Key of Life takes Keeneland’s Beaumont; Gaslight Dancer on fire in Palisades
(Keeneland stakes recap by the track’s publicity department. Keeneland photo of Key of Life leading the way in the $400,000, G2 Beaumont)
LEXINGTON, KY (April 16, 2023) – Flurry Racing Stables and Hoffman Family Racing’s Key of Life held off Interpolate by a diminishing neck to win the 38th running of the $400,000 Beaumont (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-old fillies on a wind-swept Sunday afternoon.
In the race before the Beaumont Presented by Keeneland Select, Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Skychai Racing and Angelo Carlesimo’s Gaslight Dancer won the fourth running of the $250,000 Palisades (L) for 3-year-olds.
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, Key of Life covered the Beard Course distance of 7 furlongs, 184 feet in 1:27.32 over the fast main track. It is the second consecutive victory in the race for Cox and Prat, who teamed to win the 2022 renewal with Matareya.
Key of Life was fastest out of the gate and ran unopposed on the lead through fractions of :22.24 and :44.87. On the far turn, Stonewall Star and Opus Forty Two attempted to close the gap, but the filly with the momentum was Interpolate, who was launching a bid from fourth.
Key of Life maintained a clear advantage of 2½ lengths at midstretch and had just enough in the tank to hold off Interpolate at the finish.
Now 3-for-3 at Keeneland, Key of Life earned $241,800 with the victory and increased her earnings to $633,275 with a record of 8-5-0-3. Key of Life is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Mo Town out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Longride to Wisdom.
Key of Life returned $2.94, $2.30 and $2.10. Interpolate, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $3.18 and $2.54 and finished 6¼ lengths in front of Stonewall Star, who paid $2.72 to show under Luis Saez.
It was another 3¾ lengths back to She’s On the Rocks with Opus Forty Two, Shoplifter and Fun and Feisty following in order.
Gaslight Dancer wins Palisades
In the Palisades, Gaslight Dancer swept to the lead at midstretch and held off a late bid from Two of a Kind to win by 1½ lengths.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Gaslight Dancer covered the 5½ furlongs on a turf course rated as good in a stakes-record 1:02.71. Slipstream established the previous standard of 1:02.80 last year.
Gaffalione gave Gaslight Dancer a ground-saving trip in fourth in the run down the backstretch as Bushido raced to an uncontested lead with No Nay Hudson (IRE) and Crispy Cat (GB) in closest pursuit.
Gaslight Dancer moved off the rail on the far turn, swept four wide into the stretch for a clear run at the leaders and took over at the eighth pole to win his 2023 debut.
Sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to close his 2022 campaign, Gaslight Dancer earned $141,438 for the victory that increased his bankroll to $282,554 with a record of 5-2-1-0. Gaslight Dancer is a Kentucky-bred son of City of Light out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Raindrops Droptops.
Gaslight Dancer returned $15.34, $8.60 and $4.58. Two of a Kind, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $35.32 and $14 and finished 2¼ lengths in front of Chiringo, who paid $11.46 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
It was another neck back to Crispy Cat, who was followed in order by favored Private Creed, No Nay Hudson, Fadethenoise, Bushido, Golden Nugget, Storm Daddy, Damon’s Mound and Olazabal.
Keeneland celebrates Military Day
Keeneland today celebrated Military Day at the Races Presented by UPS to recognize the men and women who serve our country. All active duty, reserve, veterans and military families received free General Admission and reserved Grandstand seating with a military ID. Military guests and their families enjoyed complimentary food from the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott and Coca-Cola in the Military Family Zone in the North Terrace.
Following the third race, the Henry Clay High School Junior ROTC unfurled a large American flag on the main track while Keeneland Bugler Steve Buttleman played “America the Beautiful” (click here for a video). Dr. Everett McCorvey led the crowd in singing “God Bless America.”
*************************
Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $60,500.77.
