Brass Hat and Go Between, both coming off of stakes victories, highlight a field of nine in the $150,000 Fayette Stakes (gr. III), the final race of Keeneland's fall meet Oct. 27.
Fred Bradley’s homebred Brass Hat enters the 1 1/8-mile Fayette off a three-quarter-length score in the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs Sept. 22. It was the 6-year-old gelding’s first stakes win since June of 2006, but his fifth time in the winner’s circle in his last nine starts.
By Prized, out of Dixie Brass mare Brassy, Brass Hat is trained by Fred Bradley’s son, William “Buff” Bradley. Brass Hat, who has earned more than $1.5 million from 19 career starts, has one race over Polytrack, a victory in Turfway Park’s Prairie Bayou Stakes in 2005. Regular rider Willie Martinez will be aboard the 2-1 favorite from post seven.
Peter Vegso’s homebred Go Between, a 4-year-old son of Point Given , has placed in his last four starts, including his most recent effort, a 4¾-length victory in the Unbridled Breeders’ Cup Handicap Sept. 22 at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Like all but one of Go Between’s 19 career starts, it came on the turf.
Trained by Bill Mott, Go Between has a pair of graded-stakes scores in his five-win career, and has earned more than $1.1 million. Miguel Mena will for the first time and leave from post two.
Though without a win since April, 4-year-old gelding Stream Cat has to be given consideration based on his last four starts, all in graded-stakes competition. Two of the efforts ended in third-place finishes, including his most recent race, the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) on the Turfway Polytrack. Also in there was a fourth in the Arlington Million (gr. I), coming two starts ago.
Stream Cat, who is trained by Patrick Biancone, has raced twice on the Keeneland Polytrack this year, including his last victory, a one-length triumph in allowance competition. Rene Douglas will ride for the first time.
Also in the field is Lazy Lane Farms’ homebred Kona Blend, who enters off of four straight wins, two of them in stakes competition. Likely to set the pace, 4-year-old gelding Kona Blend began his career on the dirt without much success. Since trainer Graham Motion switched him to other surfaces in May, he is undefeated. Three of the wins have come on turf, while the latest was a Sept. 6 allowance score on the Presque Isle Downs Tapeta surface.
$150,000 Fayette Stakes (gr. III, Race 7, 3:45 p.m.), Three-Year-Olds & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (Polytrack)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Tap Dancing Mauk, 121, Jesus Castanon
2. Go Between, 121, Miguel Mena
3. Demeteor, 119, Jesse Campbell
4. Kona Blend, 119, Eddie Martin, Jr.
5. Dr. Pleasure, 119, Larry Melancon
6. Stream Cat, 121, Rene Douglas
7. Brass Hat, 121, Willie Martinez
8. Minister's Joy, 119, Brian Hernandez, Jr.
9. Save Big Money, 119, Corey Lanerie
