Commonwealth Turf

Sagamore Farm’s Humble and Hungry swept to the lead in midstretch and cruised to a 1 1/4-length victory over Wilkinson to win the eighth running of the $111,200 Commonwealth Turf (Grade III) for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV and ridden by Jose Lezcano, Humble and Hungry was content to race in fourth place in the field of seven as Live in Joy led the field through fractions of :23.53, :48.49 and 1:14.15 over a yielding Matt Winn Turf Course.

Leaving the far turn, Lezcano swung Humble and Hungry four wide and easily moved past Live in Joy, Perregaux and Silver Medallion and was geared down by Lezcano as he cruised to the finish line.

Humble and Hungry, a Kentucky-bred son of Limehouse out of the Langfuhr mare Cukee, ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.24.  The victory was worth $67,567 and increased the winner’s bankroll to $168,727 with a record of 2-3-4 in 10 races.In his only previous start at Churchill Downs, Humble and Hungry had finished eighth behind Team Valor’s Pluck in last fall’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII).  Pluck had been  scheduled to run in the Commonwealth Turf, but was a late scratch from what would have been his first race since early April.

Humble and Hungry returned mutuels of $24.60, $7.20 and $3. Wilkinson, ridden by Garrett Gomez, returned $4.40 and $2.80 with Silver Medallion finishing third another half-length back under John Velazquez and paying $2.80 to show.

Completing the field in order were Perregaux, Salto (IRE), Chalice and Live in Joy.  Along with Pluck, late scratches from the Commonwealth Turf included Twinspired, Suntracer and also-eligibles Will’s Wildcat, Fleet Beat and Friends Place. 

The 28^th Breeders’ Cup World Championships begin their two-day, 15-race run Friday with six championship races. First post time for the 10-race program is 2 p.m. (ET) with the first Breeders’ Cup race, the Sentient Jet Juvenile Sprint, scheduled for 4:10 p.m.

COMMONWEALTH TURF QUOTES

Jose Lezcano, jockey of Humble and Hungry (winner) – “The horses in front of us were going at a pretty good pace for how soft the turf was today. We were able to wait and then I asked him at the quarter pole and I knew he was going to win. He really took off the final sixteenth of a mile. I think he really liked the soft going.”

Bob Feld, representative of Sagamore Farm, owner of Humble and Hungry (winner) – “He was super impressive. Rarely do you see a horse win geared down like that in a Grade III. (Jose) Lezcano suggested that we take the blinkers off and that helped and he also got the perfect trip. This is a huge move forward and could be a turning point in his career.”

Olivier Peslier, jockey of Salto-IRE (fifth as beaten 2-1 favorite) – “He started just OK and we had to stay behind horses early on. When we got to the top of the stretch, he just couldn’t accelerate.”

Team Valor International’s Pluck, winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade II) at Churchill Downs, returns to the races at the Louisville track Thursday after a nearly seven-month layoff when he faces nine rivals in the eighth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) for 3-year-olds.

The Commonwealth Turf, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course and won last year by Yankee Fourtune, will be the 11th race on Thursday’s 12-race program with an approximate post time of 5:43 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post time for the Thursday card is 12:40 p.m.

Sidelined because of bruised cannon bones after running seventh in the Transylvania (GIII) at Keeneland in April, Pluck has won three of six starts on the grass and has career earnings of $727,290. Julien Leparoux has the riding assignment on Pluck, who will break from post position two under 118 pounds for trainer Graham Motion.

Shouldering top weight of 120 pounds will be Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Live in Joy. Winner of the Capital City at Penn National in July, Live in Joy will break from the rail under Joel Rosario in his Churchill Downs debut for trainer Wayne Catalano.

The field for the Commonwealth Turf, from the inside out, is as follows: Live in Joy (Rosario, 120 pounds), Pluck (Leparoux, 118), Silver Medallion (John Velazquez, 118), Perregaux (Edgar Prado, 118), Twinspired (Paco Lopez, 118), Wilkinson (Garrett Gomez, 118), Humble and Hungry (Jose Lezcano, 118), Suntracer (Robby Albarado, 118), Chalice (Javier Castellano, 118) and Salto (IRE) (Olivier Peslier, 118). Also eligibles: Will’s Wildcat (Calvin Borel, 118), Fleet Beat (Jesus Castanon, 118) and Friends Place (Albarado, 118).

