Thursday's Insights: Curlin Filly Looks To Lasso First Run

7th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yof, 1/16th, 4:12 p.m.
Trainer Ben Colebrook has a dossier of 'firsts' at Keeneland over the years and he will look to get QUEEN OF THE RODEO (Curlin) home on Thursday afternoon against a field of 11 more experienced runners. A $575,000 '21 KEESEP graduate, the dark bay filly is her stakes-winning mare Berned (Bernardini)'s first to make the races, but she also has a yearling colt by Uncle Mo and just reported a new filly on the ground by Into Mischief. Second dam GSW First Passage (Giant's Causeway) is a full-sister to Giant Win, who produced GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and G3 Saudi Derby winner Pinehurst (Twirling Candy). Queen of the Rodeo will break from post 11 and have Tyler Gaffalione in the irons.  TJCIS PPS

6th-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, 4:02 p.m.
With Aqueduct's turf courses open for business during the month of April, it is time to head to the inner where SACRED RHYME (Mendelssohn) will be making his maiden voyage for the ownership group of Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Jonathan Poulin. This $310,000 KEESEP purchase is a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf victor Fire At Will (Declaration of War). Turf runs deeper here in the colt's dam Flirt (Kitten's Joy), who is out of Gamely Girl (Arch), responsible for GI Summer S. scorer Decorated Invader (Declaration of War, $617,823). Trained by Chad Brown and ridden from post two by Jose Ortiz, the bay colt will face another firster in John Oxley's TWIRLER (Twirling Candy). The $205,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling is trained by Bill Mott and will have the services of Kendrick Carmouche from post seven. TJCIS PPS