Tough racing luck has kept Rated Fiesty from maintaining the undefeated streak she enjoyed as a juvenile. The daughter of Exchange Rate, owned by Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and JMJ Racing Stable, tries again to reach the winner’s circle for the first time this season Oct. 18 when she faces a dozen 3-year-old fillies in the $300,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland.
The Raven Run, a seven-furlong sprint on Polytrack, is race 9 and one of two graded stakes on the Keeneland program. The $150,000 Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds and up going 12 furlongs on the turf will be run as race 7.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Rated Fiesty was a perfect 3-for-3 as a juvenile, as she broke her maiden by 4 3/4 lengths at Keeneland and then romped in the Kentucky Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. III) and Debutante Stakes (gr. III), both at Churchill Downs. Her luck hasn't been as good since then.
In her 3-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park, Rated Fiesty went wire-to-wire in the Jan. 26 Dixie Belle Stakes, but was disqualified and placed third due to interference in the stretch under Luis Quinonez. Most recently, the gray/roan filly was beaten only a neck on the Turfway Park Polytrack in the six-furlong Weekend Delight Handicap after returning from a nearly eight-month layoff.
Bred in Florida by Heiligbrodt, Rated Fiesty is out of the Count the Time mare Fiesty Countess. She will break from the rail under Shaun Bridgmohan.
Ron McCauley’s
Golden Doc A enters as the only starter with a grade I victory to her credit and will carry top weight of 123 pounds as a result. The daughter of Unusual Heat earned that score Feb. 9 in the Las Virgenes Stakes on the Santa Anita Cushion Track. Golden Doc A the followed with runner-up efforts in the San Anita Oaks (gr. I) and Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland, and was fourth to Proud Spell in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
However, the chestnut has not been in top form in the second half of the season, as she has been well-beaten in three off-the-board starts since June. Most recently, she was sixth in the Oct. 3 Indiana Oaks (gr. II). Previously trained by Barry Abrams, Golden Doc A will start for Gregory Fox for the first time. Jesus Castanon will get the mount.
One starter worthy of serious consideration is Augustin Stable’s
Informed Decision, who not only has a win over the course but enters off an impressive stakes victory. Trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Informed Decision won by more than six lengths at Keeneland April 11 in allowance company while going 6 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack. After finishing third in the Victory Ride (gr. III) at Saratoga, the
Monarchos filly won her first blacktype event Sept. 20 in the seven-furlong Missile Belle, as she stalked the pace and won by nearly two lengths at Belmont.
Frank Calabrese’s
Dreaming of Liz has won a pair of stakes at Arlington this season, but is 0-for-2 with a pair of poor efforts on the Keeneland Polytrack.
Absolutely Cindy has not been the same since beating the boys at Turfway Park in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes March 1 at Turfway Park. She is winless in three starts since and makes her first start in more than five months for owner/trainer Ron Kinmon.
$300,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (gr. II, Race 9, 5:10 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, Seven Furlongs (Polytrack)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Rated Fiesty (FL), 117, Shaun Bridgmohan
2. Spring Awakening (CA), 117, Miguel Mena
3. Informed Decision (KY), 117, John R. Velazquez
4. Ride Em Cowgirl (KY), 119, Eusebio Razo, Jr.
5. Dreaming of Liz (KY), 117, E. T. Baird
6. Golden Doc A (CA), 123, Jesus Lopez Castanon
7. Valentine Fever (KY), 117, Julien R. Leparoux
8. Extra Sexy Psychic (PA), 117, Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
9. Dubai Majesty (FL), 117, Jamie Theriot
10. Secret Gypsy (KY), 117, Robby Albarado
11. Awesome I Am (FL), 117, Calvin H. Borel
12. Absolutely Cindy (KY), 117, Jon Kenton Court
13. Set Play (FL), 117, Rene R. Douglas