Harvey Clarke and Andrew Albstein’s Yankee Fourtune shot past Stormy Lord leaving the far turn and went on to score a one-length victory over Guys Reward to win the seventh running of $121,900 Commonwealth Turf (Grade III) for 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

 Ridden by Victor Santiago, Yankee Fourtune raced third in the early stages as Stormy Lord led the field of 13 through fractions of :24.53, :49.30 and 1:13.64 over a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “good.” Santiago sent the son of Yankee Gentleman after Stormy Lord on the far turn and took command entering the stretch and never was threatened in the run to the wire.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Yankee Fourtune covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.68. The victory was worth $69,532 and increased Yankee Fourtune’s bankroll to $238,512 with a record of 6-5-0-0 with all five victories coming on the turf.

Yankee Fourtune returned $7.60, $5.20 and $3.80. Guys Reward, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $32.80 and $17 and finished a neck in front of Turallure, who paid $4.40 to show under Robby Albarado.

It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Mystic, who was followed in order by Mister Marti Gras, Stormy Lord, Celtic New Year, Don Cavallo, Thunder Brew, Dark Cove, Beau Choix, Uareoutlaw (BRZ) and Lighthouse Sound.

 Racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (ET).

COMMONWEALTH TURF QUOTES

VICTOR SANTIAGO, jockey of YANKEE FOURTUNE, winner: “(Trainer) Kiaran (McLaughlin)  told me yesterday morning that there were a couple speed horses and whatever decision I make, go to the front or sit back third or fourth, that just to ride with confidence like I own him. I knew there were some speed horses and they came a little fast from the gate. But I knew I could ask my horse and make him go, then sit a little chilly and save something for the end. You have to see how races are going on the turf, you have to see how the pace is going if they hang on in the front or if they go to the front and stop. You have to see the races and then handicap your horse.”

KIARAN McLAUGHLIN (via telephone), trainer of YANKEE FOURTUNE (winner): “That was a great race for us to win. Victor (jockey Victor Santiago) made a great decision in laying third.  He was just plain old the best horse and he rode him great.  It was nice to see him sit off the pace today.”

Q: How important was it to see him sit comfortably off the leaders today?
“We knew he didn’t always have to have the lead, yet he was just the fastest horse in those races along with the best horse.  Today it looked like there was a couple of speed horses inside of us, so I was just happy Victor made the decision to lay third, and he kicked on and finished very well.”

Q: Talk a little about his development and what you think he might be capable of … “We hope next year he’s going to be a top horse.  We’ll go to Florida with him.  He ships tomorrow, and then we’d love to point him to the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, and just go from there.” 

Q: Do you think he’s primarily a miler? “He’s a top horse, we think.  He could go a little further.”

HARVEY A. CLARKE, co-owner of YANKEE FOURTUNE, winner: “He is a really nice horse, we are lucky to have him. (Trainer) Kiaran (McLaughlin) has done an amazing job with him, and did a great job picking him out for us. He is a thrill to have and we are excited about this victory.”

COREY LANERIE, jockey of GUYS REWARD, second: “I had a great trip. My horse was a little more aggressive than I thought he would be coming of the Polytrack race. I followed the winner all around. He just had a little quicker turn of foot and that was the margin of defeat.”

DALE ROMANS, trainer of GUYS REWARD, second: “He ran great. I’m very pleased with his race. I wish the race had been a little bit further and there was a little more pace, but I’m happy with how he ran today.”

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875.  Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Harvey Clark and Andrew Albstein’s Yankee Fourtune, undefeated in four starts on the grass in his career,  headlines a field of 13 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s seventh running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The Commonwealth Turf will go as the ninth race Saturday with a scheduled post time of 4:37 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday’s 10-race program begins at 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Yankee Fourtune enters the Commonwealth Turf off a wire-to-wire, 2 ¼-length victory in the Hawthorne Derby (GIII) on Oct. 9. Victor Santiago, who has been aboard Yankee Fourtune in his four victories, has the call Saturday. Yankee Fourtune will break from post position 11 and carry high weight of 123 pounds.

Also toting 123 pounds is F. Thomas Conway’s Uareoutlaw (BRZ), trained by Mike Maker. A winner of three of five starts on the turf including Group I and II victories in Brazil, Uareoutlaw ran sixth in the Indiana Derby (GII) on dirt in his U.S. debut last month. Miguel Mena will ride Uareoutlaw, who will break from post position one.

Another horse who has found a home on the grass is Four D Stable’s Turallure, who has won his past three starts on the turf since August. Included in that streak is a victory in the Cliff Guilliams Handicap at Ellis Park in which Turallure beat the veteran millionaire Brass Hat.

Trained by Charles Lopresti, Turallure will be ridden on Saturday by Robby Albarado and break from post position eight under 121 pounds.

