Graham Motion

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).

ARUNA’S ACTIVITY CAPS BUSY MORNING FOR MOTION – Flaxman Holdings Ltd’s Aruna, pre-entered in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic and the Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf (GI) with first preference in the Ladies’ Classic, arrived at Churchill Downs from Keeneland Thursday night and settled into Barn 22, which served as the spring accommodations for 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Animal Kingdom.

Aruna, who posted her first graded stakes victory in last November’s Mrs. Revere (GII) at Churchill Downs, went to the track shortly after 9:30 Friday morning with Heather Craig in the saddle and alongside trainer Graham Motion on a pony. Winner of the Juddmonte Spinster (GI) in her most recent start that marked the first outing of her 12-race career not on turf, Aruna jogged around to the eighth pole alongside the pony and then galloped a little more than a mile and a half.

Motion initially had planned to bring Aruna to Churchill Downs on Wednesday and work today, but rain in the middle of the week altered his schedule.

“I wanted to give her a gallop day before a work day and it looks like the track will be better tomorrow,” Motion said. “She will work after the break probably around 8:45 or 9.”

Before overseeing Aruna’s morning activity, Motion was at Keeneland where the remainder of his Kentucky string is stabled. Team Valor International’s Lucky Chappy (IRE), a pre-entrant in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII) worked a half-mile on Polytrack in :48, fifth fastest of 30 at the distance.

Motion may employ a similar tactic Saturday with State of Play, another Team Valor International pre-entrant in the Juvenile Turf and Team Valor International’s Pluck, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and a probable starter in Thursday’s Commonwealth Turf (GIII).

“They did not train on the turf here this morning and I am a little concerned the track may be soft tomorrow,” Motion said. “We’ll walk the course later today, but we may work State of Play and Pluck on Polytrack over there.”

ON FIRE BABY COMES RUNNING FOR HARTLAGE ON HEELS OF HIGH HEELS – One early morning in mid-May, trainer Gary Hartlage pointed out a 2-year-old filly coming off the track.

“Just got here a few days ago,” Hartlage said. “That’s High Heels’ little sister, On Fire Baby. You might want to watch her.”

Fans can watch the daughter of Smoke Glacken Sunday afternoon in the 43^rd running of the Grade II, $150,000-added Pocahontas at a mile on the main track.

On Fire Baby, owned and bred by Anita Cauley, won her first start, taking a 5 ½-furlong sprint by four lengths at Ellis Park. In her most recent start, On Fire Baby finished fifth in the Darley Alcibiades (GI) on Polytrack at Keeneland.

“She broke from the 13 hole and everything was winning on the lead that day and (jockey) Joe (Johnson) put her in position to run her best race,” Hartlage said of the Alcibiades pace-setter. “Polytrack may not be her best surface; you never know. But that was not a bad race at all, getting beat 6 ½ lengths in a Grade I in just your second start.”

Cauley also owned and bred High Heels, who was sired by E Dubai. The daughter of Ornate compiled a career mark of 17-3-5-4 for earnings of $486,636 that included a victory in the Fantasy (GII) and four other graded-stakes placings, one which came in the Golden Rod (GII) as a 2-year-old.

“I think she is better than High Heels at this stage,” Hartlage said of On Fire Baby. “She is so smart and focuses so well. I think she will be better next year.”

MOTOR CITY RETURNS TO THE DIRT IN SUNDAY’S IROQUOIS – At the 2006 Breeders’ Cup, Street Sense began his rocket rise to stardom with a 10-length victory in the Juvenile that he parlayed into a Churchill Downs double with a triumph in the Kentucky Derby the following spring.

Trainer Ian Wilkes had a front-row seat to the colt’s activities on a daily basis sharing Barn 26 with trainer Carl Nafzger. Today, the Street Sense babies are hitting the track and Wilkes has one in Motor City, who figures to be one of the favorites in Sunday’s 30^th running of the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII) at a mile on the main track.

Owned and bred by Lantern Hill Farm, Motor City broke his maiden in his second start at Ellis Park and then ran third on Polytrack in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII).

“The Arlington race was the next logical spot for him,” Wilkes said of the colt’s first start on an all-weather surface. “And then on to Keeneland for the (Dixiana) Breeders’ Futurity.”

Motor City finished eighth in the Breeders’ Futurity in a field of 13.

“I was surprised he beat a horse,” Wilkes said. “He sprung a shoe coming out of the gate and wasn’t able to run at all. We were very lucky he didn’t get hurt.”

