2017 Haygard Fayette Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky will be the scene of the G2 Haygard Fayette Stakes on Saturday, October 28. Horses three years old and upward will be after the winner's portion of the $200,000 purse when they take to Keeneland's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles.

A field of seven will take to the track in the Haygard Fayette Stakes - race 9 on Keeneland's closing-day Saturday card. Post time is 5:30 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all seven entries for this intriguing G2 stakes.

2017 Haygard Fayette Stakes Entries at Keeneland Racecourse

Honorable Duty 9-5

Impressive Brendan Walsh trained gelding has 15 career starts with seven wins, four seconds and a third-place finish. He has been very good lately - four wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in his last six overall. Last time out was one of the wins - a wire job in the G3 Lukas Classic Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs September 30 which followed consecutive seconds - the G1 Stephen Foster Handicap June 17 and the G3 Alysheba Stakes May 5 - both at Churchill Downs. Before that were three straight wins including the G2 New Orleans Handicap April 1 and the G3 Mineshaft Handicap February 25 - both at Fair Grounds. Honorable Duty has been on top of his game in 2017 and hopes to keep an impressive run going with Corey Lanerie in the reins of the morning line favorite from post 5.

Neolithic 2-1

Todd Pletcher trained colt has placed in nine of his 11 career starts - three wins, three seconds and three third-place finishes. He arrives off an OK third in the G1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga September 2 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track August 5, an OK third in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March and a respectable third in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in January. Before that was an Allowance score at Gulfstream December 14, a second in the G3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct November 12 and another second in an Allowance at Belmont Park October 10. Neolithic has been competitive against some top-quality fields and hopes to be again Saturday. Robby Albarado has been tabbed to ride the second betting choice from gate 2.

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McCraken 4-1

Ian Wilkes trained gelding has nine career starts with five impressive wins, a second and a third-place finish. Last time out was his worst effort in a while - a seventh in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a second-place finish behind Girvin in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30, a nice 2 1/4 length win as favorite in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 17, an eighth thanks to a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby and a third in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8. He won his first four starts including the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay February 11, by 1 1/4 lengths in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes November 26, by 3 3/4 lengths in the minor Street Sense Stakes October 30 and a maiden score at first asking October 2 - the last three at Churchill Downs. McCraken has been good so far in his career but will be in search of a strong bounce back Saturday from gate 6. Brian Joseph Hernandez rides.

The Player 4-1

William Bradley trained colt has placed in seven of nine carer starts - three wins, three seconds and a third-place finish. He enters off an OK second in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs September 30 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Ellis Park August 27, a sixth in the listed West Virginia Governor's Stakes at Mountaineer August 5 and a third in the minor Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in June. Before that was an OK second in the G2 Indiana Derby July 16 and two straight wins including an Allowance at Churchill Downs. The Player has finished second in both of his graded stakes starts and hopes for a breakthrough Saturday. Chris Borel will be in the saddle from gate 4.

Fear the Cowboy 15-1

Efren Loza trainee has placed in 16 of 25 career starts - eight wins, seven seconds and a third-place finish. He won the G3 Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream in March and has been decent since. Last time out was a fourth in the G3 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs September 30 which followed a good win in the listed West Virginia Governor's Cup at Mountaineer August 5 and consecutive seconds - the listed Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Indiana Grand July 15 and the minor Evangeline Mile in June. Fear the Cowboy has hit the board in six of his last eight starts overall - in decent form ahead of this weekend. He departs from post 3 Saturday with Jesus Rios guiding him.

Giuseppe the Great 15-1

Nick Zito trained colt has placed in six of eight career starts - one win, three seconds and two third-place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 23 which followed a sixth in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 26, a nice win against a decent field in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes on that track July 27, a fourth in the G3 Dwyer Stakes July 8 at Belmont Park, a respectable second in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes on that track June 10 and a maiden score at Keeneland April 8. Giuseppe The Great has been decent in his career so far and shoots for a first stakes win Saturday with Chris Landeros guiding him from the rail.

Malibu Pro 15-1

McLean Robertson trained gelding has five wins, a second and a pair of third-place finishes in his 18 career starts. He steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday off a nice win in the minor John Bullit Stakes September 15 and consecutive thirds - the minor Brooks Fields Stakes August 26 and a Starter Optional Claiming August 17 - all at Canterbury Park. He won two straight Allowance Optional Claiming races on that track to start his summer as well. Malibu Pro steps up in pretty good form and will leave from the outside post 7 Saturday. Joe Rocco has been tabbed to ride.

2017 Haygard Fayette Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:30 PM

Entry	Horse	ML Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Giuseppe the Great	15-1	Chris Landeros	Nicholas Zito
2	Neolithic	2-1	Robby Albarado	Todd Pletcher
3	Fear the Cowboy	15-1	Jesus Rios	Efren Loza, Jr.
4	The Player	4-1	Calvin Borel	William Bradley
5	Honorable Duty	9-5	Corey Lanerie	Brendan Walsh
6	McCraken	4-1	Brian Hernandez, Jr.	Ian Wilkes
7	Malibu Pro	15-1	Joseph Rocco, Jr.	McLean Robertson

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