Horse Racing
Kentucky Downs: Big fields fill 3 big-money Saturday stakes
Photo:
Scott Serio / Eclipse Sportswire
The field is set for Kentucky Downs’ landmark Grade 3 Nashville Derby Invitational with its $3.1 million purse for Kentucky-breds and $1.9
million for other horses.
Twelve 3-year-olds were entered for Saturday’s 1 5/16-mile
turf stakes with another two invited as also-eligibles with the opportunity to
run if there are scratches.
Click here for Kentucky Downs entries and results.
Saturday’s card also includes the $1.5 million Ladies Turf
Sprint (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs and the $1.5 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf
(G3) at a mile. Both attracted overflow fields as did 10 of the 11 races on
Saturday’s program. The first post is at 1:25 p.m. EDT.
“Huge shout-out to the horsemen and our racing office,” Kentucky
Downs vice president of racing Ted Nicholson said. “Our goal is to improve
every year, and I’d say we’re achieving that mission. What’s really gratifying
is how geographically diverse these stakes fields are with horses coming from
all over, including from Europe.”
Kentucky Downs’ seven-day all-turf meet runs from Thursday
to Sept. 11.
N.Y. shippers will lure Nashville Derby bets
Three New York horses figure to be the Nashville Derby
favorites. Carson’s Run, winner of the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) in his
last start for trainer Christophe Clément; Belmont Derby Invitational (G1)
runner-up White Palomino, scratched by Chad Brown out of the postponed Saratoga
Derby to await this race; and Shug McGaughey-trained Cugino, Churchill Downs’
impressive Audubon winner who missed the Saratoga Derby with an untimely
temperature.
Kentucky is represented by Cameo Performance and Abrumar,
the top two finishers in Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Nashville
Derby. Lagynos was second by a neck in Saratoga’s National Museum of Racing Hall
of Fame (G2) in his last start after collecting a second, two thirds and a
fourth in Kentucky stakes in his prior turf starts.
Rothschild, third in the Oceanside at Del Mar in his only
start this year, ships in from California for trainer Tim Yakteen. Rothschild
finished 2023 with a second by a neck in Del Mar’s Cecil B. DeMille (G3) in his
turf debut.
The Nashville Derby had three changes to the original
invitations extended, and the 1 5/16-mile stakes will have three Europe-based
horses with the addition of Sea the Thunder for Great Britain trainer Ralph
Beckett. Sea the Thunder joins original invitees Stromberg for Ireland’s Joseph
O’Brien and Bellum Justum for England’s Andrew Balding. If their
accomplishments seem light compared with their American competitors, they have
more experience at longer distances and could be horses benefiting from the
firmer Kentucky Downs turf.
The new invitees include Wesley Ward-trained Navy Seal,
second in a Saratoga allowance race in his last start, and Todd
Pletcher-trained Nomos, second in Delaware Park’s 1 3/8-mile Kent. El Matador
and Hamilton’s Way are on the also-eligible list and may run if there are
scratches.
For Kentucky-breds, the Nashville Derby will be America’s
second richest race behind only the $5 million Kentucky Derby among stakes held
at one track. The $1.9 million base purse itself is the most lucrative turf
stakes in North America outside three Breeders’ Cup races.
Formerly known as the Dueling Grounds Derby, the Nashville Derby is carded as the eighth of 11 races with a post time of 5:16 p.m. EDT.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Rothschild Uncle Mo |
5.39 |
3rd, Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
3rd, Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside S. |
|||||
| 2 |
|
Abrumar Divisidero |
5.09 |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Navy Seal Dubawi |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Stromberg Iffraaj |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
White Palomino Kitten’s Joy |
6.56 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Bellum Justum Sea The Stars |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Sea The Thunder Kingman |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Carson’s Run Cupid |
6.89 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Cameo Performance Oscar Performance |
0.00 |
1st, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
|||||
| 10 |
|
Nomos Uncle Mo |
5.07 |
2nd, Kent S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
2nd, Kent S. |
|||||
| 11 |
|
Lagynos Kantharos |
6.34 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 12 |
|
Cugino Twirling Candy |
6.07 |
1st, Audubon S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, Audubon S. |
|||||
| 13 |
|
El Matador Include |
0.00 |
5th, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
5th, KY Downs Preview Nashville Derby |
|||||
| 14 |
|
Hamilton’s Way Constitution |
4.79 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
Dontlookbackatall heads Ladies Sprint
The first-, second- and fourth-place finishers of Saratoga’s
Caress (G3), Dontlookbackatall, Danse Macabre and Secret Money, are entered to
line up in the Ladies Turf Sprint.
The Caress was Clément-trained Dontlookbackatall’s third
straight stakes win, giving her an overall turf record of 11: 5-4-0. Danse
Macabre, trained by Kelsey Danner, rallied to take the lead late only to be
nailed at the finish at Saratoga. Secret Money, trained by Brendan Walsh, was
making her move when she found herself in tight at the sixteenth pole, settling
for fourth by a total of a half-length.
