The ‘Stars’ Align For ‘WAYI’ Darley Alcibiades On Keeneland’s Opening Day

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Undefeated 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Summer Starlet (City of Light) puts her perfect record on the line Friday in the 'Win and You're In' GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes on Keeneland's Fall Meet opening day.Having already booked her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile via her win in the GI Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Sept. 5, Summer Starlet will get her first taste of Kentucky after her victories this summer in upstate New York.As will be the case for the entirety of the field, the Alcibiades will also be Summer Starlet's first go at 1 1/6 miles, having never raced further than the seven-furlong Spinaway for trainer Steve Asmussen.Lined up right next door, fellow 'Rising Star' Forever Carina (Gun Runner) also impressed at Saratoga this summer, putting up a two-length win in her debut Aug. 22 for Chad Brown. The full-sister to this year's GI Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner clearly has the pedigree to go two turns but comes in off the single, 6 1/2-furlong race.“It came up a very solid field,” Brown said about the Darley Alcibiades. “She's only run once. It's a big step up going to a mile and a sixteenth, but she's certainly bred for it. She looks like a filly that's looking for more distance. We've been very impressed with her since the first time we worked her. She has special abilities.”Rail-drawn Emphatic (Nyquist) also puts a perfect record on the line Friday, having broken her maiden at Colonial Downs Jly 25 before putting up an impressive 5 1/4-length win in the one-mile Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park Aug. 29. She's one of four fillies in the field to have raced and won at the mile distance.The most experienced runner in the field is Elewene (Promises Fulfilled) who comes in with three starts and two wins for Dale Romans, including a last-out gate-to-wire 7 3/4-length romp in allowance company at Churchill Downs Sept. 10.Colonial maiden winner For the Money (Yaupon), Empathic's stablemate Ever Forward (Omaha Beach), restricted Churchill Downs maiden winner Oh She Said Yes (Authentic) and open-company maiden winner High Speed Reed (Upstart) complete the field.“We've always put her pretty high up on our list of fillies,” Casse said of High Speed Reed. “Even though she didn't run very fast last time, she was very impressive. Not a lot of pace, she got stopped two or three times and won easy. I'm cautiously optimistic. I think she's going to run a big race. She's going to like the mile and a sixteenth.”The post The ‘Stars’ Align For ‘WAYI’ Darley Alcibiades On Keeneland’s Opening Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.