GII Lexus Raven Run S.

Kappa Kappa (Omaha Beach) drew in off the also-eligible list and pulled off a 27-1 upset with a game victory in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. She jumped well from her outside draw beneath the hot-handed John Velazquez and vied for command while three deep through an opening quarter in :22.81. Kappa Kappa enjoyed a narrow advantage at the top of the lane and battled back gamely after being headed in the stretch by Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) to win by a head. Favored 'TDN...

St Elias Stable's Captain Cook (Practical Joke), a heartbreaking second at 20-1 in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga Aug. 23, will be favored to register a first career graded success in Saturday's GIII Perryville S. at Keeneland. Winner of the Withers S. in February, the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was making his first start for Todd Pletcher in the Allen Jerkens. The field of six for the Perryville also includes GII San Vicente S. winner and Allen Jerkens third Barnes (Into Mischief) and GIII...

With so many roads now leading to Del Mar, traffic may feel pretty slow just now. But we should make a virtue of that, in that our preoccupation with the elite program tends to deny due attention to those achieving their success a tier or so below the very top. After all, such people have typically required no less skill, endeavor and patience, often denied the very highest rewards only through lacking similar parity in resources. Take the breeder of GIII Ontario Derby winner Dresden Row (Lord Nelson), whose emergence...

Closing out her sixth year in the training ranks, Cherie DeVaux added yet another notch on her belt, collecting her first Keeneland stakes victory in Saturday's feature, the GII Lexus Raven Run S. Helping her achieve that goal, DeVaux was represented by GIII Charles Town Oaks winner Vahva (Gun Runner), who was accompanied by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, also aboard in her last-out score in West Virginia. "I don't know if there are words to really describe that," said a visibly moved DeVaux following the win. "Our team...

Sent off the lukewarm 5-2 choice, Winchell Thoroughbred's Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) made that price seem like a gift after rolling home an emphatic four-length winner in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Settled in third, Wicked Halo waited as Smash Ticket (Midnight Lute) sprinted to the front and carved out an opening quarter in :22.73 while Freedom Speaks (American Freedom) pressed the issue. Three wide and ready to pounce at any moment following a half in :46.09, Wicked Halo collared the front-running duo while fanned out several...

A competitive group of 10 sophomore fillies line up in Saturday's GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Among the expected favorites for the seven-furlong test is Whitham Thoroughbreds' Four Graces (Majesticperfection). Trained by Ian Wilkes, the homebred has won four of five starts at the Raven Run distance, including Churchill's GIII Dogwood S. in June followed by the GIII Beaumont S. over the local Beard Course July 10. Given some time off following that effort, she speed-loving filly weakened late to be second behind Sconsin (Include) in the Sept....