On Sunday, Motor City returns to the dirt.

“I think he is better on dirt,” Wilkes said. “He has worked very well here.”

GIANT OAK ASSIGNED HIGH WEIGHT FOR FRIDAY’S ACK ACK – The Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s multiple Grade I-winner Giant Oak has been assigned the high weight of 121 pounds by racing secretary Ben Huffman for Friday’s 19^th running of the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Chris Block, Giant Oak was promoted to first place following the disqualification of Successful Dan in last fall’s Clark Handicap (GI) beneath the Twin Spires. The 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway was given the rest of 2010 off and then kicked off his 2011 campaign with a two-length victory in the Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park.

Giant Oak, who finished fifth in the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (GII) in his most recent start, is scheduled to start in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII).

The next high weight at 120 pounds is WinStar Farm LLC’s Rule. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Rule won the Boyd’s Gaming Delta Jackpot (GIII) as a 2-year-old and the Sam F. Davis (GIII) at three. Now a 4-year-old, the son of Roman Ruler is scheduled to make his next start in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI).

Entries for the Ack Ack Handicap will be taken Monday.

BARN TALK – Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie winner Rocket Twentyone breezed four furlongs from the gate on a fast Churchill Downs track Friday morning in :50.20, which was the 21^st fastest of 36 at the distance.

Rocket Twentyone, under regular rider Eddie Razo Jr., recorded splits of :26, :38.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:04.40.

"She left the gate running, was on the bit the whole way and then galloped out nicely,” Razo Jr. said. “I’m very happy with the work and excited for the race.”

Pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) and the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), Rocket Twentyone will be entered in the Juvenile Fillies on Monday according to trainer Tom Howard. …

Also working beneath the Twin Spires on Friday was Don Benge’s A. U. Miner, who breezed three furlongs in :36.40 in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GII) on Saturday. The work was the fastest of 11 at the distance.

A. U. Miner recorded splits of :12, :24.20 and galloped out four furlongs in :49.20 and five furlongs in 1:02.60. …

The first arrival into Barn 17 for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is Eklektikos LLC’s Tamarind Hall, who pulled into the Churchill Downs backstretch Thursday night after a 9 ½-hour van ride from Finger Lakes in upstate New York.

"If someone had told me at the start of the year that I would have a horse in the Breeders’ Cup, I wouldn’t have believed it,” said Pennsylvania-born and upstate New York-raised trainer Jeremiah Englehart. “Kentucky is one of my favorite places. I have been to Lexington for the sales and to one (Kentucky) Derby, Big Brown’s (2008).”

Tamarind Hall, pre-entered in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI), enters the World Championships off a second-place finish in the Gallant Bloom (GII) at Belmont Park on Sept. 24.

Tamarind Hall worked a half-mile at Finger Lakes in :49.40 over a sloppy track on Wednesday and had her first exercise at Churchill Downs Friday morning. Englehart said that David Cohen, who has been aboard the filly in her past three starts, would have the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.

BOREL SIDELINED 5-6 WEEKS WITH BROKEN JAW – Jockey Calvin Borel suffered a broken jaw when he was thrown from his mount and kicked by a trailing horse on Saturday in the $1 million Delta Jackpot (Grade III) at Delta Downs in Louisiana.

“A stifle locked up on the horse he was on (Aces N Kings) and he pushed Calvin out and dropped him,” said Jerry Hissam, Borel’s longtime agent. “The trailing horse (Blue Laser) that Shaun (Bridgmohan) was on kicked him.”

Borel returned to Louisville a little after 10 o’clock Saturday night and was scheduled for surgery Sunday morning.

“It was just bad racing luck, the fortunes of our sport,” Hissam said. “Actually, he was fortunate in a way that he didn’t get kicked an inch or two lower which would have been right in the larynx.”

Borel, who is second all time in victories at Churchill Downs with 1,034 and has ridden an unprecedented three of the past four winners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), had nine wins through the Fall Meet.  That total has Borel tied for fourth place in the rider standings.

“He will be out for five to six weeks,” Hissam said. “He should be back for the start of the Oaklawn Park meet (Jan. 14).”

MRS. REVERE WINNER ARUNA HEADED TO FLORIDA ON MONDAY – Flaxman Holdings Ltd.’s Aruna, stylish winner of Saturday’s Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies, was doing well Sunday morning according to Heather Craig, assistant to trainer Graham Motion.

