Trainer Chad Brown told Keeneland officials April 8 he will enter Balance the Books instead of Noble Tune in the April 13 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Brown said Noble Tune, who had been considered for the race, instead would make his next start in the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) Churchill Downs May 3. Noble Tune breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 on the Keeneland Polytrack April 7, while Balance the Book covered four furlongs in :48 2/5 on the same surface the same day.
"I don't feel like (Noble Tune has) handled the Polytrack as well as I would have hoped, but Balance the Books is now a probable to run in there," said Brown, who trains Balance the Books for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence.
Balance the Books, a 3-year-old by Lemon Drop Kid , is coming off an 11th-place finish in the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III) on Polytrack at Turfway Park March 23. The race marked his first start of 2013.
"Things didn't go his way," Brown said. "He never really ran but half of the race. I was so surprised he didn't handle it. Maybe it was Turfway or the shipping. I bought that horse at Keeneland last year, and I thought he'd trained so well on the Polytrack before I bought him.
"He breezed (April 7) just as I suspected he would on Poly–terrific. I'm going to draw a line through Turfway and take a shot in the (Toyota) Blue Grass."
Javier Castellano will ride Balance the Books.
In other Blue Grass news, Long Island Racing Stables, Sunrise Stables, and Gina Bentivegna's West Hills Giant worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on the fast Belmont Park training track. Trainer John Terranova said West Hills Giant would arrive at Keeneland April 9.
Darley Stable's Footbridge worked five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on the Cushion Track at Betfair Hollywood Park April 8. Trained by Eoin Harty, Footbridge is scheduled to ship to Keeneland April 9 as well.
Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass will be drawn April 10.