Las Vegas, NV - Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky will host an important graded stakes race for the second Friday in a row on April 12 when the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile Stakes is contested. Horses four years old and upward will be after the winner's share of the $300,000 purse when they go one mile on Keeneland's turf track.
The Maker's 46 Mile Stakes has attracted a small but tough field of five for race 9 on Keeneland's Friday card. Post time is 5:13 PM. Here is a look at the past performances of all five combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.
Wise Dan - How good was Wise Dan in 2012? He is the only horse since 1981 to win three Eclipse Awards in one night. He was the runaway winner in Horse of the Year, Four-year-old & up male and Male turf (3yo&up). He has won seven of his last eight starts dating back to October 2011 with the only blemish being a second in the Grade 1 Steven Foster at Churchill Downs in June. He enters the Maker's 46 on a four race win streak (three Grade 1 stakes included) including last time out in the Breeders' Cup Mile. He has been out of action since that race - it appears as though rust is the only thing that will slow him down this Friday!
Data Link - four time graded stakes winner is the defending champion in this race and enters this year's Marker's 46 Mile on a two race win streak - the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes last time out February 23 and the Grade 2 Citation Handicap November 23. He was fifth in the Grade 1 Shadwell at Keeneland three back after a couple of great results - a win in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes in June and a second in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch in September. He has won eight of 16 career starts and has proven tough against top competition in the past. With two straight graded stakes wins he has to be in the conversation to repeat in this year's Maker's 46 Mile.
Mr. Commons - made a name for himself as a top turfer after he won the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes last February 4 at Santa Anita to follow a win at the Sir Beaufort Stakes on that same track on December 26, 2011 but hasn't tasted victory since. He had an OK third in the Grade 2 Arroyo Seco Mile here in October to follow a good second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile. He also finished second in two straight races - last year's Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes and the Grade 2 American Handicap and was fourth in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on June 30. Mr. Commons raced to a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Mile and followed that with an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita March 2. He hasn't won since last February and he has failed to place in his last two starts overall - something that trainer John Sherreffs hopes to change Saturday.
Maker's 46 Mile Stakes betting at Keeneland Race Course with OffTrackBetting.com
Silentio - made his stakes debut with a terrific win in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita December 26 after three prior career starts resulted in two wins and a close third place finish in an Allowance Optional Claiming race here October 12. He was an OK third in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita February 2 and followed that with a nice second in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile also at Santa Anita March 3. He is lightly raced because of injury but has been mighty impressive when on the track - placing in five of six career starts with three wins.
Skyring - D. Wayne Lukas trained colt last took part in a graded stakes race November 25 - a decent third in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs. Since then he has raced three minor stakes races - a fourth in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds in December, a second in the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn in January and a fifth last time out in the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn February 2. He has just three wins in 18 career starts - the last coming in the minor James W. Murphy Stakes back in May.
Race 9 on Keeneland Race Course's Friday card with a Post Time of 5:13 PM.