Grade III winners Shared Property and Majestic City top an overflow field of 2-year-olds entered in the $400,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) Oct. 8 at Keeneland. With 16 juveniles entered in the race that is limited to 14 starters, there are two also eligibles who will draw in should any early scratches occur.
The 1 1/16-mile test over Polytrack, one of three grade I races on the Keeneland Saturday card, is a “Win and You’re In” race, with the winner receiving an automatic berth to the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Tom Amoss for Jerry Namy, Shared Property remained undefeated in two starts after he ran down favored Take Charge Indy in the stretch to win the Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III) by a length Sept. 10. The 2-year-old gelding from the first crop sired by Scat Daddy and produced from Yoursmineours, by Belong to Me, was bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. John Williams.
Trained by Peter Miller for Jeffrey Bloom, Majestic City won the first three starts of his career, all as the odds-on betting favorite, before finishing second and eventually disqualified to third in a troubled trip in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I).
A son of City Zip-It’schmemistrybaby, by Meadowlake, Majestic City was bred in Kentucky by Trackside Farm and Robert and Helen Evans. Majestic City was originally sold for $180,000 at the Ocala Breeders Sales Company in March and began his career racing for Majestic Racing Stable before being purchased by Bloom prior to winning the Hollywood Juvenile Championship (gr. III) July 17. In that race, Majestic City fell in the paddock and exhibited some unruly behavior behind the starting gate before going on to win by 2 1/4 lengths over five rivals for his second stakes victory.
In the Del Mar Futurity, the colt’s fourth career start, Majestic City veered to the right under left-handed urging from David Flores, shutting off Creative Cause and sending eventual winner Drill momentarily sideways. During the incident, Drill’s jockey, Martin Garcia, lost his whip yet managed to right his colt and urge him to victory by using his reins. The inquiry sign went up immediately, and after reviewing the replay stewards demoted Majestic City and elevated Creative Cause to second from third.
Also entered in the Futurity is Take Charge Indy, who relinquished the lead late while ducking in to finish second to Shared Property as the favorite in the Arlington-Washington Futurity. The son of A.P. Indy-Take Charge Lady, by Dehere, is trained by Patrick Byrne for Chuck and Maribeth Sandford and Secure Investments of Tami Dellatori. Take Charge Indy drew off to win his maiden by 6 1/2 lengths despite lugging in July 30 at Arlington and will be making his third start in the Breeders’ Futurity. He will be equipped with blinkers for the first time.
The Dixiana Breeders' Futurity is one of five graded stakes on the Saturday card. It will be broadcast live on VERSUS as part of NBC Sports Group coverage from 5-6 p.m. EDT.
$400,000 Dixiana Breeders Futurity (gr. I, Race 8, 5:13 p.m.) 2-year-olds, 121 Pounds, 1 1/16 Miles
PP, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Musical Flair (KY), J Rios, S Santoro, 15-1
2. Space Race (KY), E Castro, M Matz, 10-1
3. Dullahan (KY), K Desormeaux, D Romans, 15-1
4. Motor City (KY), C Borel, I Wilkes, 15-1
5. Majestic City (KY), G Gomez, P Miller, 7-2
6. Curfew Tower (KY), B Creed, H Reed, 50-1
7. Shared Property (KY), L Goncalves, T Amoss, 4-1
8. Lucky Chappy (IRE), R Dominguez, H Motion, 8-1
9. Our Entourage (KY), J Rosario, T Pletcher, 8-1
10. Ancil ((KY), M Cruz, J Scott, 30-1
11. Take Charge Indy (KY). J Graham, P Byrne, 5-1
12. Optimizer (KY), R Albarado, D Lukas, 8-1
13. E Valentino (LA), S Sellers, E Gary, 50-1
14. Gung Ho (PA), J Leparoux, M Maker, 15-1
(AE) Fire Alarm (KY), J Theriot, W Calhoun, 20-1
(AE) Personal Interest (KY), D Centeno, J Arias, 20-1