Steve Haskin 9y

Alcibiades draws field of 13

Horse Racing

With the installation of a new dirt surface this year after racing on Polytrack since 2006, Keeneland and its fans can say goodbye to the old Darley Alcibiades Stakes that used to be more of a prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and hello to the prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Run at 1-1/16 miles with a purse of $400,000 Oct. 3, opening day at the Lexington track, the Alcibiades, which was inaugurated in 1952, is a "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

To demonstrate the interest in the new, or perhaps that should be old, Alcibiades Stakes, a total of 13 2-year-old fillies were entered, seven of whom have won their last start.

While the majority of the field is coming off races at Saratoga Race Course or Churchill Downs, there are also horses who last ran at Arlington International Racecourse, Louisiana Downs, and Haydock Park in England.

Despite the presence of several fillies who have won or placed in stakes, the most accomplished horse in the race, and the one to catch from the rail, is George Bolton and Barry Hall's Fashion Alert, who is undefeated in two starts, both of them stakes in New York.

The daughter of Old Fashioned, trained by Todd Pletcher, was so precocious she made her career debut in the 5-1/2-furlong Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park. After winning by almost five lengths, she was 1-5 in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga and had to overcome a severe bumping incident at the start, but still was able to draw clear late to win by 1-1/2 lengths.

After being out for 2-1/2 months, she is back in the entries with regular rider John Velazquez aboard.

Fashion Alert is hardly the only speed in the race, despite coming off sprints and breaking from the rail.

Arlington maiden winner Innovative Idea, trained by Eoin Harty for Darley Stable, won her only start on the front end, blazing a half in :45 seconds flat. The Dale Romans-trained Taylor S blew her opponents away right from the break in her career debut at Churchill Downs, winning by nearly four lengths. Top Decile, trained by Al Stall Jr., went head and head on the lead through a half in :45 3/5 seconds in her career debut at Saratoga.

One filly with speed who has a mile race under her is the Kelly Breen-trained Calamity Kate, who chased a :46 1/5-second pace at Belmont Park in her third start before drawing away to a six-length romp. Paco Lopez has a return engagement and will break from post 4.

Bill Kaplan has an interesting filly in Naval Command, who won two of her first three starts sprinting before stretching out to a mile on the grass in the Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs. The daughter of Midshipman battled on the lead the whole way and hung on gamely to win by a neck.

If the speed falters and sets things up for a closer, there is the Kenny McPeek-trained Pangborn, who after breaking her maiden in her career debut on grass at Ellis Park, rallied to finish second after an awkward start in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. Milehigh Butterfly, trained by William Connelly, also closed well in the Pocahontas, finishing third.

Although Godolphin's Gap Year has only one start and is still a maiden, the daughter of Bernardini closed very fast to finish third, beaten a head. Joel Rosario has a return mount for Kiaran McLaughlin, but will have to break from the far outside in post 13. Breaking just inside her in post 12 is the Wayne Lukas-trained Take Charge Brandi, fifth in both the Pocahontas and Adirondack Stakes, but second in the Schuylerville Stakes before that.

Stretching out off two sprint victories is Paige, who is coming off game scores at Ellis Park and Churchill Downs for Donnie Von Hemel.

Ironically, the only horse in the race who has a work over the Keeneland surface is the European invader Peace and War, who will be making her dirt debut, having finished second on the grass at Haydock in her last start. Before that, the daughter of War Front finished sixth of 21 starters in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Rounding out the field is Slava, third in a recent allowance/optional claimer going six furlongs at Churchill Downs.

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