Warlander Favored in Wide-Open in Bourbon Stakes; Picks, Odds

Mention Kentucky and two words often come to mind: horse racing and bourbon, not necessarily in that order.

Sunday’s $350,000 Bourbon Stakes (G2) is the last of eight Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races on Keeneland’s Fall Stars Weekend. By chance or by design, its post time is shortly before 6, during the cocktail hour. Depending on how your wagering went during the three-day extravaganza, you may want a drink – either to celebrate or to drown your sorrows.

The Bourbon offers a full field, but only one is a stakes winner

The Bourbon, a wide-open, 1 1/16-mile grass scramble for 2-year-olds, lacks a standout. The winner gets an automatic bid to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

For those who bet horse racing, here are a few thoughts about the race:

Siesta Key is the only stakes winner in the field of 15, including three also-eligibles. The 2-for-2 son of standout sire Into Mischief took the unlisted Kitten’s Joy Sept. 7 at Colonial Downs. After being sixth early, he surged late to score by a nose.

“Coming around the stretch, I was like ‘Not today, not today,’ “ trainer Brad Cox said. “But he found a second gear and just went on down the stretch. I wasn’t sure about the photo, but yeah, he got up.”

There’s a lot of speed signed on, so Siesta Key’s closing style could give him an edge. The pacesetter may be Clock Tower, who led throughout a 6½-length runaway in a 1-mile Kentucky Downs maiden. Others with early foot are Warheart, Giocoso, Golden Afternoon and also-eligible Poster.

Giocoso is a half-length from being 2-for-2 on turf. More recently, on dirt in the Grade 3 Iroquois, he was a respectable third behind Kentucky Derby prospect Jonathan’s Way. Todd Pletcher’s Barricade won his last after showing promise in his debut by sipping the final three-sixteenths in a blazing 27 3/5 seconds.

Also on the card, is the Spinster Stakes (G1), a “Win on You’re In” race for the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

The Bourbon is race 10 with a post time of 5:48 p.m. ET.

The picks 1 Siesta Key 2 Giocoso 3 Barricade

The field for the $350,000 Bourbon Stakes (G2), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, and odds:

1 Warheart (Florent Geroux, Rodolphe Brisset), 15-1

2 Warlander (Jose Ortiz, Steve Asmussen), 7-2

3 Siesta Key (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox), 8-1

4 Giocoso (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux), 9-2

5 Minaret Station (Cristian Torres, Will Walden), 15-1

6 Cavallo Bay (John Velazquez Charlie Appleby), 6-1

7 Barricade (Jaime Torres, Todd Pletcher), 12-1

8 Golden Afternoon (Luis Saez, Carlo Vaccarezza), 15-1

9 Papiamento (Frankie Dettori, Whit Beckman), 10-1

10 Clock Tower (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward), 4-1

11 Baytown Baracus (Antioco Murgia, Paul McEntee), 50-1

12 Reach for the Rose (Paco Lopez, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 20-1

Also-eligibles

13 Fleming (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh), 8-1

14 Poster (Rafael Bejarano, Eoin Harty), 15-1

15 Coalmoon (Luan Machado, Paulo Lobo), 20-1

US Racing Team

The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.