2017 Raven Run Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, October 21 at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. Three-year-old fillies will chase the winner's share of the $250,000 purse when they line up on Keeneland's dirt track and race seven furlongs.

A field of 11 will give it a go in the Lexus Raven Run Stakes - race 9 on Keeneland's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:30 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 11 combatants for this competitive G2 stakes.

2017 Raven Run Stakes Entries at Keeneland Racecourse

Tequilita 4-1

Michael Matz trained filly finished seventh in her debut and has placed in eight of nine starts since - four wins, three seconds and a third-place finish. She enters off a good win against many of her Raven Run foes in the G3 Charles Town Oaks September 23 after an OK third in the G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga August 5, a disappointing seventh in the G1 Kentucky Oaks May 5, a respectable second in the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks April 1 and a nice three race win streak - the G2 Forward Gal Stakes at 14-1 odds in her graded stakes debut at Gulfstream February 4, the minor Smart Halo Stakes by a length at Laurel Park November 19 and a maiden score at Keeneland in October in her fourth career start. Tequilita has been good so far and chases a second straight graded stakes score from post 7. Feargal Lynch gets the call on the morning line co-favorite.

Miss Sunset 4-1

Jeff Bonde trained filly has placed in eight of her 10 career starts - six wins, a second and a third-place finish. She makes her graded stakes debut Saturday on a good two-race win streak - the minor C.E.R.F. Stakes September 4 and the minor Fleet Treat Stakes July 30 - both at Del Mar. Before that was a second in the minor Melair Stakes at Santa Anita May 29 and another good win in the minor Campanile Stakes at Golden Gate in April. Miss Sunset has four stakes wins already and hopes her success in minor stakes action translates in her step Saturday. Julien Leparoux rides the other morning line favorite from the outside post 11.

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Chalon 9-2

Has placed in five of seven career starts for trainer Peter Miller - three wins, a second and a third-place finish. Last time out was a respectable second against older fillies and mares in the G2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on this track October 7 which followed a third in the minor Beverly J. Lewis Stakes at Los Alamitos September 9 and a fourth in the competitive G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga August 15. She won three of her previous four starts including the listed Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park in June. Chalon has been a factor in every race so far in her career and shoots for a first graded stakes score from gate 8 Saturday. Paco Lopez will be in the irons of the co-third choice.

Nonna Mela 9-2

Eclipse Award finalist, Todd Pletcher trained filly has three wins, a second and a third-place finish in six career starts. She arrives off an OK second in the G2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga September 3 which followed a 4 1/2 length Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track August 7 and 10 months away. Before the layoff was a fourth in the G1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park in October and two straight wins - the G2 Adirondack Stakes by six lengths on this track in October and a maiden score by 7 1/4 lengths at Monmouth Park in July. Nonna Mela has been a factor every time out and hope to continue her roll in just her third start of 2017. Christopher DeCarlo has been tabbed to ride the other morning line co-third choice from gate 4.

Classy Tune 5-1

Has five career starts for trainer Simon Callaghan and has placed in all - two wins, a second and two third-place finishes. She steps into graded stakes for the first time Saturday off an OK third in her stakes debut - the minor C.E.R.F. Stakes at Del Mar September 4 after two straight wins - al Allowance Optional Claiming August 20 and a MSW July 19. Classy Tune has been competitive so far and hopes to be again in her step up in competition. Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride from post 9.

Overture 10-1

Bill Mott trained filly has hit the board in all seven career starts - two wins, two seconds and three third-place finishes. Last time out was an OK third behind Tequilita and Yorkiepoo Princess in the G3 Charles Town Oaks September 23 which followed another third in the G3 Monmouth Oaks August 12 and a career-best effort - a front-running win in the G3 Indiana Oaks May 15 - her stakes debut. Before that was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park June 1, a second in an Allowance on that track May 3 and a maiden score at Gulfstream April 5. Overture has been a factor in every race so far and hopes to be again Saturday. She shoots for her second graded stakes win in four starts with Jose Ortiz guiding her from gate 2.

Pinch Hit 12-1

Brad Cox trained filly has four wins and two second-place finishes in nine career starts. She made her stakes debut two starts back and finished an OK fourth in the G3 Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park August 13 and followed that with a nice win last time out in the listed Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs August 13. Before those results was a two-race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming at Ellis Park July 16 and an Allowance at Churchill Downs May 27. Pinch Hit has won three of her last four starts and four of six ahead of this weekend and will chase a first graded stakes score (second straight stakes win) from post 3. Jon Kenton Court gets the call.

Yorkiepoo Princess 15-1

Edward Barker trained filly has four wins in her 14 career starts and has a runner-up finish as well - she was on the Kentucky Oaks trail for a while this year. She won three listed stakes races this past winter including the Furlough Stakes, the Ruthless Stakes and Busher Stakes - all at Aqueduct. She has failed to place in last five of her last six starts however - a decent second last time out behind Tequilita in the G3 Charles Town Oaks was here best result in a while. Before that was an eighth in the G2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga September 3, a ninth in the listed Coronation Cup on that track July 31, a fourth in the listed Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, a tenth in the G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico May 19 and an eighth in the G2 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct April 8. Yorkiepoo Princess hasn't been all that impressive lately but showed some promise again last time out. She tries to build on that effort from the rail Saturday with Edwin Gonzalez in the reins.

Pretty City Dancer 15-1

Mark Casse trained filly and Eclipse Award Finalist has placed five of 10 career starts - three wins, a second and a third-place finish. She has struggled mightily lately however - a last of twelve in the minor Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga August 24 followed consecutive fifths - the listed Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park and the G3 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs May 5. Before that was a sixth in the Ashland Stakes here in April, another sixth in the G2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream March 4 and a respectable second in the G2 Forward Gal Stakes February 4. She did have a successful graded stakes debut - a dead-heat win in the G1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga September 3 and a nice win in her stakes debut - by 3 1/4 lengths in the minor Debutante Stakes July 2 however. Pretty City has shown some form in the past but has failed to place in her last five starts overall. Jockey Corey Lanerie has been tabbed with righting the ship from gate 6.

Happy Mesa 15-1

Michael Maker trained filly has 11 career starts with three wins and three second-place finishes. She won her first two career starts including the minor Selima Stakes at Laurel Park in September, 2016 but has mostly been underwhelming since. Last time out was an OK second in the listed Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint September 9 which followed a ninth in the G3 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington August 12, a twelfth in the minor TaWee Stakes at Indiana Grand July 20 and a good win in the minor Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico in May. Other graded stakes results include a fourth in the G2 Herecomesthebride Stakes in March, a seventh in the G3 Jimmy Durante Stakes in November and a twelfth in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Happy Mesa tries to place in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday in her fifth try - James Graham will be in the saddle from post 5.

Torrent 30-1

Ron Moquett trained filly has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in her 10 career starts. She hasn't been great lately - a fifth last time out in the listed Remington Park Oaks September 24 followed a fourth in the G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico May 19 and another fourth in her graded stakes debut - the G3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park April 14. Before that was a third in the minor Martha Washington Stakes on that track February 11, an Allowance Optional Claiming score there January 20 and a second in the minor Trapeze Stakes at Remington Park in December. Torrent has been OK but has failed to place in her last three starts overall. Jockey Ricardo Santana will try to change all of that from gate 10 Saturday.

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