LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Bobby’s Kitten is the early favorite for Saturday’s $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Javier Castellano will ride the Chad Brown-trained bay colt, who drew the fifth post position Wednesday for the Grade 1 event awarding 170 points toward the Kentucky Derby. The winner earns 100 in the 1-1/8th-mile race and all but assures a spot in the 140th Run for the Roses.
Bobby’s Kitten is a 3-1 shot for another stakes win Saturday after claiming the Grade 3 Pilgrim in October at Belmont. He has three wins and two thirds - one of which was in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
Owner Ken Ramsey hopes Bobby’s Kitten can join stablemates Vicar’s in Trouble and We Miss Artie in the Derby field.
“We’ve pointed three (horses) for specific races,” Ramsey said. “We knocked off the Derby prep at the Louisiana Derby with Vicar and got Artie in at the Spiral (Stakes at Turfway), so this has been planned all along for Bobby. I just hope we can run first or second, qualify and get him in.”
Medal Count drew the 13th position and is the 9-2 second choice. Gala Award will start 14th at 5-1.
Asserting Bear will start from the first post at 15-1.
Saturday will mark an eight-day turnaround for Medal Count, who won the $100,000 Grade 3 Transylvania here on April 4 with Robby Albarado aboard. Trainer Dale Romans said the horse emerged in good shape and is encouraged by subsequent workouts suggesting that he’s up for another challenge.
“This is such an important race, we just don’t want to pass it up,” Romans said.
“He’s had a lot of good energy; he bounced out of the race like he never ran. I would have put a pretty stiff work in him on Saturday anyway, so I don’t think the turnaround is that big a deal and it actually may be beneficial to have had that race under his belt.”
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