Millionaires Musketier and Rahystrada, with a combined 10 graded stakes victories between them, head a field of seven turf marathoners entered for the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 18 at Keeneland.
The Sycamore, at 1 1/2 miles on the grass, will go as the eighth on a nine-race program with a 4:49 p.m. EDT post time.
Owned by Stella Perdomo and trained by Roger Attfield, 10-year-old German-bred Musketier has won six graded stakes at the Sycamore distance, two of them coming in Keeneland's Elkhorn (gr. IIT) and three others in the Singspiel (Can-IIIT) at Woodbine. John Velazquez has the mount on Musketier, who will break from post 6.
Musketier has compiled a career record of 49-11-7-6 for earnings of $1,129,027.
Robert Courtney Jr.’s Rahystrada, trained by Byron Hughes, has four graded stakes victories on his resume, including the 2011 Kentucky Turf Cup (gr. IIIT) at Kentucky Downs in his first attempt at 1 1/2 miles. Winner of the Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT) for a second time this summer, 8-year-old Rahystrada finished third in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) in August and second in this year’s renewal of the Kentucky Turf Cup.
Corey Lanerie has the mount on Rahystrada, who will break from the inside post. Rahystrada’s has compiled a record of 40-13-4-8 for earnings of $1,226,950.
The main threat to the two veterans is Team Block’s Ioya Bigtime, who is 2-for-2 at 12 furlongs. Trained by Chris Block, Illinois-bred Ioya Bigtime held off Rahystrada in the Kentucky Turf Cup in his most recent start. In his initial try at the Sycamore distance he defeated Musketier in the Stars and Stripes (gr. IIIT) at Arlington in July.
Jeffrey Sanchez will ride Ioya Bigtime, who will break from post 3.
Kindergarden Kid, trained by Mike Maker for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, comes off a third in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) on a yielding turf course at Belmont Park Sept. 29. He was a close third to Ioya Bigtime and Rahystrada in the Kentucky Turf Cup.
$100,000 Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:49 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/2 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Rahystrada (KY), C J Lanerie, 123, B G Hughes
2. Kindergarden Kid (KY), J R Leparoux, 121, M J Maker
3. Ioya Bigtime (IL), J Sanchez, 123, C M Block
4. Seton Hall (KY), C H Borel, 121, I R Wilkes
5. Canaveral (GB), S Bridgmohan, 121, J E Elliot
6. Musketier (GER), J R Velazquez, 123, R L Attfield
7. Miami Deco (ON), E Trujillo, 121, B A Lynch
