Keeneland’s fall meet continues on Friday, October 10 with the $400,000 Grade II Sycamore Stakes over a mile-and-a-half. Some of those who missed the show in the valuable Kentucky Turf Cup across the Bluegrass State at Kentucky Downs last month race again.
Heading across the Commonwealth are the fourth Mercante, fifth Grand Sonata, seventh Anglophile and ninth Utah Beach. Those four meet again at Keeneland with Bowling Green Gold Cup fourth Goldeneye and fifth San Siro joining them in this line-up and a field of 11.
It’s not just Kentucky Downs form tested in the Sycamore Stakes either. Some of those had prior runs at Saratoga during the Spa’s summer meet, while others come to the Keeneland off races at Colonial Downs in Virginia. Among those are Colonial Cup first and second Safe Trip Home and Desvio.
Joining them is last season’s Manhattan Stakes dead-heat third Ohana Honor. Longshots Il Siciliano and Reiquist complete the field for an absorbing middle-distance event on grass ahead of next month’s Breeders’ Cup Turf. Form lines from throughout this campaign including those from Florida and Louisiana early on, plus springtime races in Kentucky, all come under consideration for bettors and handicappers alike.
Untangling these is no mean feat. Utah Beach concedes a 2lb penalty to his 10 rivals for landing the Grade II Elkhorn Stakes over course and distance back in the spring. He’s at a disadvantage, because the others all meet off level weights and fared worst of the four re-opposing from the Kentucky Turf Cup.
While Ignacio Correas’s five-year-old English Channel gelding might like Keeneland, these unfavorable terms and his latest effort suggest he is up against it. Connections have found Utah Beach difficult to place since his Grade III Louisville Stakes success at Churchill Downs in May.
Grand Sonata May Do Best of Kentucky Downs Sextet
If not the horse who made the show in the Sycamore Stakes 12 months ago, then at least one of the Kentucky Turf Cup also rans who crossed the wire in front of him should have a say here. Mercante did best of them, but he faded into fourth shaping as though he didn’t stay the mile-and-a-half.
Off 2lb better terms with his three old rivals, however, Grand Sonata could emerge victorious in this rematch. Todd Pletcher saddled the six-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro to Kentucky Turf Cup glory last season. Grand Sonata went close in both the United Nations Stakes again at Monmouth Park and the Arlington Million this summer.
Placing on each of those runs, he turned about the result with Fort Washington from Colonial Downs at Kentucky Downs. Another advantage Grand Sonata has over Mercante is that one dropped back in distance for the Coolmore Turf Mile here last week and finished ninth. He couldn’t go the pace.
Anglophile wasn’t far behind Grand Sonata, dead-heating for seventh last time. A deep closer for the Brian Lynch barn, he didn’t fire in the Sycamore Stakes last season. Another five-year-old by English Channel, Anglophile shaped much better in the Elkhorn here in the spring when staying on well from off the pace to make the show.
He again ran as though a mile-and-a-half suits him best when a length second to Far Bridge in the Grade II Man o’ War Stakes from Belmont At The Big Apple at Aqueduct. Goldeneye was a neck ahead of Anglophile in Listed company around Churchill Downs in between major assignments, so that also brings him into contention dropped back from his marathon run over two miles in the Bowling Green Gold Cup.
Ohana Honor Worth Another Chance in Sycamore Stakes
Far Bridge was the horse that joined Ohana Honor on the wire in the Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes day card and schedule over the summer of 2024. While Shug McGaughey’s five-year-old Honor Code ridgling didn’t deliver in this race 12 months ago, he was impressive winning a course and distance allowance prior to it.
Ohana Honor comes back to Keeneland off just a prep race with a fall and winter campaign clearly in mind. He arguably brings the best piece of form into the race with that Manhattan performance from last season. Far Bridge turned things about with the winner, Measured Time, in the Grade I Sword Dancer Stakes at the Spa later on that summer.
Nations Pride, just a neck ahead of Ohana Honor, went on to land the Arlington Million and Singspiel Stakes out in the Middle East over the winter. Back in fifth was Program Trading, who had three prior Grade I wins including the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on his resume.
Al Riffa in sixth enjoyed subsequent top-level victories in Europe in the Grosser Preis von Berlin and the Irish St Leger. Ohana Honor had his Sycamore Stakes prep race and reappearance run over too short a distance for him in the Tapit Stakes at Ellis Park. Lagynos, who later finished second in the valuable Mint Millions around Kentucky Downs, was the only horse too good for him.
Ohana Honor should strip much fitter for that return to action and first start on the track for 321 days. While we know plenty about most of the contenders heading to Keeneland, one dark horse to note is the Colonial Cup winner Safe Trip Home. He seeks a hat-trick and still looks unexposed over this distance after just 10 career starts.
Sycamore Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw
- Il Siciliano (122lbs)
- Safe Trip Home (122lbs)
- Mercante (122lbs)
- Utah Beach (124lbs)
- Grand Sonata (122lbs)
- Desvio (122lbs)
- Reiquist (122lbs)
- San Siro (122lbs)
- Goldeneye (122lbs)
- Ohana Honor (122lbs)
- Anglophile (122lbs)
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
A terrific Grade II race with lots of old favorites in it. Difficult to say whose turn it will be among them, but terms favor Grand Sonata most here. His middle draw gives him options. At the revised weights with Mercante and others, Grand Sonata should emerge best of those who ran at Kentucky Downs.
Pace on the frontend collapsing also brings Anglophile into this. There are others to consider on Belmont Stakes racebooks, however, and Ohana Honor has a strong piece of Spa form considering international races to his credit. He looks better than his eighth in this race when behind Utah Beach 12 months ago.
The dark horse is Safe Trip Home from a low draw after landing the Colonial Cup with plenty in hand. He has to move up into Graded stakes company now. High gates are an issue for Anglophile and Ohana Honor with the pair drawn outside of Goldeneye, who also has a shout.
WATCH: 2024 Sycamore Stakes Featuring Utah Beach & Ohana Honor
