Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes comes our way this Saturday, October 20 from Keeneland in Lexington Kentucky. Three year old fillies will be featured as they dash seven furlongs on Keeneland's main track in search of their portion of the $250,000 purse.

The Raven Run has attracted a full field of 14 females for race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:27 PM ET. Here is a brief look at the 14 combatants and what brought them to this Grade 2 race.

Greyhound Betting

2012 Raven Run Stakes Race Favorites

Gypsy Robin - had won three straight starts before a sixth in the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont on July 7 and a good second to Contested last time out in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga August 25. Her wins during the streak included the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes at here on March 15, the Inaugural Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on May 15 and the Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park on September 5 of 2011. She has won both of her career starts on this track and enters in decent form.

Killer Graces - Killer Graces surprisingly has only three career wins. Lately it has been a bit of a struggle for the Jerry Hollendorfer filly - two fourths and two fifths in her last four starts including a fourth behind the likes of Eden's Moon in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks June 23. Since then she has raced to a pair of fifths and a fourth last time out in the Unzip Me Stakes at Santa Anita September 29. She did have a second in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel behind Willa B. Awesome after a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet to end 2011 but has fallen on hard times since. Killer Graces has three wins, four seconds and a third place finish in 15 career starts.

Raven Run Stakes 2012 | Remaining Field Entries

Via Villaggio - has 14 career starts and has placed in 11. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Zenyatta to follow a decent third in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes, a good second in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks to Grace Hall and a decent third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks. Before that was an impressive win in the Grade 3 Railbird on May 18 in her cushion track debut. Via Villaggio has looked good in her last five starts and is likely to threaten this weekend.

Sacristy - has six starts in 2012 with two wins - the Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream January 1 and last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Arlington Park. Prior to her latest win Sacristy struggled in two races posting a sixth in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes May 28 and a seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Sacristy hopes to return to the form that saw her post a win, a second and a third in graded stakes races to start the year - her score last time out is a step in the right direction.

Flashy Lassie - ended 2012 poorly and started 2012 with a fourth in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes before an eight month layoff. She returned recently and posted a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hoosier Park September 7.

Yankee Union - makes her graded stakes debut Saturday having placed in all seven career starts including a third in her stakes debut - the Remington Park Oaks last time out two weeks ago.

Raven Run Stakes betting at Keeneland with OffTrackBetting.com

Lotta Lovin - has three wins in seven starts this year including her first two of 2012 and the minor Malvern Rose Stakes two back. Last time out was a sixth in the Dr. Theresa Garofolo Memorial at Parx September 8.

La Tia - has won four of her five starts this year - the most impressive being the Grade 3 Arlington Oaks July 21. Her only blemish this year is a fourth two back in the Hatoof Stakes - she followed that with a decisive win last time out in the La Lorgnette Stakes at Woodbine three weeks ago.

Assateague - won an Allowance to start the year but followed that with an eighth in the Riskaverse Stakes and a third last time out in the Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park on October 8.

Sweet Cat - has a pair of seconds in two minor stakes races in her last three starts for trainer Todd Pletcher - the Thirty Flags Stakes and the Smart N Fancy Stakes - both at Belmont Park.

Anna Sophia - Bill Mott trained filly has a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming two back and two thirds in five starts this year - one of those coming last time out in the Smart N Fancy Stakes September 12 behind Sweet Cat.

Drama Drama - finished a respectable third in her stakes debut two back in the Hatoof Stakes and followed that with an Allowance score last time out at Kentucky Downs September 12.

Monono - enters the Raven Run on a three race win streak but has yet to see any stakes action.

Mercy Lou - has started eight straight Allowance races at Presque Isle Downs and has two wins, two thirds and four fourth place finishes over that span.


2012 Raven Run Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:27 PM.

Post Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Sweet Cat J. Leparoux T. Pletcher
6-1
2 Assateague J. Rocco, Jr. M. Matz
15-1
3 La Tia J. Castanon B. Williamson
8-1
4 Lotta Lovin R. Napravnik M. Maker
8-1
5 Yankee Union B. Hernandez, Jr. T. Drury, Jr.
30-1
6 Killer Graces S. Bridgmohan J. Hollendorfer
12-1
7 Anna Sophia V. Lebron W. Mott
12-1
8 Drama Drama J. Court V. Oliver
20-1
9 Flashy Lassie C. Lanerie G. Simms
20-1
10 Via Villaggio M. Pedroza J. Hollendorfer
4-1
11 Gypsy Robin J. Velazquez W. Ward
3-1
12 Monono L. Goncalves M. Lovell
20-1
13 Mercy Lou C. Villasana G. Bennett
50-1
14 Sacristy M. Mena W. Catalano
8-1