Study Guide: 2024 Blue Grass Stakes

Apr 03, 2024 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

A strong field has turned out for Saturday's $1 million Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland, which awards Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

Nine of the 11 entrants have recorded top-three finishes in past Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races, so the battle for Blue Grass points figures to be fierce. Let's meet the field:

Top Conor

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Flanagan Racing
Breeder: International Equities Holding
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (86) when winning his debut at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $42,000

Sire: Twirling Candy
Dam: Divine Dawn
Color: Gray/roan

Top Conor ran well in his debut racing one mile at Gulfstream Park, closing from just off the pace to win by two lengths. But stepping up sharply in class for the Blue Grass could be tricky since his career-best 86 Brisnet Speed rating is a little light.

Be You

Start(s): 6
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Repole Stable
Breeder: Alpha Delta Stables
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (97) when finishing second in his debut at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $121,300

Sire: Curlin
Dam: Jacaranda
Color: Chestnut

Be You showed flashes of promise as a juvenile, including when third in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah (G1), though he failed to win a race. He finally broke through when cutting back to seven furlongs for a March 2 maiden special weight at Gulfstream, winning by 2 1/2 lengths. With that confidence-boosting sprint victory under his belt, Be You is eligible to factor while returning to the Grade 1 ranks in the Blue Grass. It helps that five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is named to ride.

Seize the Grey

Start(s): 7
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 3

Owner: MyRacehorse
Breeder: Jamm
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Nik Juarez

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning an Oaklawn Park allowance optional claimer.
Total Earnings: $259,138

Sire: Arrogate
Dam: Smart Shopping
Color: Gray/roan

Seize the Grey has hit the board in a couple of Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, including when third in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park two weeks ago. He's bred to improve with maturity and is living up to his pedigree so far, so Seize the Grey still has upside for improvement and shouldn't be underestimated in the Blue Grass.

Dornoch

Start(s): 5
Wins: 3
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables
Breeder: Grandview Equine
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: Luis Saez

Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $505,400

Sire: Good Magic
Dam: Puca
Color: Bay

Dornoch is the most accomplished Blue Grass entrant, having employed pacesetting tactics to win the Remsen (G2) and Fountain of Youth (G2). But Dornoch benefited from a speed-favoring track in the Remsen and a slow pace in the Fountain of Youth, so this full-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage may face his stiffest challenge yet in the Blue Grass.

Good Money

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Calumet Farm
Breeder: Hill N Dale Equine Holdings
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Javier Castellano

Top Speed Rating: (83) when finishing fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Total Earnings: $36,060

Sire: Good Magic
Dam: Cascading Cash
Color: Bay

Debut winner Good Money was beaten only three-quarters of a length when fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, but he set a glacial pace that day and figures to face more pace pressure in the Blue Grass.

Just a Touch

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing, and Marc Detampel
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux

Top Speed Rating: (97) when finishing second in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $94,200

Sire: Justify
Dam: Touching Beauty
Color: Bay

Just a Touch romped when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Fair Grounds, then finished second in the one-mile Gotham (G3). He'll make his first start around two turns in the Blue Grass and has the pedigree to shine over the longer distance, so don't count this son of Triple Crown winner Justify out of contention. His back-to-back 97 Brisnet Speed ratings stamp Just a Touch as one of the fastest horses in the Blue Grass field.

Lat Long

Start(s): 6
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 4

Owner: Walking L Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Town & Country Horse Farms
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (88) when finishing second in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $143,750

Sire: Liam's Map
Dam: Amen Sista
Color: Dark bay/brown

Never out of the top three in six starts, Lat Long was last seen finishing third against a quality field in the Jan. 20 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds. The 2 1/2-month layoff is a question mark, though Lat Long worked a blazing half-mile in :46 2/5 at Churchill Downs last Sunday, suggesting he'll be fit for his return. Now he just needs to improve upon his career-best 88 Brisnet Speed rating.

Epic Ride

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: Welch Racing
Breeder: Fred W. Hertrich III
Trainer: John Ennis
Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Top Speed Rating: (96) when breaking his maiden at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $159,416

Sire: Blame
Dam: Pick a Time
Color: Bay

Epic Ride was much the best in the one-mile Leonatus S. at Turfway, leading almost all the way to win by four lengths, and he followed up with a respectable runner-up finish against Encino (see below) in the John Battaglia Memorial. But Epic Ride has competed exclusively over Turfway's synthetic Tapeta track, and switching to dirt at Keeneland is an obstacle to overcome.

Mugatu

Start(s): 11
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 3

Owner: Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells
Breeder: JSM Equine
Trainer: Jeff Engler
Jockey: Joe Talamo

Top Speed Rating: (87) when finishing third in a Turfway Park allowance optional claimer.
Total Earnings: $56,663

Sire: Blofeld
Dam: Union Way
Color: Chestnut

Mugatu is the most experienced Blue Grass entrant with 11 starts under his belt, but his lone victory came on Tapeta and he finished a distant fourth in the John Battaglia Memorial, so he'll need improvement to factor on Saturday.

Sierra Leone

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Peter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook T. Smith
Breeder: Debby M. Oxley
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Top Speed Rating: (98) when finishing second in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $336,750

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Heavenly Love
Color: Dark bay/brown

Sierra Leone's lone defeat from three starts came when rallying boldly against the grain of a speed-favoring track to finish second in the Remsen, beaten only a nose by Dornoch. He got a better setup when starting 2024 in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, closing strongly to prevail by half a length over Lecomte (G3) winner Track Phantom and future Louisiana Derby (G2) hero Catching Freedom. Chad Brown's Kentucky Derby contenders often improve in their second start at age three, so if Sierra Leone moves forward in the Blue Grass, he'll be tough to hold off down the homestretch.

Encino

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $142,715

Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Glittering Jewel
Color: Dark bay/brown

Encino unleashed a determined rally to win the John Battaglia Memorial by one length over Epic Ride, earning an encouraging 91 Brisnet Speed rating. But he's yet to race on dirt, so even though his pedigree suggests the surface switch won't be an issue, overcoming that challenge while stepping up against Grade 1 competition is a tough assignment.