Carl Spackler Set for Return in Keeneland’s G1 Maker’s Mark Mile

One of the Top Turf Milers in the U.S., Carl Spackler to Face Eight Rivals in Return From Over Five-Month Layoff

Carl Spackler (Ire) has not raced in just over five months / KEENELAND

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- Keeneland’s always-popular spring meet rolls on Friday with one of its premier turf features, the $650,000 GI Maker’s Mark Mile S., where the spotlight will fall on the return of Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

A Grade I winner at three and four, the Chad Brown trainee has not raced since finishing sixth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita last November. Prior to that, the bay had compiled an impressive resume, including victories in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S.—run over the same course and distance as Friday’s test—the GI Fourstardave H., and the GIII Kelso S., all with a powerful turn of foot that made him one of the leading turf milers in the country. Flavien Prat retains the mount and will break from post six in a field of nine.

Carl Spackler will face a stern test from Integration (Quality Road), who has emerged as one of the top new faces in the division. Trained by Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III, the bay colt closed out 2023 with a decisive win in the GIII Red Smith S. and returned to finish a game second by a neck in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, beaten late by Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d’Oro). Integration also finished runner-up in last summer’s GI Arlington Million and was third in this event last year.

Also in the mix is Northern Invader (Collected), who figures to show speed from the gate under José Ortiz for trainer Cherie DeVaux. A gelding since last September, he returned with a sharp second-place finish—beaten just three-quarters of a length—behind Running Bee (English Channel) in the GIII Tampa Bay S. and could take another step forward here.

Another notable returnee is Funtastic Again (Funtastic), who nearly upset Johannes (Nyquist) in the GI Shoemaker Mile last season before disappointing at Kentucky Downs and going to the sidelines.

Also making his seasonal bow is the talented Trikari (Oscar Performance), who racked up victories in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational, GI Secretariat S., and GII American Turf S. during a stellar 2024 campaign. Now older and more mature, he looms as a dangerous player once again.

Rounding out the field are Grand Aspen (Dialed In), Santorini (Twirling Candy), Silent Heart (Heart to Heart), and Seminole Chief (Girvin).