Secret Money won last year’s Music City, now a Grade 2, at
Kentucky Downs. Danse Macabre was second that day after capturing Kentucky
Downs’ Untapable at age 2.
Awesome Treat earned a spot in the starting gate by winning
Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Sprint at 25-1 odds. Second
in a photo was Red Carpet Ready, a multiple graded-stakes winner on dirt who
was making her turf debut at Ellis with the Ladies Turf Sprint the target.
California-based Richard Baltas brings the 4-year-old filly
Ag Bullet, who is 5-for-6 on turf, including a win in Santa Anita’s Monrovia
(G3). Ruby Nell and Elm Drive also come from the West Coast.
Bling, third in the Ellis prep by a total of a neck, was
third in last year’s Music City. Kaufymaker, Ocean Club and Moon Ray also are
in the body of the race. Chicago-based Oeuvre, whose 16 wins include a Kentucky
Downs allowance race last year, is on the also-eligible list.
The Ladies Turf Sprint will be run as the ninth race
Saturday. It is scheduled for 5:50 p.m. EDT.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Ruby Nell Bolt d’Oro |
6.53 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Elm Drive Mohaymen |
6.19 |
2nd, Daisycutter H. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
2nd, Daisycutter H. |
|||||
| 3 |
|
Ag Bullet Twirling Candy |
5.09 |
1st, Osunitas S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, Osunitas S. |
|||||
| 4 |
|
Dontlookbackatall Peace and Justice |
6.47 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Ocean Club Curlin |
5.87 |
4th, Trillium S. Presented by Don Julio |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
4th, Trillium S. Presented by Don Julio |
|||||
| 6 |
|
Kaufymaker Jimmy Creed |
6.07 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 7 |
|
Moon Ray Saxon Warrior |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 8 |
|
Secret Money Good Samaritan |
5.67 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Bling American Pharoah |
4.34 |
3rd, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
3rd, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
|||||
| 10 |
|
Red Carpet Ready Oscar Performance |
6.71 |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
|||||
| 11 |
|
Danse Macabre Army Mule |
5.84 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 12 |
|
Awesome Treat Awesome Patriot |
0.00 |
1st, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. |
|||||
| 13 |
|
Aussie Girl Starspangledbanner |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 14 |
|
Oeuvre Shackleford |
4.12 |
4th, Lady Carey Turf Sprint S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
4th, Lady Carey Turf Sprint S. |
|||||
| 15 |
|
Run for the Hills Runhappy |
4.59 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 16 |
|
Zeitlos Curlin |
6.40 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
Fluffy Socks leaves nest for Ladies Turf
Four-time graded-stakes winner Fluffy Socks, a millionaire
who is part of trainer Chad Brown’s deep arsenal of female turf milers and
distance horses, escapes her talented stablemates to run in the Kentucky Downs
Ladies Turf. She returns to the site of her first win four years ago.
Last year’s Ladies Turf winner Regal Realm is back. If she has
been disappointing in her two starts this year, trainer Jonathan Thomas
designed them as a means to getting back to Kentucky Downs after a long layoff.
Thomas also entered New York’s Perfect Sting winner Mouffy, also owned by
Augustin Stable.
The overflow field includes Ellis Park’s $250,000 Kentucky
Downs Preview Ladies Turf winner Walkathon, a multiple graded-stakes winner who
is 6-for-13 on turf. Last year’s runner-up Sparkle Blue, her Graham
Motion-trained stablemate Mission of Joy, Nadette, Implicated, Evvie Jets and 2021
Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies winner Turnerloose are the other graded-stakes
victors in the field. Stakes winners Spirit and Glory and Sacred Wish rounds
out the field.
The Ladies Turf goes as the 10th race Saturday with a
scheduled post time of 6:24 p.m. EDT.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Nadette Outstrip |
6.40 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 2 |
|
Sacred Wish Not This Time |
6.37 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 3 |
|
Fluffy Socks Slumber |
7.02 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 4 |
|
Implicated Connect |
6.54 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 5 |
|
Mouffy Uncle Mo |
6.30 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 6 |
|
Walkathon Twirling Candy |
6.44 |
1st, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
|||||
| 7 |
|
Turnerloose Nyquist |
6.11 |
1st, Luther Burbank S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, Luther Burbank S. |
|||||
| 8 |
|
Spirit And Glory Cotai Glory |
6.07 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 9 |
|
Sparkle Blue Hard Spun |
6.48 |
1st, Big Dreyfus S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
1st, Big Dreyfus S. |
|||||
| 10 |
|
Mission Of Joy Kitten’s Joy |
6.70 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 11 |
|
Evvie Jets Twirling Candy |
6.60 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 12 |
|
Regal Realm Animal Kingdom |
6.54 |
8th, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
8th, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
|||||
| 13 |
|
Special Wan Belardo |
0.00 | Entered | ||
|
Last Race Next Race |
||||||
| 14 |
|
Dana’s Beauty Not This Time |
6.06 |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
Entered | |
|
Last Race Next Race |
2nd, KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. |
|||||
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