“Everything is good this morning and she heads to Florida tomorrow morning,” Craig said. “Graham was pretty excited yesterday. This was a big deal.”

The Mrs. Revere was the third victory in three U.S. starts for Aruna and her first graded stakes victory.

“Ramon (Dominguez) did a great job of getting her to settle yesterday,” Craig said. “I told him that she had really been keen since she got here (at mid-week) and she was on the bridle right out of the gate.”

While Aruna will be heading south, Craig will be going west a day later.

"I go to California on Tuesday for Gypsy’s Warning in the (Grade I) Matriarch,” Craig said of the Motion trainee who is running in Friday’s $250,000 turf test at a mile.

Aruna likely will resurface at Keeneland in the spring, also the likely return time for third-place Mrs. Revere finisher Fugitive Angel.

"I thought she ran a good race and she is fine this morning,” trainer Jonathan Sheppard said of the filly who had a four-race win streak snapped in the 1 1/16-mile Mrs. Revere. “I think she wants more ground. She is done for the year and we hope to have her back at Keeneland in the spring.”

Trainer Tom Proctor reported that  Wild Mia and Snow Top Mountain, the second- and fourth-place finishers Saturday, came out of the race fine.

“Snow Top Mountain will come back in the spring at Keeneland,” Proctor said. “The Sunshine Millions (Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park) may be next for Wild Mia. I don’t know if she can go that far (1 1/8 miles), but you have to try it.”

The Mrs. Revere was the first graded-stakes try for Wild Mia, who got a ground-saving trip from jockey Freddie Lenclud.

“Everybody thought I was going to send her to the lead, but Freddie did everything I asked him to,” Proctor said. “I told him to rate, rate, rate and he did.”

APPRENTICE PEDROZA JR. HEATING UP WITH FOUR-WIN WEEK – After a quiet beginning to the meet, 17-year-old apprentice jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. is heating up after riding four winners in the past four days.

The most recent score came in Saturday’s 10th race when he skimmed the rail to get Angelica Zapata up in time to win my nose. Was there any doubt he had won?

“No problem. I knew I got up,” Pedroza said with a laugh.

A nephew of longtime Southern California-based rider Martin Pedroza, the native of Panama City, Panama, is being represented by former rider Julio Espinoza, the ninth all-time leading rider at Churchill Downs with 642 victories.

“He is going to ride the holiday meet at Turfway Park and then go to New York for the winter,” Espinoza said of Pedroza, who posted his initial three victories during the Keeneland meet.

Through Espinoza, Pedroza said he spends a lot of time watching replays in which he pays particular attention to how the track is playing daily and the tendencies of other riders such as who is aggressive and who is patient.

Even though Espinoza started Pedroza in Kentucky, he is not apprehensive about going to New York and starting to work with new clientele.

“I feel I have the best apprentice in the nation,” Espinoza said. “He works hard and the cream will rise to the top.”

BARN TALK -- Jockey Leandro Goncalves was injured during training Saturday morning and will not ride for the remainder of the meet. “He was getting ready to work a horse and the horse stumbled before the work and Leandro’s thumb jammed in the horse’s neck,” said Jim McNerney, agent for Goncalves. “There are no breaks, but there is possible ligament damage. He is going to see a specialist, Dr. (Raymond) Shea, on Monday, but he will not ride again during this meet.” The 28-year-old native of Brazil had ridden four winners through the first 14 days of the meet that concludes next Sunday, Nov. 28. ...

Giant Oak, who was placed fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (GIII) in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in :47.20 over a fast track Sunday morning in preparation for a possible start Friday in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI). The move was the fastest of 48 at the distance. Other works of note Sunday included a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.20 by WinStar Farm’s  Brethren, a homebred half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver. The Distorted Humor colt is nominated to Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII), a race won by Super Saver last year. Champagne d’Oro, fourth in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) in her most recent start, returned to the work tab with a :49.40 half-mile move. Seeking the Title, prepping for a run in Saturday’s Gazelle (GI) at Aqueduct, worked five furlongs in 1:02.

Flaxman Holdings, Ltd.’s Aruna surged to the front in upper stretch and pulled away from a ground-saving Wild Mia in the run to the wire to win the 20th running of the $199,675 Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies by 1 ¾ lengths at Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon.
 
 Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Aruna raced in mid pack and in the clear on the outside as Dade Bade and Ice Mist led the field through fractions of :23.88 and :49.49 in the 1 1/16-mile grass race. Wild Mia, ridden by Freddie Lenclud, raced along the inside rail in third.

 Leaving the backstretch, both Aruna and Wild Mia moved at the leaders and at the head of the stretch Wild Mia cut the corner to take a brief lead while Aruna moved four wide. Aruna immediately took command and began to draw clear past the eighth pole, completing the distance in 1:46.02 on a Matt Winn Turf Course listed as firm.

 Graham Motion, who earlier this meet saddled Shared Account to win the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI), trains Aruna, who is now three-for-three since coming to the United States from France.

The victory was worth $117,610 for the Kentucky-bred daughter of Mr. Greeley out of the Unbridled mare Surya and increased her earnings to $256,842 with a record of 8-4-1-1.

 Aruna returned $5.40, $4 and $2.80. Wild Mia returned $7.40 and $4.80 and finished a neck in front of Fugitive Angel, who paid $2.80 to show under Rosie Napravnik. It was another half-length back to Snow Top Mountain, who was followed in order by Stars to Shine, In the Slips, Dade Babe, Ice Mist, La Cloche and Quiet by Seven.

 The field was reduced to 10 when Gitchee Goomie flipped in the starting gate during the loading process and was scratched.

 Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. (ET). There’ll be a Super Hi-5 carryover in excess of $22,900 in the final race.

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Ramon Dominguez (jockey, Aruna, winner): “She has been doing everything right. I was happy to see that she was sharp today. She put herself in the race earlier than usual. She was a little handy, but wasn’t too rank by any means. When it’s time to pick it up, she is always there for you. She’s pretty classy. I don’t know how good she can be. Everything she has faced and every scenario she has faced she has been great. And today she was closer and able to fire.”

Graham Motion (trainer, Aruna, winner, via telephone): “I was impressed with her today because she was just so much sharper earlier. I don’t know if it was the incident in the gate (that resulted in the veterinarian’s scratch of No. 4 Gitchee Goomie), but she started very on-the-muscle. She’s been very relaxed in her races and I just thought (jockey) Ramon (Dominguez) did a great job to keep her settled long enough so that when he did finally turn her loose, she had plenty left.”

Q: When he did let her go? Aruna made a really powerful move on the far turn. “It really was – again, considering how sharp she was early on. Usually, when they’re that keen early, they don’t finish up. I’m just glad Ramon stuck with her and I think it made a big difference today, because he really knows her and had a lot of confidence in her. I think every time she runs, she’s improved. She’s done so well for this race.”

Q: This was another step for her since she arrived in the U.S. and she now has her first graded stakes win.  What’s next? “I’ll speak with Alan Cooper, who manages Flaxman Holdings, and we’ll come up for a plan for next year. I definitely won’t run her again this year and I won’t be in a hurry to run her next year. We’ll probably look for something, maybe even Keeneland in the spring. But I’m not going to be in a big hurry to run her early on in the year.”

Heather Craig (assistant trainer, Aruna, winner): “She has been nothing but classy since we’ve had her. The first time I encountered her was at Saratoga and she was so well behaved and really classy training in the mornings. After what happened in the gate, (jockey) Ramon (Dominguez) said she got a little wound up but considering what happened with the horse next to her flipping over, she behaved very well and ran the way she always does. We are very pleased with everything she has done at this point. She will be going to Florida, but I don’t know what (trainer) Graham (Motion) and the owners have planned yet.”

Freddie Lenclud (jockey, Wild Mia, second): “She’s a filly that’s a little keen in the race. Today was good. There was plenty of pace in the race and she was good to lay behind. I had a perfect trip behind them. I thought I had a good shot. We just got beat by a good filly. She ran really good.”

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.

- END -

Stronach Stables’ Einstein (Brz) will carry high weight of 123 pounds and break from the outside post in a field of 14 as he shoots for back-to-back victories in Friday’s 135th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) at Churchill Downs.

    Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the Clark since Bob’s Dusty in 1977-78. Only two others have posted consecutive victories in the Clark: Hodge (1915-16) and Bold Favorite (1968-69).

    The Clark, run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, will go as the 11th race on Friday’s 12-race card that begins at 11:30 a.m. (all times ET). The race, like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and the Kentucky Oaks (GI), has been renewed annually without interruption since the first race meet at Churchill Downs, then known as the Louisville Jockey Club, in 1875. Approximate post time for the 2009 Clark Handicap is 4:29 p.m.

