BEST BET: RACE 6, BIXBY LOU

FIRST RACE

Four or five of these in the opener, a maiden $50,000 claimer, seem to have relatively equal chances. Ultimately went with YANKTON, who perhaps can be forgiven for going unplaced at Kentucky Downs last time after a troubled start. A straight maiden dropper well drawn in post three, he looks like he can settle in a stalking position behind the speed. STUART HALL is the only entrant to have run multiple dirt Beyers in the 70s, and can be similarly forgiven for going unplaced last out on turf at Kentucky Downs. Ranks behind the top one only due to having no early speed on a track that has been kind to frontrunners this meet. BELIEVEINHOLIDAYS fits with a class drop and having run in the money in half of his eight starts, but to date he has given the impression of somewhat preferring turf to dirt. Adding blinkers, he looks to be one of several in the early-pace mix.

SECOND RACE

8-1 outsider WATERTONIAN did not produce in either of his last two starts of the Canterbury meet, though both times with excuses. One race came in a turf route and another when racing in an open first-level allowance on 12 days rest. Dropped in for a tag for the first time, he looks like one of the few in here capable of passing horses. MATCH PLAY likely vies for favoritism after winning at Churchill last out, though it should be noted he did so with a perfect trip, stalking two dueling leaders. Speed to be in a good position - he projects as the early leader here on TimeformUS pace figures. HUBBADAHUBBADABOOM is a tricky horse to evaluate, a colt who was distanced at Saratoga last out after ducking out under pressure in midstretch but one that had previously run well against classier here in Kentucky. Quick works since the Saratoga debacle, including a couple bullets.

THIRD RACE

KOOL AID GIRL goes second off a layoff for winning claiming connections - trainer Tom Amoss and owner Maggi Moss - and seems a move-forward candidate after a comeback race on turf. The latter surface is not her preference - she is 5-0-0-1 on the lawn, compared to 19-5-3-6 on dirt. No excuses today on the main track and with a race behind her. MAJESTIC KINDNESS is the probable favorite after experiencing a rewarding summer and fall when racing against slight richer claimers in New York. She ran fifth and eighth in two prior races at Keeneland, however. GINGERMORE and PRINCESS DROSSIE are threats, though with contrasting qualifications. The former is sharp, having just won, though for $5,000, while the latter is a classy type but one unraced since February.

FOURTH RACE

RUMANDICE debuted with a second at Churchill in June, and then returned there during September to grab another runner-up prize. Maybe ready to break through with the victory following that race off the bench and with a little more ground over the Beard Course of seven furlongs and 184 feet. PHILANTHROPIC finished well after a slow start to grab second at Ellis Park this summer, and has since trained swiftly for Asmussen, whose 2-yearolds consistently impress with their professionalism. MUCHO MAS was cold on the board on debut at Churchill, starting at 25-1, but ran more like a favorite in closing to grab third after a poor break and a wide trip. Runner-up from that race returned to win at Keeneland last week.

FIFTH RACE

KNIGHT DISRUPTOR has a recency edge in the fifth, running twice third in straight maiden races in New York over the past two months and now facing some rivals returning from layoffs or unraced altogether. Third start of his current form cycle and coming off a sharp half-mile breeze at

Keeneland. After blowing the break in his debut,

LASER LOOP turned in a quality fourth here in the spring. He set the pace under pressure from eventual graded winner Mr Freeze and hung tough before weakening to lose by a few lengths. Steady, above-average breezes at Churchill Downs leading up to his return. SOUPER WISH showed talent as a younger horse with a second and a fourth, but after being away for almost a year and a half, he is at risk of returning rusty. Training swiftly, as is first-timer ENQUETEUR. That said, debuting runners with flashy works are overbet on a whole.

SIXTH RACE

BIXBY LOU does not have the “name” connections of others in this lineup, but her current turf form matches up, leaving her as a probable overlay at her 6-1 morning line. Although she has won two of five turf starts, it is a recent defeat - a fifth in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint - that most caught the eye. Without being urged she had the natural speed to go with the quick Brielle’s Appeal early, and after dueling with that one, only lost by 3 1/4 lengths to Ruby Notion. Classy comebacker CHERRY LODGE is the one to beat - a Grade 1-placed filly that returns for trainer Todd Pletcher, whose longlayoff returnees are consistently ready to fire. The knock is value. She will be popular at the betting windows, sure to drop well below her 9-2 morning line, and she has already lost a few times as the favorite in her seven-race career. FAIRYLAND chased the winner throughout in a similar second-level allowance at Kentucky Downs, looming in midstretch, only to not produce the necessary punch, settling for second. She was stakes placed at a 2-year-old at this 5 1/2-furlong distance at Saratoga.

SEVENTH RACE

A $290,000 purchase at auction earlier this year, WINANDYOURIN GIN was taken this summer to Saratoga, where she ran third and sixth, both times in salty fields. Seemingly faces easier here and works suggest she has more talent than shown. DRF clocker Donald Harris noted she narrowly outworked graded winner Catherinethegreat in a bullet Sept. 29 drill. GARDEN AFFAIR improved second out with a runner-up finish in the slop at Churchill, though that race didn’t seem particularly great, top to bottom. Has the speed to be an immediate force. ERES TU is a first timer by Malibu Moon out of a stakes-winning dam that has also dropped a couple stakes winners. Fast local drills for Asmussen.

EIGHTH RACE

Five of the competitors from last month’s Kentucky Downs Turf Cup are back in the Sycamore at Keeneland. Although he ran below form at Kentucky Downs in finishing fifth, OSCAR NOMINATED gets a narrow edge. He was hampered by traffic into the first turn in the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup, getting steadied between horses, and beyond that, may simply just benefit from a change in venue. He ran one of his better races over this course in the spring when second in the Elkorn. Stablemate BIGGER PICTURE ran better at Kentucky Downs in finishing second, beaten a half-length by ARKLOW. This has been a bit of a quiet year for him after taking the United Nations in 2017. ARKLOW won the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup, though he did so with a favorable trip, missing the traffic into the first turn and saving ground throughout. He is a legitimate horse, a consistent hard trier - just likely overbet after a nice setup last time.

NINTH RACE

CHAPS drew clocker praise for his pre-race workouts at Gulfstream this past winter before being unveiled and finishing a distant third in a dead heat Feb. 3. Likely more talented than he showed that day, he has continued to breeze quickly leading up to his comeback. Speaking of swift, note the fivefurlong workout from first timer UNMATCHABLE on October 3, five furlongs in 57 2/5 seconds. No horse all year has breezed that quickly at Keeneland. Respect, though sure to be pounded off a drill that no one can possibly miss. FRANKNJYMME has twice run third in as many starts, though he lost his latest by 10 lengths at Churchill.