The field for the Commonwealth Turf, from the inside, is as follows: Uareoutlaw (BRZ) (Mena, 123 pounds), Celtic New Year (Rosemary Homeister Jr., 119), Dark Cove (Jamie Theriot, 119), Guys Reward (Corey Lanerie, 117), Lighthouse Sound (Calvin Borel, 119), Stormy Lord (Jesus Castanon, 121), Mister Marti Gras (Shaun Bridgmohan, 121), Turallure (Albarado, 121), Mystic (Kent Desormeaux, 119), Thunder Brew (Victor Lebron, 121), Yankee Fourtune (Santiago, 123), Don Cavallo (Luis Contreras, 117), Beau Choix (Julien Leparoux, 121).

LEMON CHIFFON EYES GRADED GLORY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Trainer Sean McCarthy had a choice to make with Lemon Chiffon: Stay at home in California and run in the Grade I Matriarch on Nov. 28 at Hollywood Park, or ship east to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Grade III Cardinal Handicap over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

“I’d like to get her a graded stakes win and in the Matriarch she would have to face the Grade I and Grade II horses she has been fighting all summer and fall,” McCarthy said. “Not that this is going to be that much easier, because any time you put a grade in front of a race, you know it is going to be tough.”

For Lemon Chiffon, who arrived here Tuesday night, it will be her second start of 2009 at Churchill Downs.

“She ran well here in the spring,” McCarthy said of a third-place finish in the Distaff Turf Mile (GII). “Plus the distance (1 1/8 miles in the Cardinal) is good for her.”

Owned by Ron Beegle, Lemon Chiffon is a lightly raced 6-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid who did not make her racing debut until she was 4.

“I got her when she was 2 and we were getting ready to run her at the end of the year and she had a hairline fracture of her tibia,” McCarthy said. “She won the first time she ran and then the same thing happened to her other tibia after her first race.”

The second injury kept Lemon Chiffon away from the races for 15 months. Since returning in April 2008, Lemon Chiffon has compiled a record of 3-1-2 in 13 races and since running third in last fall’s Las Palmas Handicap (GII) has not been beaten by more than 2 ½ lengths in mainly graded-stakes company.

“She’s pretty honest and she’s just had some bad luck running with some good horses,” said McCarthy, who has 10 horses in his barn on the Southern California circuit.

Jon Court, who rode Lemon Chiffon in her debut win at Santa Anita in 2007, has the riding assignment on Saturday.

McCarthy also nominated Lemon Chiffon to the Falls City Handicap (GII) at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

“She won on the dirt on the bullring at Fairplex,” McCarthy said. “I train her on the main track at home and I nominated her to both races in case it rains and the Cardinal comes off the grass. I would not be afraid to race on the dirt.”

GET STORMY PROVES HE CAN GO THE DISTANCE – Trainer Tom Bush was confident that Get Stormy could win going 1 1/16 miles. Turns out he was right … by a nose.

That’s the margin Get Stormy hung on by to win Sunday’s Commonwealth Turf (Grade III).

“I don’t know what it is, but he loses focus a little bit in the stretch,” Bush said. “But when that horse (Street Move) came at him, he saw him and dug in again and fought back and he galloped out strong, which leads me to believe there is more there.”

Sunday’s race was the final one for the year for Get Stormy, who left Churchill Downs to return to New York on Tuesday.

“He has been going all year,” said Bush, who keeps his stable in New York during the winter. “We haven’t firmed up plans yet whether to send him to Florida and give him a couple of months at the farm or to Camden (S.C.). But that was definitely it for the year. He won’t run in January or February.”

Sunday’s payday of $66,027 gave Get Stormy a two-race haul of $141,027 for his forays to Kentucky. Last month, he earned $75,000 for winning the Bryan Station (GIII) at Keeneland.

Bush is planning to come back to Churchill Downs in search of another big check.

“I’m sending Banrock down for the River City Handicap (GIII),” Bush said of the 6-year-old New York bred who is a four-time stakes winner in 2009. “He’ll get there Monday.”

Runner-up Street Move headed back to Florida on Monday along with stablemates Florentino (Jpn) who finished eighth and Bluegrass Princess, who had finished fifth on Saturday in the Mrs. Revere (GII).

“We got him earlier this year and Kiaran noticed he didn’t move as well on dirt,” said Neal McLaughlin, brother of and assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He was a little better on the turf and in his grass races he has really come along.

“But we’ve got to try the Poly with him. He never has been on Polytrack and he has that great closing kick that suits Polytrack. Plus, he’s a half-brother to Furthest Land who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI), so we are looking forward to bringing him to Keeneland next spring.”

CINDY JONES GETS FIRST TRAINING WIN AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – No Such Word gave Cindy Jones her first training victory at Churchill Downs in the Friday nightcap. However, for the wife of recently retired trainer Larry Jones, it was not her first victory.

“The first year we were at Ellis Park in 1988, Larry did not get enough stalls and he put some horses in my name,” Cindy said. “My first winner was a little horse named Prizado. He was only 15 hands and he won his first race by eight lengths and then the 2-year-old stake there by 5 ½.”

