When the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes (G3T) goes off as the eighth race on the Oct. 19 card at Keeneland, there will be a meeting of the old versus the new.
Two top-level winners are signed on in Andrew Bentley Stables' Hardest Core, who seeks his first win since capturing the Arlington Million XXXII Stakes (G1T) in 2014, and Some in Tieme (owned by Some in Time, Inc.), who took two group 1 races in Brazil and makes his first start since a three-length romp in the Louisville Handicap (G3T) in May at Churchill Downs.
Last year's Sycamore winner, Merriebelle Stable's Renown, shares headlining status though he is winless since May.
The question will be if those three still have their top form and whether they can handle rising turf horses such as Union Rags Racing's 3-year-old Big Bend, Chiefswood Stables' 3-year-old Final Copy, and Guy Pariente's 4-year-old Canessar, among others.
Ken McPeek, who trains Some in Tieme, said the 5-year-old son of 2005 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) winner Shirocco is in good shape after taking a five-month absence from racing due to a minor setback. He has been training steadily since August at Keeneland.
"This is a really special horse," McPeek said. "He's trained real forward. He certainly relishes a mile and a half."
Hardest Core finished sixth in an optional-claiming allowance over the turf last month at Woodbine. That was his first start since a second in the Singspiel Stakes (G3T) in July of 2016. Trained by Edward Graham, the 7-year-old gelding has raced just four times since finishing last in the 2014 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
Canessar made his first foray into the country an impressive one, when he made up more than 10 lengths to win the Laurel Turf Cup Stakes Sept. 16. Trained by France native Arnaud Delacour, the French gelding owns six wins from 11 starts.
"I liked him ever since he came to us in early August," Delacour said. "He's been no problem. He's settled into the American system very well. He has breezed every week. I think it's a pretty competitive field. It will be a tough task."
Renown will seek to defend his crown in the race, which he won by a nose last year. In his latest effort, he opened up a large lead while setting the pace in the Laurel Turf Cup and faded to third.
Big Bend has the look of a "now" horse with two straight wins, including a last-out score in the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby for trainer Tom Proctor. His front-running style could be compromised by several other speedy types in the race.
Final Copy figures to save ground breaking from the rail. Trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, he closed from far back to be fourth in the Sept. 30 Commonwealth Derby presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance and the Virginia HBPA (G3T). He missed by a nose in the Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine before that, and won the July 23 Toronto Cup there.
Derby Dan Farm Racing's Manitoulin enters off an optional-claiming allowance win at Belmont Park for trainer James Toner. The 4-year-old Awesome Again gelding was fourth in the Arlington Handicap (G3T) in July and scored an allowance victory over the Keeneland turf in April.
Sierra Farm's Nessy can't be discounted after running seventh by 3 3/4 lengths in the Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3) last month at Kentucky Downs. The 4-year-old gelding trained by Ian Wilkes, was just a neck behind the sixth-place finisher Bullards Alley, who returned to capture the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) Oct. 15 in dominating fashion.
Keeneland, Thursday, October 19, 2017, Race 8Entries: Sycamore S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Final Copy (ON) Corey J. Lanerie 118 Roger L. Attfield 12/1 2 2Some in Tieme (BRZ) Robby Albarado 123 Kenneth G. McPeek 9/2 3 3Canessar (FR) Feargal Lynch 121 Arnaud Delacour 3/1 4 4Tasit (PA) Julien R. Leparoux 121 Michael R. Matz 12/1 5 5Tobias (KY) Sophie Doyle 121 Rafael A. Fernandez 50/1 6 6Renown (GB) Christopher P. DeCarlo 121 Elizabeth Voss 5/1 7 7Majestic Pride (KY) Alex L. Canchari 121 McLean Robertson 30/1 8 8Hardest Core (KY) Emma-Jayne Wilson 121 Edward L. Graham 12/1 9 9Infinite Wisdom (KY) Channing Hill 121 Brian A. Lynch 4/1 10 10Flashy Chelsey (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 121 Michael J. Maker 20/1 11 11Big Bend (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 118 Thomas F. Proctor 20/1 12 12Nessy (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Ian R. Wilkes 12/1 13 13Manitoulin (KY) Florent Geroux 121 James J. Toner 8/1
