The Keeneland fall meet rolls on with the $400,000 Grade II Raven Run Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1,400m on Saturday, October 18. Despite its relative proximity to the Breeders’ Cup, a dozen females (and three reserves also eligible in the event of late scratchings) run for this valuable prize in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
While many in the field raced over the summer, topweight Quietside returns from a break. Favored second-best by oddsmakers and many handicappers’ pick for the Kentucky Oaks this spring, John Ortiz’s daughter of Malibu Moon hasn’t run since crossing the wire at Churchill Downs in sixth spot.
Although she lacks recent race fitness, Quietside landed consecutive graded victories at the New Orleans Fair Grounds earlier in the campaign. She’s no slouch, even if she didn’t fire on the big stage, and now drops down a notch for the Raven Run Stakes. Like fellow Oaks disappointment Simply Joking, who trailed in last of 13, taking the summer off for a fall and winter campaign could prove a shrewd move.
Quietside and Simply Joking fought out the finish of the Grade II Fantasy Stakes in Louisiana over 1,700m, but seemed to leave their race in Bayou country at the end of March. Neither brought their A game to the Bluegrass State, so freshening both up makes sense. Whitworth Beckman’s Practical Joke filly re-opposes off 2lb better terms with Quietside, which could help her turnabout the Fair Grounds result.
It’s not just about the Oaks also-rans here, however, with other Churchill Downs form on offer for bettors to consider. Each of the first three home from last month’s Grade III Dogwood Stakes over this distance of seven furlongs take each other on once again.
Ragtime Should Confirm Dogwood Display with Old Rivals
Godolphin have a smart filly in the Bill Mott barn going for the Raven Run Stakes on the upgrade in Ragtime. This daughter of Union Rags acquitted herself superbly when pitched into a Grade I and a neck second to Kilwin in the Test Stakes at Saratoga this summer. Prior to that, Ragtime had only run in minor races.
When eased in grade from the highest level to the aforementioned Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs in September, she ran out a convincing winner. Off the same terms as when defeating re-opposing runner-up and third Strong State and Delightful Claire, there’s no reason why Ragtime shouldn’t confirm the result.
Favored by all the leading Kentucky Derby racebooks for the Raven Run Stakes, she jumps from Gate 9. Ragtime has the Oaks duo drawn outside her, while her old rivals have low draws on or close to the fence. There are some dark horses jumping from the middle as well, however. Into this category go Bob Baffert’s Usha, Grade III Torrey Pines winner Om N Joy and Maida from the Brittany Russell barn.
The former and latter haven’t tested their mettle in graded stakes races, and haven’t run over this far before. Om N Joy leaves California for the first time, meanwhile, but had Kentucky Oaks fourth Tenma beat a couple of lengths off level weights. Having progressed out of restricted stakes races, Aggie Ordonez’s Om filly brings good collateral form into the contest.
Om N Joy has wins from 1,300m up to 1,700m, so shouldn’t have an issue dropping back in distance from a mile last time. Usha is the toughest of these fillies to assess with just minor wins under her belt. Maida posted a good speed figure when landing the Weather Vane Stakes around Laurel Park last time.
Dirt Debut for Casse’s Vixen at Keeneland
Mark Casse has won the Raven Run Stakes before like Mott, but switches Vixen off the grass to dirt now. Drawn low in Gate 2, this daughter of Vekoma placed here in the Grade II Appalachian Stakes this spring. Vixen then saw the form confirmed when third in the Edgewood Stakes during the Kentucky Derby meet and schedule with both Nitrogen and Lush Lips finishing ahead of her.
Both of those have gone on to Grade I victories on the turf, so Vixen’s efforts on that surface read well. How she will handle racing on dirt is an unknown. Volleyballprincess showed over course and distance in the Beaumont Stakes back in springtime, meanwhile, but has since finished sixth in the Charles Town Oaks behind re-opposing second Vodka With A Twist.
Philip D’Amato has a Thousand Words filly on his hands here that will appreciate racing over another furlong after crossing the wire in fourth in the Thoroughbred Club Of America Stakes here last time. Of the others in the Raven Run Stakes, Reputation showed in the Grade III Princess Rooney round Gulfstream Park, but seem to lack the finishing speed of the ready winner.
The reserves are all unexposed fillies. None have raced even in Listed company before, so if any of Kappa Kappa, Taliesin or Tetiaroa sneak in, they could surprise a few. Both of the first two showed good speed around Parx in Pennsylvania, but that level of form is well below what the favored runner can boast.
Raven Run Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Delightful Claire (118lbs) – 10-1
- Vixen (118lbs) – 20-1
- Strong State (118lbs) – 15-1
- Volleyballprincess (118lbs) – 30-1
- Om N Joy (118lbs) – 15-1
- Reputation (118lbs) – 15-1
- Maida (118lbs) – 10-1
- Usha (118lbs) – 9-2
- Ragtime (118lbs) – 3-1 fav
- Simply Joking (118lbs) – 8-1
- Quietside (120lbs) – 4-1
- Vodka With A Twist (118lbs) – 10-1
- Kappa Kappa (118lbs) – 8-1 [RESERVE]
- Taliesin (118lbs) – 12-1 [RESERVE]
- Tetiaroa (118lbs) – 15-1 [RESERVE]
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
Mott won this in 2021, so Ragtime is the obvious choice with Quietside and Simply Joking probably needing the run. Godolphin’s entrant definitely has the beating of Strong State and Delightful Claire on that Dogwood display where she powered away from both.
From the darker fillies, the best Morning Line value lies with Om N Joy. If she hailed from a bigger name barn, she wouldn’t have such a big forecast price, but her collateral form looks great. Baffert pitches Usha in here, so must expect a big run from her.
Elsewhere, Vodka With A Twist has a race in her, but whether it’s this one remains to be seen. Vixen brings smart turf runs to the table, but it’s anyone’s guess how she will handle this different surface down in distance.
WATCH: Quietside & Simply Joking Run in the Kentucky Oaks
