Ivyetsu dials back in allowance

After this, nothing but graded stakes will serve as highlights at the refashioned and abbreviated July meet at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

In the meantime, bettors making their plays from outside the racetrack gates will just have to busy themselves with a trio of filly-mare allowances on a nine-race Thursday card.

Field size is a real attraction for Thursday – 102 horses are on the program, along with nine also-eligibles. All three maiden specials (races 1, 6, 9) drew oversubscribed fields. As an aside, neophyte jockey Keith Asmussen, the 21-year-old son of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, will have his first mount outside of Texas, getting a leg up from his father aboard Super Stock for the first race.

Here’s a quick rundown of the Thursday co-features:

Race 5

Ivyetsu was under consideration for the upcoming Applachian Stakes but will set her sights instead on this first division of a $77,000, first-level turf race going a mile on turf.

Ivyetsu was competitive in back-to-back turf stakes in Florida this winter but has yet to run back to those efforts, perhaps convincing trainer Rusty Arnold to try this lighter spot. The 3-year-old Tapit filly figures to have First Course, Morning Gold, Confessing, and Jen Take Charge as her main competition in a well-matched field.

Race 7

This second division of the $77,000, first-level turf race might be a bit deeper than the first. Graham Motion has enlisted Joel Rosario to take the mount on A K’s Song for the filly’s seasonal debut off a series of sharp Fair Hill works, while Chad Brown will have his go-to local jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, aboard Moral Reasoning, a More Than Ready filly racing outside of stakes company for the first time as a 3-year-old.

Passion Factor, Tizahra, Love Beach, Queen Medb, and Ella Brilla all have the credentials to contend, too.

Race 8

Dos Vinos, Lead Guitar, and Club Car all figure prominently in this $79,000, secondlevel main-track sprint after posting allowance wins at the recent Churchill Downs meet, but Summer Delivery, Cardamon, and Figure It Out are among the potential upsetters in what appears to be yet another competitive group.

First post daily at fan-free Keeneland is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The Thursday forecast calls for possible thundershowers and a high of 91.

TVG is providing extensive television coverage with on-site anchors and analysts. Fans also can livestream the races through keeneland.com and wagering is available on DRFBets.com.

After Thursday, graded stakes will be featured on the final three cards of the five-day meet: two Friday, six Saturday, and two Sunday.