No Such Word is a 2-year-old daughter of Canadian Frontier and owned by her breeder, former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones.

“Brereton called right after the race and he was so excited,” Cindy said of No Such Word, who was the last horse Larry galloped on final day as a trainer on Nov. 7.

Larry Jones continues to gallop horses for the barn with No Such Word as one of his morning regulars.

BARN TALK – Distinctive Dixie, one of two winners on the Sunday card for trainer Wally Dollase, is headed for a Dec. 19 stakes race at the Fair Grounds according to Aimee Dollase, assistant to her father. Owned by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust, Distinctive Dixie was coming off a five-month layoff into her victory over seven furlongs. …

With 10 racing days remaining in the Fall Meet, several Churchill Downs milestones are within reach for jockeys and trainers. Robby Albarado, who is tied for third in the rider standings with nine victories, has 848 wins all time beneath the Twin Spires. Julien Leparoux, second in the standings with 11 wins, needs 10 victories to become the 15th jockey with 400 Churchill Downs triumphs. Trainers Rusty Arnold (248) and Ken McPeek (247) are closing in on the 250-win plateau.

WORK TAB – Acoma, one of the likely favorites for Saturday’s Cardinal Handicap (GIII), worked a half-mile on Monday in :48.80 over a fast track for trainer David Carroll. Also working a half-mile for Carroll was Denis of Cork (:50.40), his second work since returning to the barn from injury. … On Tuesday, over a track labeled as “wet-fast” Iroquois (GIII) winner Thiskyhasnolimit worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 for trainer Steve Asmussen in preparation for the closing-day Kentucky Jockey Club (GII). Also working for the Kentucky Jockey Club was Gleam of Hope who covered five furlongs in 1:01.40 (wet-fast) for trainer Tony Reinstedler. Prepping for a possible start in the Thanksgiving Day Falls City Handicap (GII), Whirlie Bertie worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00 (wet-fast) for trainer Steve Margolis. ... Decelerator, winner of the Debutante (GIII) here this summer and second in the Pocahontas (GIII) on Nov. 1, worked a half-mile in :53.60 over a “muddy” track Wednesday morning ahead of an expected start in the Grade II Golden Rod on Nov. 28.

Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy held off a furious late charge from Street Move to win the sixth running of the $112,100 Commonwealth Turf  (Grade III) for 3-year-olds by a nose at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

    Ridden by Javier Castellano, who won his third race on the afternoon, and trained by Tom Bush, Get Stormy took the lead out of the gate with Major Marvel and Florentino (Jpn) in closest pursuit. Get Stormy carved out fractions of :23.57, :47.19 and 1:11.68 over the firm Matt Winn Turf Course.

Turning for home, Get Stormy disposed of his two closest pursuers and opened a daylight advantage. Street Move, ridden by Joe Bravo, was sixth at the top of the stretch and brushed with Grizzled Robert in the upper stretch before accelerating and just failing to catch Get Stormy.
    
    Get Stormy covered the 1 1/16 miles in a stakes-record 1:41.67. The previous mark was held by Inca King, who won in 1:43.17 in 2007.

    In winning for the fourth consecutive time and fifth time in 12 starts, Get Stormy increased his career earnings to $273,586 with Sunday’s $66,027 paycheck. Get Stormy is a Kentucky-bred son of Stormy Atlantic.

    Get Stormy returned $5.80, $4 and $3.40. Street Move paid $6 and $4.80 and finished three lengths ahead of Grizzled Robert, who returned $10 to show under Jesus Castanon in the field of 10.

    Racing resumes Wednesday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE COMMONWEALTH TURF

JAVIER CASTELLANO, jockey of GET STORMY, winner: “I was very happy to be riding today. We had a great post to go straight to the rail and try to harness some of my speed. I don’t want to take anything away from the horse. He was very sharp today and felt great. I tried to make him relax a little today. He got some pretty easy fractions up front. When I asked him to take off for home he responded very well and opened up for me. He is really starting to mature and turn into a nice horse.”

MARY SULLIVAN (Vero Beach, Fla.), owner of GET STORMY, winner: “This is great. This is absolutely just wonderful beyond belief. I was hoping [we’d win the photo] but I wasn’t sure until they put it up. It was so close. What a great race. He’s moved up a lot and now he’s going to have a rest until his 4-year-old year. He’s done well enough to go home and take it easy for awhile.”

JOE BRAVO, jockey of STREET MOVE, runner-up: “If it was a mile and a sixteenth and a jump he gets all of it today. Just give all the credit to Kiaran (McLaughlin) for bringing this one around. He is really starting to develop and become a great horse.”

