-G1. The eight furlong turf stakes was won emphatically by Nothing to Lose, a multiple graded stakes winner who powered home by 4 1/2 lengths. Last year's winner, Perfect Soul, was off the board while last year's runner-up, Honor in War, again took the second spot. Nine horses competed. The winner is a homebred for Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey and will go to the Breeders' Cup Mile-G1 as one of the favorites.

Earlier on the card, Shadwell's own MUSTANFAR captured the Sycamore Breeders' Cup S.-G3. The 3-year-old scored an impressive victory, winning the 1 1/2 mile turf event by three widening lengths over his elders. He flew by the field in the stretch to win in a hand ride. The Unbridled colt out of the Lyphard mare Manwah (a half-sister to dual classic winner Nashwan and five other stakes winners) races as a homebred for Shadwell Farm. It was MUSTANFAR's first time at the distance. He switched to the grass from the main track earlier this summer and previously captured Belmont's Lexington Stakes-G3.

October 4, 2003

ROUSING EDITION OF SHADWELL TURF MILE-G1 IN THE BOOKS

Keeneland's feature race today was the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile S.-G1, now an annual feature and a highly-anticipated event on the racing calendar. The 2003 G1 event featured a wide-open field and was won impressively by Perfect Soul (IRE), a 5-year-old homebred for Charles E. Fipke who is trained by Roger Attfield. Perfect Soul (IRE) raced midpack until uncorking an explosive burst of speed and charging hard in the final sixteenth to prove best by three-quarters of a length. Jockey Edgar Prado, who also won last year's race with Landseer, urged him to the wire.

Perfect Soul (IRE), who owned a win over the course in April and was most recently third in the Atto Mile-G1, got the distance in 1:36. Third Turn Stables' Honor in War and Gainsborough Farm's Touch of the Blues (FR) followed the winner home.