Grade 1 Alcibiades a Distance Test for Young Fillies

Grade 1 Alcibiades a Distance Test for Young Fillies

Category : News - Fri 03/10/2014 - 12:56 EDT

The featured race of the October 3 opening day card at Keeneland is the Grade 1 $400,000 Darley Alcibiades as thirteen two-year old fillies are scheduled to run the mile and a sixteenth race on the main track in a fantastic betting event.

With the majority of the field untested at route distances, the question of which horses will handle the added ground becomes the most important handicapping variable. Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out the 4/1 morning line favorite in Fashion Alert who is 2 for 2 after beginning her career with consecutive stakes victories in the Astoria and Grade 3 Schuylerville.  Fashion Alert figures to show plenty of speed breaking from post one as she makes her route debut.  Pletcher connects at a 23% clip with horses going sprint to route, but Fashion Alert, who has never run further than six furlongs, will have her work cut out for her.

Panburn is proven at route distance 

Pangburn is the second choice at 5/1 and is easily the most accomplished route horse in the field having broken her maiden at a route distance before finishing second in the Grade 2 Pocahontas at a mile and a sixteenth. Pangburn broke awkwardly in the Pocahontas and should be much closer to the pace with a clean start.  It is worth noting that Jesus Castanon takes the mount on Pangburn in the Alcibiades with Joel Rosario opting to ride Gap Year (8/1 ML) for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. 

Hot-shot maiden winner tests stakes waters 

Top Decile (9/2) broke her maiden in fast time at Saratoga for trainer Al Stall, and is another runner who should be on or near the early fractions.  Stall hits with 21% of his runners making their second career start and 22% with the sprint to route move. 

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