Not much secrecy surrounds the ability of Sneaky Good ahead of the $400,000 Beaumont Stakes (G2), a 7-furlong test for 3-year-old fillies on the April 3 opening day of Keeneland's spring meet.
The daughter of leading sire Into Mischief and 9-5 morning-line favorite returns to the site of her debut win last October, when she won at the Lexington track by 4 3/4 lengths. She went on to become a stakes winner in her second start for LNJ Foxwoods and NK Racing and then placed third in two grade 3 stakes—the Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and Honeybee Stakes (G3) most recently at Oaklawn Park.
Trained by Brad Cox, Sneaky Good is cutting back in distance from the Honeybee's 1 1/16 miles and will have Flavien Prat in the saddle. Cox has been winning at a 32% rate with horses going from routes to sprints.
Among Sneaky Good's challengers is Double 22 Stables' A Fine Chardonnay, who also has a win on Keeneland's main track. The daughter of Maclean's Music won the 6-furlong Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland in October and comes into the Beaumont off a pair of stakes-placed performances. She ran third in both the 2025 Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs and March 14 Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
A Fine Chardonnay is trained by Ian Wilkes and will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., who was aboard for her first-out win at Churchill Downs last September.
A speedy daughter of Mitole named Just Bluffing will likely make her presence felt in the early running of the Beaumont. The Michael and Katherine Ball homebred won her Jan. 17 debut at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots by 3 1/4 lengths and then ran second in allowance company Feb. 28 at Fair Grounds. In the 6-furlong allowance race, she set an opening quarter of :21.74 and was a head off the half in :45.07. Trained by Greg Foley, she comes into the Beaumont off a 4-furlong bullet work in :48 at Churchill Downs. Just Bluffing will be ridden by Luis Saez.
Knock It Off Headlines Lafayette
The opening day card also includes the $400,000 Lafayette Stakes, a listed stakes for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs.
Steve Asmussen trains the 2-1 morning-line favorite Knock It Off, an undefeated son of 2025 leading second-crop sire Vekoma that races for J. Kirk and Judy Robison. The bay colt comes into the race off a 2 3/4-length win in a 6-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Fair Grounds. Knock It Off will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
Two challengers in the seven-horse field come into the Lafayette off big wins.
Trainer Mike Maker will saddle Arctic Beast for Paradise Farms, JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables, and Jennifer Rice. The son of 2025 leading freshman sire Yaupon in his last start won the Damon Runyon Stakes by 9 3/4 lengths Feb. 14 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Arctic Beast will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.
Foley has Donamire Farm homebred Trouble Calling, a colt by Dialed In who most recently captured his first win by 6 1/4 lengths Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds. Trouble Calling ran second to Knock It Off in a Jan. 17 maiden special weight. He will be ridden by Saez, who has been aboard for his two previous starts.
Keeneland, Friday, April 3, 2026, Race 7Entries: MiddleGround Capital Beaumont S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Coco Connect (KY) Edgar Morales 118 John Ennis 30/1 2 2Just Bluffing (KY) Luis Saez 118 Gregory D. Foley 3/1 3 3Sneaky Good (KY) Flavien Prat 118 Brad H. Cox 9/5 4 4Kingsolver (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Rodolphe Brisset 8/1 5 5Baracca (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 6/1 6 6Wrong Shoes (KY) Joel Rosario 118 John Alexander Ortiz 15/1 7 7A Fine Chardonnay (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Ian R. Wilkes 5/2
Keeneland, Friday, April 3, 2026, Race 5Entries: Lafayette S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Comport (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Eddie Kenneally 6/1 2 2Knock It Off (IN) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Steven M. Asmussen 2/1 3 3Arctic Beast (NY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Michael J. Maker 3/1 4 4Trouble Calling (KY) Luis Saez 118 Gregory D. Foley 7/2 5 5Star Sweeper (KY) Jaime A. Torres 118 Louis C. Linder, Jr. 30/1 6 6Carson Street (KY) Flavien Prat 118 Brendan P. Walsh 8/1 7 7Oscar's Hope (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Kinnon LaRose 9/2