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QUALITY ROAD FINALLY MAKES IT TO CHURCHILL DOWNS – Edward Evans’ Quality Road was scheduled to make his initial appearance at Churchill Downs in late April as the probable favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I).

A problem with quarter cracks derailed those plans. 

However, more than six months later, Quality Road finally did make it to Louisville, although in a way no one could have envisioned.

Scratched at the starting gate from last Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Santa Anita after he refused to load, Quality Road was scheduled to return to trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn at Belmont Park on Monday by plane. However, Quality Road balked at loading on the plane and the decision was made to van the colt back to New York by way of Kentucky.

“He got here about 6 this morning after 34 hours on the road,” said Michael Dilger, who is overseeing Pletcher’s string at Churchill Downs. “He seems like he is OK. He will walk the shedrow and graze some and he could possibly go to the track Sunday. We will see how he is in the morning and make a decision.”

Plans call for Quality Road to spend a couple of days here and then board the van Monday afternoon for the return to Belmont Park.

VERSATILE PROCEED BEE PROVES HE CAN HANDLE ANY SURFACE – In the new era of all-weather racing surfaces, there are horses that can handle one form of track but not another.

    Don’t put Proceed Bee in that group.

    “He has won on all the surfaces they have,” trainer Scott Becker said of William Stiritz’s Proceed Bee, who figures to be one of the choices in Sunday’s sixth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII).

    A winner of 7 of 14 career starts, Proceed Bee has won twice on dirt, twice on Polytrack and three times on grass and has won stakes on all three surfaces in 2009.

Proceed Bee comes into the Commonwealth Turf on a two-race win streak with victories in the Honor Glide at Arlington Park and the Hawthorne Derby (GIII) at Hawthorne on Oct. 10.

“He probably came out of the Hawthorne Derby better than he went into it,” said Becker, who brought Proceed Bee to Churchill Downs on Friday night from Fairmount Park. “He worked well on Tuesday (:47.40 at Fairmount) and has been galloping well since his last race.”

The Commonwealth Turf will represent Proceed Bee’s second Churchill Downs start. He won the Grand Canyon over the Matt Winn Turf Course on closing day here last fall and Becker was here as an assistant for Terry Gestes.

“We actually thought he would have done a little more this year,” Becker said. “He was a little immature and can be quirky in the paddock and fidgety in the gate, but the last couple of races he has exceeded expectations.”

The Commonwealth Turf will be the 11th start of 2009 for Proceed Bee, who won the Battaglia Memorial over Polytrack at Turfway Park in March and the Prairie Mile on dirt at Prairie Meadows in June.
“He has had a long campaign and I keep looking for an excuse to give him a break, but he keeps coming out of his races 110 percent,” Becker said.

Chris Emigh, who has been aboard for four of Proceed Bee’s victories, will be aboard Sunday, his first day back in the saddle after being involved in a spill on the turf on Wednesday.

ACOMA, BELLE ALLURE SHARE CARDINAL HANDICAP HIGH WEIGHT – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma and Ronchalon Stable’s Belle Allure (Ire) were assigned high weight of 121 pounds for next Saturday’s Cardinal Handicap (GIII) by Racing Secretary Ben Huffman.

Acoma, trained by David Carroll, has won two graded stakes over the Matt Winn Turf Course on which the Cardinal will be run at 1 1/8 miles. Belle Allure, trained by Christophe Clement, won the Grade III Athenia at Belmont Park on Oct. 21 in her most recent start.

Acoma is considered by Churchill Downs racing officials as probable for the race. Entries will be taken Wednesday for the 36th running of the $100,000-added event.

Also considered as probable for the race are the three distaffers weighted at 119 pounds: Leamington, Lemon Chiffon and Tizfiz.

Other probables and their weight assignments are Social Queen (118), You Go West Girl (117), My Baby Baby (116) and Polo Lounge (112).

  Horses considered as possible are 2008 Cardinal runner-up Long Approach (116), Celtic Princess (Brz) (115) and Finish in Style (110).

BARN TALK – “Horses and Hope,” the initiative created in 2008 by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear with the Kentucky Cancer Program, returns Sunday to focus attention on breast cancer awareness, education, screening and treatment referral for the women who work in the barn areas at Kentucky racetracks. More than 700 cancer survivors attended the inaugural event a year ago in Millionaire’s Row 4. In conjunction with “Horses and Hope,” the color pink will be scattered throughout Churchill Downs, including saddle towels for a featured race, jockey arm bands, groom’s vests, outriders, flags, bunting and trophies for the winning horse owners. … Churchill Downs’ signature Twin Spires are now bathed in pink light in honor of the work of “Horses and Hope” and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer outreach organization and a fundraising sponsor with Churchill Downs for the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) won by “Horse of the Year” contender Rachel Alexandra … Tickets remain available for the Calvin Borel Roast benefiting the Kentucky Equine Humane Center to be held Sunday, Nov. 22. The roast will be held in the Triple Crown Room at Churchill Downs from 5:30-9 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person. For information, call Kelly Danner at (502) 638-3825.

Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy and William Stiritz’s Proceed Bee, Grade III turf winners in their most recent starts, headline a field of 10 3-year-olds entered for Sunday’s sixth running of the Grade III $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf.

The Commonwealth Turf, won last year by Nistle’s Crunch, is run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course and will go as the ninth race on Sunday’s 10-race card at 4:37 p.m. (all times EST). First post time is 12:40 p.m.

Get Stormy, trained by Tom Bush, has won his past three starts. The winning streak started with a pair of wins at Saratoga that included an allowance race at a mile on grass at Saratoga and the $80,000 Lure, also run at a mile on turf. Get Stormy then won the Bryan Station at Keeneland by 1 ½ lengths on Oct. 18 under Javier Castellano, who has the mount Sunday. Get Stormy will break from post position one.

Proceed Bee, who has won on grass, dirt and an all-weather track in 2009, won the Hawthorne Derby on Oct. 10 in his most recent start. Trained by Scott Becker, Proceed Bee won the Honor Glide at Arlington Park on Sept. 7 and last fall here on the closing-day “Stars of Tomorrow II” card won the Grand Canyon at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Chris Emigh, who has been aboard Proceed Bee nine times in the gelding’s 14-race career including the past four starts, has the riding assignment on Sunday. Proceed Bee will break from post position 10.

The only graded-stakes winner over the Matt Winn Turf Course in the Commonwealth Turf field is Darley Stable’s Florentino (Jpn), who took the Grade II Jefferson Cup here in June. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Florentino will try to join Inca King as the only horses to win the Jefferson Cup and Commonwealth Turf. Inca King achieved his double in 2007.

Miguel Mena has the call on Florentino on Sunday, breaking from post position three. Florentino, Get Stormy and Proceed Bee will carry high weight of 123 pounds each, conceding 4-6 pounds to their rivals.

   The field for the Commonwealth Turf, from the hedge out, is as follows: Get Stormy (J. Castellano, 123 pounds), Pop Tarrt (S. Gonzalez Jr., 119), Florentino (Jpn) (M. Mena, 123), Street Move (J. Bravo, 119), Major Marvel (K. Desormeaux, 117), Quite a Handful (R. Albarado, 117), Grizzled Robert (J. Castanon, 119), Perfect Bull (D. Butler, 119), Spectacular Kid (L. Goncalves, 117) amd Proceed Bee (C. Emigh, 123).

BREEDERS’ CUP PARTICIPANTS RETURN HOME – Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan was back in her stall in Barn 32 on Sunday afternoon after her runner-up finish in Friday’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade I) at Santa Anita.

She will be here a week or so and then go to the farm,” trainer Bob Holthus said. “We will pick her up the first of the year and take her to Oaklawn Park.”

Pure Clan had run 10th in a field of 10 last year in the same race over the same course at Santa Anita.

“I think she was more mature this year,” Holthus said of the improved showing. “I never have figured it out why she ran the way she did last year. It is the only bad race she has ever run.”

Trainer Ian Wilkes said that Capt. Candyman Can, eighth in Saturday’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), was back at the Skylight Training Center.

“He is done for the year and I have no plans for him at the moment,” Wilkes said. “He just wasn’t good enough that day. Maybe the Polytrack had something to do with it. I thought he ran well (beaten only 3 ½ lengths), but he just didn’t finish with his usual kick.”

Trainer Steve Hobby said that Telling was headed to the farm and was done for the year after running last in the field of seven, beaten 10 ¼ lengths, in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI). “He came back OK, but he bled in the race,” Hobby said.

Returning from California on Tuesday was King Ledley, who finished 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his first U.S. start and first outing for trainer Darrin Miller.

“He will probably go to Florida this winter and we will look at the series of 3-year-old grass races,” Miller said of King Ledley, who raced close to the pace before fading late to lose by six lengths. “I thought he ran a good race. I was not disappointed in the effort, just the result.”

Also returning Tuesday afternoon was Stronach Stable’s Einstein (Brz), who finished 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). The result was the worst in the 29-race career for the 7-year-old Einstein that covers five years.

“I wish I had an answer for how he ran, but I don’t,” trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi said. “He came out of the race fine.”

GET STORMY STORMS BACK TO KENTUCKY – Kentucky money was so appealing to trainer Tom Bush that he did not wait long to try for a second chuck of change when he sent Get Stormy to Churchill Downs for Sunday’s sixth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII).

