Mike McCarty's Lemon Drop Dream tops a field of eight sprinters in the 162nd running of the $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Oct. 3, on opening day of the Keeneland fall meet.
STOLL KEENON OGDEN PHOENIX STAKES
The winner earns a fees-paid, automatic berth in the starting gate for the $1.5 million Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint next month Santa Anita Park through the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" promotion.
Lemon Drop Dream will break from post three in the Phoenix, which is carded as race eight on the 10-race program with a 4:42 p.m. (EDT) post time.
The 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid won the Count Fleet Sprint this spring at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he comes in off a fifth-place finish behind winner Bern Identity in the Dave's Friend Stakes Sept. 6 at Laurel Park. Ricardo Santana Jr., who was aboard for the victory in the Count Fleet, has the mount.
Breaking to the immediate inside of Lemon Drop Dream is Bern Identity, who enters with brings a three-race win streak -- all stakes victories. The 4-year-old Bernstein colt is trained by Kelly Breen for George and Lori Hall.