Jefferson Cup

While some of America’s most talented older horses prepare to compete in the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (Grade I) later in the day, a trio of stakes for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will share the spotlight with the first race in Churchill Downs history for Arabian horses during the 12-race Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi racing program on Saturday, June 18.

The 30^th running of the Stephen Foster Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles attracted a deep field of 11 horses heads by the Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s two-time Grade I stakes winner Giant Oak and Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Crown of Thorns.  Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed Giant Oak, winner of Churchill Downs’ $500,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI), as the 7-2 morning line favorite for the Foster, which is scheduled to be the last of the day’s dozen races.  Post time for the Saturday’s first race is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern).

But before the Foster is run, 3-year-olds take the spotlight in a trio of graded stakes races on dirt and turf that include:

• The $125,000-added Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track (scheduled as the 10^th race with a post time of 5:25 p.m.),
• The $125,000-added Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies on turf at 1 1/8 miles (scheduled as the 11^th race at 5:55 p.m.),                                             
• The $100,000 Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf (schedule as the 9^th race at 4:55 p.m).  

Saturday’s sixth race will make history at the famed Louisville track as it will be the first Churchill Downs race to feature horses of the Arabian breed.  The President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, a $50,000-added, Grade I race for purebred Arabian horses at the Kentucky Derby distance of a mile and a quarter.

The President of the UAE Cup Series was established 20 years ago to promote and celebrate the Arabian breed internationally.  It was the first international racing series for Arabian horses and continues to be considered as the world’s premier racing series for the breed.

A field of eight Arabian horses ages 4 and up was entered Wednesday for Saturday’s race on the main track, and Churchill Downs jockeys will ride six of the entrants.

The Arabian star perhaps best known to local fans is Bill Waldron’s Grilla, who won an installment of The President of the UAE Cup Series last fall at Keeneland.  The 5-year-old is coming off a victory in the Arabian Cup at Sam Houston on April 11 and will be ridden by William Hollick.

Sam Vasquez’ T M Fred Texas was runner-up to Grilla at Sam Houston, only his second loss in seven career starts, and will be ridden by Santos Chavez.  Three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel will ride Guy Neivens’ Dixies Valentine, a winner of nine of 11 career races.

Churchill Downs jockeys with mounts include Spring Meet win leader Corey Lanerie, Brian Hernandez Jr., Aldo Cachano and apprentices Constantino Roman and Marcelino Pedroza Jr.

The field for The President of the UAE Cup, from the rail out (with jockey, weight) includes: T M Fred Texas (Chavez, 118), Dixies Valentine (Borel, 118), Another Color (Roman, 123), Ovour the Top (Lanerie, 118), Crownn Royal (Hernandez, 123), Vip (Cachano, 118), Wodkka (Pedroza, 123) and Grilla (Hollick, 123).

The brightest star competing in the day’s trio of stakes races for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds could be Glen Hill Farm’s Banned, who heads a field of eight in the 36^th running of the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Trained by Tom Proctor, Banned rolled to his third win in six races in an emphatic 4 ½-length victory in the $200,000-added American Turf (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day.  It was the first race of the year for the son of Kitten’s Joy who ran a solid fifth last fall to Pluck in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII) and started his season with a close third-place finish in an allowance race at Keeneland.

Jose Lezcano will ride Banned in the Jefferson Cup has he faces rivals that include a surprise entrant in Millennium Farms’ Great Mills, the speedy winner of the Grindstone at Fair Grounds and the only other stakes winner in the field.  The Steve Asmussen-trained son of War Front was defeated in the final jump by Air Support in the Transylvania (GIII) at Keeneland and finished fourth in the American Turf.  He was ridden in both races by Julien Leparoux, who has the mount on Saturday.

The field for the Jefferson Cup from the hedge out (with jockey, weight) includes: Live In Joy (Manoel Cruz, 117), Redboard (Leandro Goncalves, 117), Dream Warrior (Lanerie, 117), Banned (Lezcano, 121), Swagger Jack (James Graham, 117), Perregaux (Robby Albarado, 117), Benergy (Javier Castellano, 117) and Great Mills (Leparoux, 117).

