The 39th running of the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) Oct. 5 at Keeneland carries a special designation. Its purse has been boosted to $1.25 million, making it the richest race in the storied history of the track not including the Breeders' Cup.
This one-mile turf test, first held in 1986, has increasingly become a highlight of Keeneland's fall meet. Now, the Turf Mile is an important "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).
Last year's Turf Mile was a banner renewal of the race. The winner, Up to the Mark , subsequently finished a good second in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) while runner-up by a nose Master of The Seas won the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) in his next start.
This year's running of the Turf Mile drew a high-quality field. The forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures around 80 degrees. The race will be televised nationwide on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
1. Mountain Bear (6-1 morning-line odds): Scratched from the lucrative Mint Millions Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs last month and reappears in this spot for his second North American start under the guidance of turf maestro Aidan O'Brien. Won two of 12 starts in Europe including a minor stakes a year ago, and ran well when second in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. Seems to be rounding back into good form with a second and a third in his two recent European starts.
JOCKEY: Christopher Hayes; TRAINER: Aidan O'Brien
2. Kikkuli (4-1): Ships from England having won one of five career starts with near misses at the group stakes level in two out of his past three. Gets the services of top international jockey Frankie Dettori and could be the main threat to Carl Spackler if he handles the travel and course. Does his best running on or near the front, and Frankie is very adept at employing those tactics.
JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori; TRAINER: Harry Charlton
3. More Than Looks (3-1): Has assembled a fine race record over the past couple of years (four wins, two seconds, and a third in nine starts) with a pair of stakes tallies. Enters off a runner-up finish to Carl Spackler in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course where he was defeated by 3 1/2 lengths. He was rank early in that race and a better start and trip Saturday could help him make up at least some of that margin. Will be running late.
JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Cherie DeVaux
4. Running Bee (12-1): The first of three Chad Brown trainees has won half of his six starts this year, two of them stakes, including a last-out rallying score in the Bernard Baruch Stakes on Saratoga's closing-day card. Cuts back to a mile, a distance he's never tried before, but is 2-for-2 at Keeneland. Has a good stalking style for this race and Florent Geroux will get aboard for the first time.
JOCKEY: Florent Geroux; TRAINER: Chad Brown
5. Noises Off (20-1): Outsider is in fine form this year, sporting a 2-2-1 record through five starts, but in his only prior stakes try was no threat back in summer 2023 when fifth of nine in a listed turf stakes at Churchill Downs. Enters off of a runner-up finish to Goliad in a $500,000, one-mile handicap event at Kentucky Downs, where he finished ahead of Cash Equity. Goliad and Cash Equity then ran 1-2 in the Mint Millions Stakes six days later on that course. Adds blinkers Saturday for trainer Paulo Lobo, who won this race in both 2020 and 2021.
JOCKEY: Cristian Torres; TRAINER: Paulo Lobo
6. Talk of the Nation (8-1): Certainly belongs in this race after having run close seconds behind Carl Spackler twice back in May and July of this year. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher seeks his third Turf Mile win in a row with this mile specialist, who's kept good company and been very consistent throughout his career. The problem is, he can't seem to reach the winner's circle for Pletcher, who took over training duties from Shug McGaughey. Pletcher has started him five times in 2024, resulting in two seconds, two thirds, and a fourth.
JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Todd Pletcher
7. Cash Equity (15-1): Has done most of his damage in allowance optional claiming and handicap races, and enters off a solid stay at Kentucky Downs. Finished third behind Goliad and Noises Off in the $500K handicap referenced above, and then ran better on a quick turnaround to rally past Talk of the Nation and nab runner-up honors a length behind Goliad in the Mint Millions last time. Will need a fast pace to be a factor in this grade 1, and it's hard to see him pulling the upset even with Hall of Famer Mike Smith taking the reins for the first time.
JOCKEY: Mike Smith; TRAINER: Saffie Joseph Jr.
8. Spirit of St Louis (15-1): New York-bred has never been out of the exacta in his career for Brown, scoring in eight of 11 starts with three seconds. He's won four stakes, but three of them were in races restricted to New York-breds, as have been 10 of his 11 races so far. He ships out of the Empire State for the first time to run Saturday against a field far tougher than he's ever faced before.
JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Chad Brown
9. Carl Spackler (2-1): Enters in top form for Brown after posting back-to-back mile wins during the Saratoga meet in the Kelso Stakes (G3T) and Fourstardave Handicap, where he already punched his "Win and You're In" ticket to the Breeders' Cup Mile. Owns five wins in his past six starts and all of them came with Tyler Gaffalione aboard. He'll be the favorite and horse to beat, but he does not tower above this field in terms of speed figures, and the far outside post will be no help.
JOCKEY: Tyler Gaffalione; TRAINER: Chad Brown
THE PICK: Kikkuli
LIVE LONGSHOT: Running Bee
SUPERFECTA: 2-1-9-4
