Maker’s 46 Mile One of Two Stakes on Friday

By Emily Shields

The Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) tops Friday’s card at Keeneland and kicks off a stellar three-day weekend of racing over the Lexington oval. There is also a second stake, the $100,000 Limestone Turf Sprint, which goes as Race 7. That drew a full field of 14 as well as an also eligible, and includes classy runners like #5 My Gal Betty, who is grade 1 placed, and #12 Chelsea Cloisters, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last out. She has been second in four straight stakes races.

But it is the $300,000 Maker’s 46 which will be the biggest race in the country Friday. Eight horses go a mile on the grass, with weather expected to be wet. As of Wednesday night, there is an 80% chance of rain with some thunderstorms, and a high of 68 degrees.

#1 Raging Bull (3-1) breaks from the rail for Chad Brown with Joel Rosario up. He hasn’t raced since taking the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar on December 1, but broke his maiden over this trip a year ago and has a record of five wins in seven starts. He is two for three at the distance and has a four furlong workout over the course.

#2 Doctor Mounty (9-2) was a grade 3 winner at Gulfstream two back, and is two for four at the distance, never worse than third. This will be his first try over this course, which is surprising considering this will be his 27^thlifetime start. John Velazequez will be up for Shug McGaughey; the trainer won this race in 2012 with Data Link.

#3 Hembree (15-1) has been all over the map, running at Gulfstream, Aqueduct, Churchill Downs, Woodbine, Kentucky Downs, Saratoga, and Belmont in his last eight starts. The son of Proud Citizen was a stakes winner going 7 ½ at Gulfstream two back, then was fourth in a grade 3 there March 2, beaten 2 ¼ lengths. Tyler Gaffalione is up for Mike Maker.

#4 Delta Prince (7-2) is royally bred and should be ready to roll off his lone 2019 race, the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1). He was third that day, bumping his earnings to just under $1 million. The Jimmy Jerkens trainee is always knocking on the door for a big one; he was second by a neck in a grade 1 at Saratoga over the summer, fourth in the Woodbine Mile, and then third on the dirt at Aqueduct two back. He has had three bullets from his last four works.

#5 Qurbaan (4-1) was third here in a grade 1 race in October, his second start since coming over from France. He has raced twice since then, and is a grade 2 winner in the United States, but hasn’t won since September. The six-year-old races for Kiaran McLaughlin and will have Irad Ortiz, Jr. up.

#6 Heart to Heart (4-1) is the race’s defending champion. He will be making his 41^ststart and his eighth over this turf course, where he has run first or second five times. The speedy son of English Channel is now eight and may be showing his age, but he has earned over $2 million and if he gets away with an easy pace is always dangerous.

#7 Clyde’s Image (30-1) is named after his flashy father, Get Stormy. A maiden breaker in 2016, Clyde’s Image was away from the races from February 2017 to October, 2018. He has won two of his three starts since his comeback, including an allowance at Gulfstream Park last out.Lastly comes #8 Great Wide Open (Ire) (6-1). The son of Starspangledbanner was second here in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) in October, and has been a winner twice at the Fair Grounds since then. Conor Murphy trains the seven-year-old, who was fourth last out in the nine furlong Fair Grounds Handicap.

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