Zayat Stables LLC’s Illinois Derby (GIII) winner Joe Vann and Charles Cella’s Uncle Brent, winner of the Northern Spur at Oaklawn Park, head a field eight 3-year-olds entered to compete in the 14^th running of the $125,000-added Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The race was formerly known as the Northern Dancer, but was renamed to honor the legendary president and general manager of Churchill Downs who is credited with building both the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs into their status as international sports icons.  Col. Matt Winn arrived at Churchill Downs in 1902 when the track and its premier race were struggling, but the Derby had risen to become America’s greatest race and one of the world’s great sports events when he died in 1949.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Joe Vann romped to a 4 ¼-length victory in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne, and followed that with a fourth-place run behind Alternation in the Peter Pan (GII) at Belmont Park.  Javier Castellano will ride the son of Silver Deputy, who has won three of six races.

Uncle Brent turned in a poor ninth-place run in the Peter Pan, but has trained beautifully in preparation for the Matt Winn.  The 3-year-old gelded son of Pioneering has won two of four races for trainer Lynn Whiting, who won the 1992 Kentucky Derby with Lil E. Tee.  Manoel Cruz will ride.

The Matt Winn’s stakes veterans face a promising group of stakes newcomers that include Stonestreet Stable’s Wilburn and Z Thoroughbreds LLC’s Infrattini, the 1-2 finishers in a May 15 allowance race at Churchill Downs, and Peter J. Callahan’s Scotus, a troubled runner-up in an allowance race on June 5.

The Matt Winn field, from the rail out (with jockey, weight), includes: Alstom (Borel, 116), Infrattini (Lanerie, 116), Wilburn (Mike Smith, 116), Supreme Ruler (Jon Court, 116), Uncle Brent (Cruz, 120), Chalice (Leparoux, 116), Scotus (Alan Garcia, 116) and Joe Vann (Castellano, 120).

The 42^nd running of the $125,000-added Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII) provides the setting for a return turf by Five D Thoroughbreds and Wind River Stables’ accomplished Kathmanblu, a multiple stakes winner on grass and dirt who failed to threaten Plum Pretty in the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI) on the main track at Churchill Downs last time out.

Julien Leparoux will ride the daughter Bluegrass Cat who is one of two Regret contenders trained by the sizzling Ken McPeek, who brings a streak of three consecutive Churchill Downs stakes victories into Stephen Foster Day.  McPeek will also saddle Catesby Clay’s homebred Bizzy Caroline, a daughter of Afleet Alex who rides a pair of impressive allowance victories at Keeneland and Churchill Downs into the Regret.  Manoel Cruz will ride Bizzy Caroline from the inside post.

A major threat to the McPeek pair is Zayat Stable’s Diva Ash, the rapidly improving winner of the $100,000-added Edgewood on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Kentucky Oaks Day.  The Dale Romans-trained daughter of Tapit, a winner of two of three starts, will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

Another filly turning to the grass after a run in the Kentucky Oaks is Right Time Racing LLC’s Bouquet Booth, a solid fifth in the Oaks and winner on dirt of the Delta Princess (GIII) at Delta Downs and Fair Grounds’ Silverbulletday.  The Steve Margolis-trained daughter of Flower Alley will make her turf debut in the Regret and Shaun Bridgmohan will be in the saddle.

Other Regret contenders among the eight fillies entered in the Regret include Michael Tabor’s Excited, an easy winner of the $50,000 Hilltop at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard for Pletcher, and Sovereign Stable’s Blushandbashful, third in the same race for trainer John Terranova II.

