Summer Front Seeks First Grade I

In the absence of the still-sidelined two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry), who won this race the last two years, Waterford Stable's Summer Front (War Front) is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in Friday's GI Maker's 46 Mile S. at Keeneland. The 6-year-old is a four-time graded stakes winner, but is still looking for his first Grade I victory after three runner-up efforts at the highest level. He was most recently second behind Ring Weekend (Tapit) in the Mar. 7 GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita. Summer Front ventured to the west coast twice last summer, coming away with runner-up finishes in the GI Shoemaker Mile and GI Eddie Read S., before ending 2014 with a fourth-place effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. 

Live Oak Plantation's Za Approval (Ghostzapper), fourth in this race a year ago, was fourth after a wide trip in the Kilroe Mile. The gray veteran will be making his fourth start of the year Friday afternoon at Keeneland. He began the year with a fourth-place effort in the Jan. 10 GII Fort Lauderdale S. before running second in the Jan. 31 Arcadia S. 

Walter Swinburn's Legendary (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) will be an outsider when he makes his 2015 debut in the Maker's 46 Mile. The 6-year-old gelding captured last year's GIII Knickerbocker H., but has been off since running fifth in the Nov. 15 GIII Red Smith H. 

“A Grade I is ambitious for his first start back,” admitted Rosella Saville, whose husband Niall trains Legendary. “We wanted to come down here and try the track out. The race looked like a good spot for him.” 
Legendary made his North American debut over the Keeneland turf course last year, finishing second in a 12-furlong allowance Apr. 17. 

“He ran a mile and a half and the owners thought, 'You guys crazy? That horse won't get the trip,'” Saville recalled. “But it was really just to school him, teach him to settle because he had struggled with that in England. He's gotten better and better. We like Keeneland, so why not come back? The horse seemed to like the [course] and with Breeders' Cup here this year, it'll be interesting to see what he does throughout the year and if he has the opportunity to come back.”