|12.09.2022|9:40pm
Laoban colt Keepmeinmind wins the 2020 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
Grade 2 winner Keepmeinmind, a son of the late former New York leading freshman sire Laoban and a major player on the 2021 Triple Crown trail, has been retired to stand the 2023 season at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, N.Y.
The 4-year-old out of the unraced Victory Gallop mare Inclination will stand his first season for $6,500.
Keepmeinmind is one of the leading runners from the first crop of Laoban, who also started his stud career at Sequel. Laoban topped New York’s freshman sire list in 2020 with progeny earnings of more than $1.55 million – with $394,320 coming from Keepmeinmind – and also finished second on the North American freshman list.
Bred by Southern Equine Stables LLC, Keepmeinmind started his career for his breeder and trainer Robertino Diodoro. After a second in his debut in early September 2020, Keepmeinmind finished second in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and third in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, both at Keeneland Race Course. He put himself in the mix for the spring classics with a season-ending victory for Cypress Creek LLC and Arnold Bennewith in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Keepmeinmind finished seventh in the following year’s Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness Stakes. He placed fourth in a pair of graded stakes and finished fourth in the 2021 G1 Runhappy Travers Stakes to end his sophomore campaign.
Off for almost a year, Keepmeinmind returned with an impressive allowance victory going nine furlongs at Saratoga Race Course in late July for trainer Todd Pletcher. He finished his career with a third behind Life Is Good in the G1 Woodward Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meeting.
“Keepmeinmind is a specimen with a terrific disposition,” Pletcher said. “He competed with and beat the best of the best. A big boost for the New York breeding roster.”
Keepmeinmind, who retired with a record of 2-3-2 in 14 starts and earnings of $903,237, is a half-brother to stakes-placed New York-bred Happy Happy B, $115,790-earner Inclined to Win and Grade 2-placed In Jack’s Memory. Inclination, a half-sister to Grade 3 winner and $553,916-earner and stakes winner Zawzooth, is also the dam of winners El Cucuy, E Moon, Generalcbandsallie, Skinny Peter and Sky’s the Limit, along with Keepmeinmind’s 2-year-old full-brother Mr Midway.
