Check out my Thursday (10-16-25) Keeneland Race 8 analysis below.
KEE 8 (Alw-140k/3x, Fillies & Mares, 1 1/6 miles turf) – Post Time 4:44 PM ET
Primary – #9 PROCTOR STREET, #7 A Lilac Rolla
Secondary – #2 For Flying, #4 She’s Lookin Lucky, #11 Public Defender
Horse Comments:
#9 Proctor Street (5-2) rallied to win her first two turf routes last year, and chased from an outer post, led, and finished 5th of 9 (beaten 2.25 lengths) in the Winter Memories (September 2024). She returned from a layoff of 9+ months and rallied for the place behind next-out winner Vive Veuve, and rallied to win by 2 lengths on July 24. She returned to the stakes ranks in the Perfect Sting and she missed the place by a nose as my top choice. Tyler Gaffalione takes the call and he guided this one to a nose victory in an optional-claiming turf route at Saratoga last summer. She is faster this year and is 3-for-4 with a runner-up finish at this distance.
#7 A Lilac Rolla (7-2) ran well in all five overseas turf starts last year (3 wins), and things have not gone well since she arrived in this country in June. She was slow to begin and finished last of 9 in the G1 Just a Game and 2-3 finishers Excellent Truth (IRE) and Special Wan (IRE) were next-out stakes winners. She was 12-1 in the Perfect Sting on Aug. 29 and she had an uncomfortable start and ended up 5th of 8 (beaten 3 lengths). She adds lasix for her new trainer Mike Maker and we have seen this barn take turf runners like this and turn them around. She drilled a 5f Turfway bullet for this Sept. 27.
#2 For Flying (8-1) shipped to this country last year and won back-to-back optional-claiming turf routes, and was second or third in half of her last four stakes starts. Her last three outings were on all-weather ground and she is back on turf and Irad Ortiz. Jr. takes the call. Graham Motion’s early-pressing filly is 2-for 2 at this distance on turf.
#4 She’s Lookin Lucky (8-1) finished in the top three in eight of her last ten starts. Frankie Dettori is her new pilot and she will probably attend the pace.
#11 Public Defender (10-1) won her last four starts at lower class levels. She is 3-for-3 at this distance and will need to work out a stalking trip from the outside post under her winning rider Ben Curtis.
Wagers:
#9 to win
Exacta box 7-9
Trifecta 7-9/2-4-7-9-11/2-4-7-9-11
October 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Oct. 1 – Night Nurse/Inanna’s Quest Exacta ($19.20)
Oct. 2 – Going Up ($4.40)
Oct. 10 – Betterdaysrcoming/Jetovator/Simplexity Trifecta ($25.20)
Oct. 11 – One Magic Philly ($4.68), Exacta ($11.88), Trifecta ($41.44)
Oct. 13 – Vibez ($7.20), Exacta ($15.40)
Oct. 15 – Arya Stark ($2.88), Trifecta ($16.80)
Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my full cards.
