A grade 3 from 2005-09, the Perryville Stakes (G3) was cut from a depleted Keeneland stakes schedule in 2010. Reappearing as a listed race for one year in 2015 and then again from 2020-23, it is back on the upswing. After victories by Nashville , Gunite , and Raise Cain, Perryville returned to graded status this year with a field fully worthy of being in graded competition.
An field of a dozen 3-year-olds is to race seven furlongs Oct. 19 for $300,000 in an overdrawn sprint that lured grade 1 winner Book'em Danno, two Kentucky Derby (G1) participants in West Saratoga and Epic Ride, and several talented up-and-comers, led by Knightsbridge, who is 2-for-2.
Morning-line favoritism at 2-1 was awarded to Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno, a deserving honor for the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) winner and one of the top 3-year-old sprinters in the country.
The Derek Ryan-trained son of Bucchero was last in action Aug. 24, closing from far off the pace to finish third behind Domestic Product and Prince of Monaco in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Just shy of $1 million in earnings, the gelding reunites with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time since the Woody Stephens. They break from post 5.
Video: H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. (G1)
The field includes Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Locked. However, he is also entered in an allowance optional claiming race Oct. 19 at Aqueduct Racetrack, and could race there instead. Last year's Breeders' Futurity winner has not started since running third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) last fall for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Also on the comeback trail is Godolphin homebred Knightsbridge. The Bill Mott-trained son of Nyquist has earned enough of a reputation through his two career victories—won by a combined 19 1/2 lengths—to earn second choice on the morning line at 3-1 despite not racing since March 28.
After a busy winter campaign that allowed Welch Racing's Epic Ride to draw in off the also-eligible list for the Kentucky Derby—where he'd finish 14th—trainer John Ennis decided to give the colt a break.
"He's bigger and stronger. He was a kid going into the Derby, and now he is a man," Ennis said of Blame colt's physical maturity. "This is a salty race, but I would not swap my horse for anybody's."
Epic Ride has raced at Keeneland once before, running third at 51-1 in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) while finishing ahead of eventual Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch by 1 1/4 lengths. Like the Derby, Epic Ride will break from the far outside.
Kentucky Derby runner West Saratoga is also back after receiving a freshening following his fifth-place effort in the June 9 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Also with a chance
- Henro, winner of two stakes in his last three starts;
- grade 3-placed and multiple stakes winner Who Dey;
- Illinois Derby winner Patriot Spirit, who returned from a 4 1/2-month layoff to win a Sept. 7 allowance at Colonial Downs by 4 3/4 lengths.
Keeneland, Saturday, October 19, 2024, Race 7Entries: Perryville S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Henro (KY) Rafael Bejarano 120 Chris A. Hartman 12/1 2 2West Saratoga (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Larry W. Demeritte 30/1 3 3Knightsbridge (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 William I. Mott 3/1 4 4Who Dey (OH) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Thomas Drury, Jr. 8/1 5 5Book'em Danno (NJ) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Derek S. Ryan 2/1 6 6Goodlookinjustice (IN) Samuel E. Bermudez 120 Aaron M. West 20/1 7 7Patriot Spirit (KY) Luis Saez 120 Michael B. Campbell 15/1 8 8Banjo Chris (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Glenn S. Wismer 30/1 9 9Dilger (IRE) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 20/1 10 10Locked (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Todd A. Pletcher 7/2 11 11Love Me Tender (PA) Jaime A. Torres 118 Michael J. Trombetta 30/1 12 12Epic Ride (KY) Edgar Morales 118 John Ennis 20/1 13 13Save the Trees (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Michael J. Maker 30/1 14 14Brunacini (KY) Luan Machado 118 Matthew P. Sims 30/1
