Keeneland Barn Notes: Scylla Returns in G1 Madison

(Scylla / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

• SCYLLA HEADLINES EVENLY MATCHED FIELD OF EIGHT FOR GRADE 1 RESOLUTE RACING MADISON

• CASSE DUO OF NITROGEN AND VIXEN TOPS FIELD OF 10 FOR APPALACHIAN PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION

• ARZAK SHOOTS FOR VALVOLINE GLOBAL SHAKERTOWN REPEAT

• HOIST THE GOLD RETURNS TO KEENELAND FOR SECOND COMMONWEALTH BID

• ECLATANT TOPS FIELD OF SIX FOR SUNDAY’S MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT

• WARD FILLIES LEAD OVERFLOW FIELD FOR PALISADES

SCYLLA HEADLINES EVENLY MATCHED FIELD OF EIGHT
FOR GRADE 1 RESOLUTE RACING MADISON

From the Keeneland Media Team / Amy Owens:

Juddmonte’s Scylla, fourth in the PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) in her most recent race, headlines an evenly matched field of eight for the 24th running of the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1) for fillies and mares going 7 furlongs on the main track.

The Resolute Racing Madison will go as the afternoon’s eighth race on the 11-race program with a 4:48 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Bill Mott, Scylla has raced at Keeneland the past two springs with a victory in her career debut in 2023 and a third-place finish in the 2024 Baird Doubledogdare (G3). Flavien Prat will be aboard for the first time and exit post 6.

Race 8, 4:48 p.m. — $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1), 4-year-olds and up,
fillies and mares, 7 furlongs

CASSE DUO OF NITROGEN AND VIXEN TOPS FIELD OF 10
FOR APPALACHIAN PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION

Nitrogen and Vixen, two recent Grade 3 winners for trainer Mark Casse, headline a field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 37th running of the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association.

The Appalachian, contested over a mile on the grass course, will go as the sixth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 3:40 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Owned by D. J. Stable, Nitrogen won the Florida Oaks (G3) in her most recent start at Tampa Bay Downs and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 1.

2. J. Stable, along with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, owns Herecomesthebride (G3) winner Vixen. Perfect in two races in 2025, Vixen will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 2.

Race 6, 3:40 p.m. — $500,000 Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2),
3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (turf)

ARZAK SHOOTS FOR VALVOLINE GLOBAL SHAKERTOWN REPEAT

Sonata Stable’s Arzak will face 10 rivals Saturday afternoon as he attempts to defend his title in the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2).

Run at 5½ furlongs on the turf, the Valvoline Global Shakertown will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:20 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Mike Trombetta, Arzak will attempt to join Soaring Free (2004-2005) as the only horses to win the Shakertown in consecutive years. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from post 3.

Arzak’s lone Keeneland setback came in last fall’s Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel when he was third behind Our Shot, who drew post 2 for Saturday’s Shakertown. Arzak had won the 2023 Woodford.

Owned by Gatsas Stable, Steven Schoenfeld and trainer John Terranova, Our Shot was fourth in last year’s Shakertown. Luis Saez has the mount.

Race 9, 5:20 p.m. — $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2),
3-year-olds and up, 5 1/2 furlongs (turf)

HOIST THE GOLD RETURNS TO KEENELAND
FOR SECOND COMMONWEALTH BID

Dream Team One Racing Stable’s multiple graded stakes-winning Hoist the Gold, headlines a field of 12 sprinters entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 38th running of the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3).

The 7-furlong, main track Commonwealth is the seventh race on the 11-race program with a 4:14 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Hoist the Gold has not raced at Keeneland since winning the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) in October 2023. That spring, he finished second in the Commonwealth. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount from post 6.

Also in the field is Nathan Hayden’s Here Mi Song, winner of the 2023 Commonwealth. Trained by Billy Stinson, Here Mi Song will be ridden by Edgar Morales from post 8.

Race 7, 4:14 p.m. — $350,000 Commonwealth (G3), 4-year-olds and up, 7 furlongs

ECLATANT TOPS FIELD OF SIX FOR SUNDAY’S
MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT

Stonestreet Stables’ Eclatant, winner of the Forward Gal (G3) in her most recent start, heads a field of six 3-year-old fillies entered Tuesday for Sunday’s 40th running of the $400,000 MiddleGround Capital Beaumont (G2).

Run over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet on the main track, the MiddleGround Capital Beaumont will be the ninth race on Sunday afternoon’s 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

A winner of all three races while sprinting, Eclatant is trained by Brad Cox, who has saddled the past three winners of the Beaumont. Luis Saez has the mount from post 1.

Cox also will send out LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable’s Stunner, runner-up in the Forward Gal. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 5.

Race 9, 5:16 p.m. — $400,000 MiddleGround Capital Beaumont (G2), 3-year-old fillies,
7 furlongs and 184 feet

WARD FILLIES LEAD FIELD FOR SUNDAY’S PALISADES

Trainer Wesley Ward has saddled the winner of two of the previous five runnings of the $300,000 Palisades (L) for 3-year-olds going 5½ furlongs on the grass, and Sunday he will send out two stakes-winning fillies in Dreamaway and Long Neck Paula in a field of 10 plus one also-eligible.

The Palisades will go as the afternoon’s eighth race with a 4:44 p.m. post time. First post is 1 p.m.

John Oxley’s Dreamaway won the Colleen at Monmouth last summer and will be making her 2025 debut. Gerardo Corrales has the mount from post 5.

Will Stroud and Debra O’Connor’s Long Neck Paula, winner of the Bowman Mill against the boys here last fall and the Prairie Meadows Debutante, makes a quick turnaround after finishing sixth in the Serena’s Song last Saturday, March 29 at Turfway Park. Corey Lanerie has the mount from post 1.

Race 8, 4:44 p.m. — $300,000 Palisades (L), 3-year-olds, 5½ furlongs (turf)