Keeneland: Stakes spot plays for opening day

The Keeneland fall meet kicks off with a bang Friday. Two graded stakes are on the agenda, including the prestigious Alcibiades (G1) for 2-year-old fillies.

Want to join in on the action? Let’s play the featured races on a $50 budget.

Race 8: Phoenix (G2, 5:05 p.m. ET)

There’s plenty of speed in this 6-furlong “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), so I’ll take a shot with the stretch-running 3-year-old #1 Shashashakemeup (30-1).

A son of Preakness (G1) winner Shackleford, Shashashakemeup has been running reasonably well in route races. He finished fourth in the Iowa Derby and Pat Day Mile (G2) against his own age group.

But Shashashakemeup’s best races have come sprinting. Three starts back, he rallied after a troubled start to finish second in a 6-furlong allowance race against older horses at Churchill Downs, where he was beaten only by future Pat O’Brien (G2) and Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) winner C Z Rocket.

With a break from the rail under jockey Corey Lanerie, I’m optimistic Shashashakemeup will receive a perfect ground-saving trip off a fast pace and rally down the homestretch.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux strikes at a 24% rate with horses who cut back from routes to sprints, so let’s bet Shashashakemeup to win and place.

$10 to win/place on #1 Shashashakemeup ($20)

Race 9: Alcibiades (G1, 5:40 p.m. ET)

This 1 1/16-mile “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) has drawn a deep field.

#3 Thoughtfully (3-1) romped in the Adirondack (G2) at Saratoga, #2 Travel Column (7-2) crushed her debut at Churchill Downs, and stakes winner #4 Crazy Beautiful (5-2) overcame a troubled trip to finish second in the Pocahontas (G3).

But from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective, they’ll all need improvement to beat #7 Simply Ravishing (3-1), who threw down an eye-catching 98 rating when she powered to victory by 6 1/2 lengths in the 7-furlong P. G. Johnson S. at Saratoga. Trainer Kenny McPeek has spoken highly of Simply Ravishing, who previously broke her maiden racing 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga. Two fast workouts in recent weeks suggest this promising 2-year-old is primed for another big effort.

At 3-1, a win bet will be our first order of business, but we’ll also key Simply Ravishing on top of a trifecta, with other logical favorites underneath.

$15 to win on #7 Simply Ravishing
$2.50 trifecta: 7 with 1,2,4 with 1,2,4 ($15)
Total: $30

Good luck!