    Despite his outside post in the large field, Einstein was installed as the 7-2 favorite by Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia.

    Einstein, who will be ridden for the first time by Rajiv Maragh, is one of three Grade I stakes winners in the Clark field. Einstein has accumulated four of his five Grade I victories on the grass with the fifth coming over the Pro-Ride surface at Saint Anita where he took the Santa Anita Handicap in March.  He was a hard-luck third in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in his most recent trip over the dirt surface at his home track. Einstein will concede 2-10 pounds to his rivals in the Clark.

    West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again claimed his Grade I over the Chruchill Downs dirt in June at the expense of Einstein in the Stephen Foster. The Dallas Stewart-trained Macho Again, who got seven pounds from Einstein in the Stephen Foster, will carry 121 pounds in their Friday rematch and be ridden by Robby Albarado. Macho Again, the 9-2 second choice on the morning line, will start from post position two.

    Mitchell Ranch, Frank Lewkowitz and Joe Rice’s Bullsbay got his Grade I victory at Saratoga this summer in the Whitney in which he defeated Macho Again. Bullsbay, ninth to Furthest Land in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, will tote 119 pounds in the Clark.  The Graham Motion-trained son of Tiznow will break from post position nine under Jeremy Rose.

    Three Clark entrants come into Friday’s race off Grade II victories: Godolphin Racing’s Etched, Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame and Jill Baffert and George Jacobs’ Misremembered.

    Etched, who will be ridden by Alan Garcia and carry 120 pounds, won the Meadowlands Cup for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin last out on Oct. 16; Blame, who will be ridden by Jamie Theriot and carry 117 pounds, won the Fayette for trainer Al Stall, Jr. at Keeneland on Oct. 31; and the Bob Baffert-trained Misremembered, who will be ridden by Victor Espinoza and carry 116 pounds, won the Oct. 3 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park.

    The field for the Clark Handicap, from the rail out, is as follows: You and I Forever (J. Valdivia Jr., 115 pounds, 20-1), Macho Again (R. Albarado, 121, 9-2), Giant Oak (S. Bridgmohan, 115, 20-1), Demarcation (J. Castanon, 116, 20-1), Blame (J. Theriot, 117, 6-1), Anarko (Chi) (L. Goncalves, 113, 50-1), Anak Nakal (J. Bravo, 116, 30-1), Etched (A. Garcia, 120, 6-1), Bullsbay (J. Rose, 119, 6-1), Kiss the Kid (P. Lopez, 118, 15-1), Timber Reserve (K. Desormeaux, 114, 20-1), Misremembered (V. Espinoza, 116, 8-1), Dubious Miss (C. Borel, 116, 10-1) and Einstein (Brz) (R. Maragh, 123, 7-2).

(November 12, 2008) – Three Chimneys LLC’s Callwood Dancer (IRE) will carry high weight of 122 pounds and break from post position five under Eurico Da Silva in Saturday’s 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

            Callwood Dancer will concede from three to 11 pounds to her rivals in the Cardinal, which will be run at 1 1/8 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course and go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race card that has a first post time of 12:40 p.m. ET.

            Trained by Roger Attfield, Callwood Dancer is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Thursday from her home base at Woodbine in Toronto and then head to Florida for the winter with Attfield, who will be seeking his second Churchill Downs stakes victory. Attfield saddled Alydeed to win the 1992 Derby Trial.

            Callwood Dancer enters the Cardinal off a second-place finish in the Oct. 4 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, which served as her Grade I debut. In that race she defeated Sealy Hill, who went on to run second in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI), and prior to that finished ahead of Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) winner Forever Together in the Grade II Canadian.

            The starting second high weight will be Earle Mack’s Lady Digby, who will carry 119 pounds and be ridden by Ramon Dominguez for trainer Graham Motion. Lady Digby will break from post position eight.

            The field for the Cardinal, from the hedge out: Sousaphone (Shaun Bridgmohan, 114 pounds), Meribel (Robby Albarado, 116), Long Approach (Julien Leparoux, 113), Queendom (Calvin Borel, 111), Callwood Dancer (Da Silva, 122), Ciao (Inez Karlsson, 116), Ballymore Lady (Jesus Castanon, 116), Lady Digby (Dominguez, 119), Kiss With a Twist (Miguel Mena, 115) and Indescribable (Kent Desormeaux, 116).

- END -