“We are getting the frequent flier miles,” said Bush, whose first trip to run a horse at Keeneland resulted in a $75,000 payday when Get Stormy won the Bryan Station (GIII) on Oct. 18. “We were able to ship out the morning after the Bryan Station and he has been doing fabulous since that race.”

Owned by Sullimar Stables, Get Stormy has won his past three starts, all at a mile. The Commonwealth Turf is 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which Get Stormy has had no success. Get Stormy’s career record is 11-4-2-1 with the off-the-board finishes coming at 1 1/16 miles with the most recent being June 6.

“He is a little more mature now and I am not worried about the distance,” Bush said. “It is well within his scope. He has recovered nicely from his last race and had one work before coming here.”

That work by Get Stormy was a “bullet” five-furlong move in 1:00.10 on Nov.6 over the main track at Belmont Park.    

NOMINATIONS CLOSE TODAY FOR CLOSING WEEKEND’S GRADED STAKES – Today is the deadline for nominations for the final five graded stakes of the Fall Meet to be run Thanksgiving Weekend.

The 94th running of the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the main track kicks off the holiday weekend on Thanksgiving Day, the first of three 12-race programs to conclude the meet. Miss Isella won the 2008 Falls City.

Scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27 is the 135th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) and the 32nd running of the $100,000-added River City Handicap (GIII).

The Clark, won last year by Einstein (Brz), is 1 1/8 miles on the main track, while the River City is at the same distance on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Karelian and Demarcation dead-heated in last year’s River City.

Two-year-olds will take center stage on closing day, Saturday, Nov. 28, with the Stars of Tomorrow II card filled with races exclusively for the juveniles. Headlining the day will be the 83rd running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) and that 66th running of the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for fillies.

Four winners of the Kentucky Jockey Club have returned to Churchill Downs the following spring to win the Kentucky Derby with the most recent being Cannonade in 1973-74. Beethoven won last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club.

Rachel Alexandra began her current nine-race win streak in last year’s Golden Rod, a streak that includes a 20 ¼-length triumph in this year’s Kentucky Oaks (GI).

WORK TAB – Denis of Cork, unraced because of injuries since finishing second in the 2008 Belmont Stakes, made his return to the work tab Monday breezing three furlongs in :38 for trainer David Carroll. Also working Monday for Carroll was possible Cardinal Handicap (GIII) entrant Acoma, who covered a half-mile in :48.80. … Giant Oak, runner-up in last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club to Beethoven, worked five furlongs in 1:02 in preparation for the Clark Handicap for trainer Chris Block. … Putting in half-mile grass works on Tuesday for Saturday’s Mrs. Revere (GII) were C.S. Silk (:48.20) for trainer Dale Romans and Keertana (:50) for trainer Tom Proctor.

The main story line surrounding Saturday’s running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita is whether the undefeated Zenyatta can beat the boys.
    It was odds-on that in a sampling of Churchill Downs trainers Friday morning that opinions ran in many directions.
    “I think Zenyatta will love the mile and a quarter,” said Carl Nafzger, who won the 1990 Classic with Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled. “I think she will do it. Getting through the traffic will be her biggest problem.”
    “Zenyatta is a good filly and she loves those synthetic tracks,” Forrest Kaelin said. “She runs her race every time, but she will have to step it up a little more and I think she will on that surface. You don’t know about the others.”
    “I probably should pull for Zenyatta,” said Lynn Whiting, who saddled Lil E. Tee to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby. “But I think she will have a tough time with those boys. It is a big field (13), and with her running style … those boys aren’t going to lie down for her.”
    Paul McGee went in a different direction.
    “I don’t think she wins it,” McGee said. “I am looking at Gio Ponti and Regal Ransom. And Mine That Bird, I think he is going to run a good race and I will have him in my tri ticket.”
    Locally based Einstein, trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, had his backers.
    “I hope Helen wins it,” Scooter Dickey said.
    “I like Einstein, because I have seen him so much,” said Buff Bradley, whose stable star Brass Hat has run against Einstein several times and is stabled in the barn next to Einstein.
    “I like our horse, Einstein,” said Hal Wiggins, who trained leading Horse of the Year candidate Rachel Alexandra to a Kentucky Oaks victory. “It’s a good field and should be a very interesting race.”
    Dallas Stewart, whose Stephen Foster (GI) winner Macho Again was knocked out of Breeders’ Cup consideration by a cough, liked a trio of horses, Zenyatta, Einstein and Summer Bird.
    Summer Bird, sixth in the Kentucky Derby behind Mine That Bird before winning the Belmont (GI), Travers (GI) and Jockey Club Gold Cup, had a supporter in Jinks Fires.
    “I’d like to see Summer Bird win it,” Fires said. “Tim Ice has done a great job with him and the owners (Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman) have invested a lot in the business and been good for the game.”

