The Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes, held during the spring meet at Keeneland, is the first marquee one-mile turf race on the horse racing calendar and usually attracts both domestic and foreign horses with a year-end goal of winning the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF. This year’s race is even more important as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31.

Friday’s Grade 1 stakes drew a full and star-studded field headlined by 2025 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Notable Speech. It will air on FanDuel TV and stream on Keeneland’s YouTube channel.

1. Rhetorical (7-2 morning-line odds): Stepped up in a big way last fall to win Keeneland’s fall equivalent to this race, the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes, by three-quarters of a length, and then held a lead in early stretch of the BC Mile before tiring and finishing fourth. Makes his first start in just over five months and will be right in the mix if he’s fit.

JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr.; TRAINER: Will Walden

2. One Stripe (8-1): Dominated the opposition in his home country of South Africa with six wins in seven starts, and showed signs of rounding back into that level of form in his two recent starts in the U.S., an allowance win in December going a mile and then a runner-up finish by a neck in the Jan. 24 Pacific World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. Will be rallying late under a Hall of Fame rider and might be somewhat overlooked on the tote board.

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Graham Motion

3. Troubleshooting (30-1): Made his first nine starts in sprint races, and successfully extended his talent to win the one-mile Bryan Station Stakes on this course last fall. He then had a rough trip in the 1 1/16-mile Commonwealth Turf Stakes during Churchill Downs’ November meet and finished ninth of 10. A talented runner who is in deep water as he makes his first start of the year.

JOCKEY: Tyler Gaffalione; TRAINER: Greg Foley

4. Notable Speech (9-5): He won two Group 1 races, including the 2024 English Two Thousand Guineas, among five wins in his first 12 starts with a close third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Notable Speech returned to the U.S. last fall and won both the Rogers Woodbine Mile and the BC Mile with explosive late rallies. Makes his first start at age 5 and if he gets a clean trip he’ll be very tough to deny in deep stretch.

JOCKEY: William Buick; TRAINER: Charles Appleby

5. Aomori City (20-1): Races for the same connections as Notable Speech and comes in off of a dull 12^th-place effort going a mile on turf in Dubai. Has shown ability in past races, however, including a close third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf held at a mile. Does not possess much speed, so it’s doubtful that he’s in this race as a “rabbit” for his stablemate … but you never know.

JOCKEY: Richard Mullen; TRAINER: Charles Appleby

6. Zulu Kingdom (12-1): Has been very successful on these shores after making just one start in Europe, winning five of six stateside starts before being disqualified from a first-place finish in his most recent outing, the one-mile National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes last summer at Saratoga. Should be sitting just off the pace and will try to get first run on the closers. Overall, he seems a cut below the best here.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Chad Brown

7. Tenacious Leader (30-1): Ran very well in two starts on the Keeneland turf last fall, winning a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race and then finishing second by a neck to Troubleshooting in the one-mile Bryan Station Stakes. Finished fifth by 3 ¾ lengths in his 2026 debut, a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Gulfstream Park, as the favorite. Tough spot for a bounce-back try, to say the least.

JOCKEY: Luis Saez; TRAINER: Todd Pletcher

8. Bear River (30-1): This sprinter just ran in the April 4 Valvoline Global Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland and finished ninth of 12. Obviously a scratch candidate, but if he runs back off of a week’s rest it’s hard to see him as anything more than a pace factor, and then only for about a half-mile or so.

JOCKEY: James Graham; TRAINER: Keith Desormeaux

9. Wolfie’s Dynaghost (8-1): Was at his career best last year to close out his 7-year-old season, romping in the 1 1/8-mile River City Stakes in November at Churchill Downs and then winning the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes held at 1 1/16 miles in Florida. Returned for his 8-year-old bow and tired late to finish fifth at 1-2 odds in the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream. Should set the early pace and attempt to lead this group from start to finish.

JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Brian Lynch

Deterministic (Susie Raisher/NYRA)

10. Deterministic (5-1): He hasn’t been seen since August when he took the one-mile FanDuel Fourstardave Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths. That was his third consecutive graded stakes win last spring-summer on New York turf. The only time he raced at Keeneland, it was just over a year ago going 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy dirt track in an off-the-turf allowance race in which he finished a decent second. He’ll be forwardly placed and has a solid win chance if he’s ready and takes to Keeneland’s turf.

JOCKEY: Kendrick Carmouche; TRAINER: Miguel Clement

11. Tiz Dashing (20-1): Has reached a career peak recently, winning the one-mile Hill Prince Stakes, finishing second by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby, and then in his first 2026 start taking the Canadian Turf Stakes also held at 1 1/16 miles by 3 ¾ lengths. He’s never competed against a field of this quality before, but is in too good form to completely discount.

JOCKEY: Javier Castellano; TRAINER: Barclay Tagg

12: Brilliant Berti (20-1): When a horse that has finished in the money 10 of 14 times with seven wins, is 1-for-2 on Keeneland’s turf with a stakes win, and is an overall 4-1-1 in seven starts at a mile starts at 20-1 odds on the morning line, you know it’s a stellar race. He tired a bit to finish fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Fair Grounds Stakes Presented by Horse Racing Nation to kick off 2026 and now shortens up and should be fitter. Remote win candidate but very capable of hitting the board, even with a poor post.

JOCKEY: Brian Hernandez Jr.; TRAINER: Cherie DeVaux

13. Pitkin (also-eligible, 30-1): Might sneak into this field if Bear River is scratched. If he does, he’ll be a huge longshot coming off of two turf wins going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park earlier this year. Those were his first two career wins and came after he was switched to grass following four races on dirt. Impressive improvement, but this race would seem a bridge too far for his third turf start.

JOCKEY: Edgard Zayas; TRAINER: Ian Wilkes

THE PICK: One Stripe

LIVE LONGSHOT: One Stripe

SUPERFECTA: 2-4-1-10