BY BROCK SHERIDAN
More than graded stakes-winning credentials are on the line for David Romanik’s Heracles on Sunday when the Florida-bred gelding goes for an upset victory in the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (Grade 2) at Keeneland. The Ronald Spatz-trained son of Seeking the Soul takes on 10 other 2-year-olds going a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the grass in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series affair that offers the winner an automatic and free entry into the $1 million Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), to be contested over a grassy mile at Keeneland on October 30.
A Grade 2 victory by Heracles outside Florida is also worth a $5,000 Export Incentive for Romanik and SCF as breeders paid the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
A length-and-three-quarters winner of a seven-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight on the Gulfstream turf in his debut on July 4, Heracles next went to Colonial Downs for the $127,000 Kitten’s Joy going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass. He finished third, four lengths behind winner Popcorn, who he faces again in the Bourbon, but had to survive a tumultuous trip that included a rigorous correction by jockey Paco Lopez coming out of the first turn and more gridlock behind horses in the second turn.
Out of the Florida-bred Two Step Salsa mare Raki, winner of the 2019 Miss Gracie on the Gulfstream turf, Heracles sports earnings of $52,750 in his two starts.
Heracles is 15-1 in the program, teams with jockey Luis Saez for the first time Sunday and will depart stall four.
The Brad Cox-trained Hemingway is the 5-2 morning line favorite off an eight-and-a-quarter-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight over the undulating turf at Kentucky Downs on September 6. The dark bay or brown colt was last of eight in a six-and-a-half furlongs maiden special weight on the main track at Saratoga in his first lifetime race on August 8.
Hemingway is by Constitution and has earned $103,150 in two starts for owner WinStar Farm, First Go Racing and CHC Inc.
Flavien Prat will take Hemingway from post eight.
Rounding out the field are Trim Castle with Danny Sheehy in the saddle, Agate has Tyler Gaffalione named in the program, Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the call on Bold Leadership, Real Goodbar will have Jose Ortiz in the irons, Axel Concepcion teams with Popcorn, Alex Achard takes the reins on Mad Mo, Blaring Ambition will have John Velazquez up, Let Em Know with jockey Jareth Loveberry and Jaime Torres as the assignment on Mid American.
Return to the October 3 issue of Wire to Wire