CLEAR SKIES WELCOME SIGHT FOR JONESBORO – The prospect of a fast track for today’s 17th running of the Grade III Ack Ack Handicap was music to the ears of trainer Randy Morse for his veteran campaigner Jonesboro.
“He hates the mud,” Morse said of the 7-year-old, who is owned by Michael Langford.
But mud is what he got in his most recent start, a seventh-place finish in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) that represented Jonesboro’s worst showing of 2009.
“It had rained for part of the day and began to clear up and it looked like we were going to OK, but then about 30 minutes before the race it just poured,” Morse said.
Since the Gold Cup, Jonesboro has put in two solid half-mile works at his home base at Remington Park and shipped to Churchill Downs on Thursday. It was a homecoming of sorts for Jonesboro, who has won five graded stakes in his six-year, 42-race career.
“He has trained here a lot and probably put a million miles in over this track,” said Morse, who for many years was a regular member of the Churchill Downs backstretch. “He just hasn’t run here that much.”
Jonesboro’s record at Churchill Downs is 4-0-1-0 with his most recent start here coming in the 2008 Stephen Foster (GI) when he finished sixth behind Horse of the Year Curlin.
A good showing in the Ack Ack could prompt an encore appearance before the end of the meet.
“The Clark (Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare) is an option if he runs good today,” Morse said referring to the Grade II test to be run Nov. 27. “Also it will depend on who else goes in there.”

QE II WINNER HOT CHA CHA TOPS PROBABLES FOR MRS. REVERE – Nelson McMakin’s Hot Cha Cha, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 17 in her most recent start, headlines a list of 10 probables for the 19th running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, Nov. 14.
    In addition to Hot Cha Cha, who also won the Grade III Pucker Up at Arlington Park on Sept. 7, three other Grade III stakes winners on the turf in 2009 are on the probables list, according to Churchill Downs Vice President of Racing Donnie Richardson.
The trio includes Dell Ridge Farm’s Bluegrass Princess, winner of a division of the Valley View at Keeneland on Oct. 23 in her most recent start, Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, winner of the Regret at Churchill Downs on June 13 and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Mary’s Follies, winner of the Boiling Springs on June 27 at Monmouth Park.
    Another probable is William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara’s C.S. Silk, winner of the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie on Polytrack in 2008.
    Other probables are June Judd’s Aaroness, Jess Yawitz and Gary Zwerling’s Alice’s Smart, Andrew Farm, Connie Scanlon and Frank O’Connor’s Obsequious, Brereton Jones’ Silver Reunion and Lothenbach Stables’ Single Solution. Considered as “possible” for the race is NP Bloodstock’s Bum Bum (Fr).
    Entries for the 1 1/16-mile race to be contested over the Matt Winn Turf Course will be taken Wednesday.

FLORENTINO HEADLINES PROBABLES FOR COMMONWEALTH TURF – Darley Stable’s Florentino (Jpn), winner of the Grade II Jefferson Cup here at Churchill Downs in June, is among seven 3-year-olds considered as “probable” for the sixth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course.
    Should Florentino prove successful on his return to Churchill Downs, he would join Inca King in 2007 as the only horse to win the Jefferson Cup and Commonwealth Turf.
    Other graded stakes winners on the turf on the probables list of Donnie Richardson, Churchill Downs Vice President of Racing, are Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy and William Stiritz’s Proceed Bee.
    Get Stormy won Keeneland’s Bryan Station (GIII) on Oct. 18 in his most recent start and Proceed Bee, in his previous outing, won the Grade III Hawthorne Derby at Hawthorne Park. Proceed Bee also won the Grand Canyon, an overnight turf stake, here last fall on closing day.
    Other Commonwealth Turf probables are Hugh Robertson’s Grizzled Robert, Richard Shultz’s Major Marvel, Red Dog Stables’ Perfect Bull and Marilyn Seltzer’s Spectacular Kid.
    Entries for the Commonwealth Turf will be taken on Thursday.

BARN TALK – Elusive Sparkle, half-sister to 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, ran her last race on Thursday according to trainer Carl Nafzger. Elusive Sparkle, a 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality, finished ninth in the eighth race to end her career with a record of 18-2-4-3 for earnings of $112,028 for owner James Tafel. “One retired yesterday and one debuts today,” Nafzger said, referring to Broadway Ticket, a 3-year-old half-sister to Street Sense. Broadway Ticket, a daughter of Distorted Humor out of Bedazzle, is owned by Randall Bloch, John Seiler and Robert Manfuso. She is in the seventh race.