Trainer Tom Proctor will saddle Glen Hill Farm’s Holidaysatthefarm, who failed to fire when she finished fifth to Regret rivals Kathmanblu and Excited in the Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park, but fared much better in a runner-up finish to Dynamic Holiday in the Feb. 12 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.  Her most recent race was troubled eighth-place finish behind Dynamic Holiday in the Herecomesthebride (GIII) at Gulfstream Park on March 13.

Harris Thoroughbreds’ Gaya completes the Regret field.  Trainer Tom Amoss’ daughter of Quest brings a three-race winning streak that includes a pair of turf wins at Fair Grounds and a recent victory on the grass at Indiana Downs.

The field for the Regret, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight), includes: Bizzy Caroline (Cruz, 116), Diva Ash (Albarado, 116), Bouquet Booth (Bridgmohan, 118), Holidaysatthefarm (Lezcano, 116), Kathmanblu (Leparoux, 122), Excited (Castellano, 116), Gaya (Graham, 118) and Blushandbashful (Freddie Lenclud, 116).

Wertheimer and Frere’s Colizeo outlasted Worldly by a neck after a stretch-long battle to win the 13th running of the $136,375 Northern Dancer (GIII) for 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

The race was a near repeat of when the two colts met here last fall as 2-year-olds in their third career starts with Worldly edging Colizeo by a nose.

This time Colizeo, under Garrett Gomez, got the jump early on Worldly as he led the field of six through fractions of :24.89, :49.19 with Worldly in closest pursuit under Robby Albarado. At the three-eighths pole, Albarado sent Worldly after Colizeo and the two raced as a team to the wire with Colizeo proving best.

It was the second victory in the Northern Dancer for Gomez as well as trainer Todd Pletcher. The two teamed up to win the race in 2006 with High Cotton.

In improving his record to 8-3-2-0, Colizeo ran the 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.60. A homebred son of Distorted Humor out of the Dixieland Band mare Colony Band, Colizeo’s victory was worth $83,707 and raised his bankroll to $154,077.

Sent off as the favorite, Colizeo returned $5.40, $3.80 and $2.80, Worldly paid $6 and $4 with Vow to Wager finishing two lengths back in third under Miguel Mena and paying $4.20 to show. Completing the field in order were Max Silverhammer, Prince Will I Am and Crider.

The Northern Dancer trophy was presented by Steve Wolfson, owner of 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed.

NORTHERN DANCER QUOTES

GARRETT GOMEZ (jockey, COLIZEO, winner): “We didn’t feel like there was a whole lot of pace in the race and he ran pretty good like that the other day so ideally I wanted to ride him like I did the other day. (Jockey) Robby’s (Albarado) horse (Worldly) kept coming on and I thought I had him where I wanted. I asked mine for a little more and his horse would come back and eyeball me again. I thought once I really asked my horse I thought I would run away with it. I had a hard time doing that today. This was a good test for the horse.”

TODD PLETCHER (trainer, COLIZEO, winner): “He set a nice easy pace up front and really showed he had some talent today. We’ve taken our time with him and he’s run against some talented horses. If you look at the allowance race at Gulfstream, he ran against the likes of Fly Down and First Dude. He ran a good race and keeps taking a step forward after every race. He has potential. We’ll see how he comes back and look at our options for his next start.”

ROBBY ALBARADO (jockey, WORLDLY, second): “On the first turn I just got pinched back and squeezed.”

A.C. and Clare Asbury’s Gleam of Hope rallied from last place in the field of nine to upset the field in scoring a half-length victory over Psychic Income in the 35th running of the $112,300 Jefferson Cup (GIII) for 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.ridden by E.T. Baird and trained by Tony Reinstedler, Gleam of Hope ran the 1 1/16 miles on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “good” in 1:45.61. The victory was worth $66,841 and raised Gleam of Hope’s bankroll to $258,219 with a record of 11-4-1-1.

Gleam of Hope is a homebred son of City Zip out of the Vice Regent mare Victorious Vice.

Lost Aptitude, ridden by Garrett Gomez, led the field through fractions of :24.77 and :50.19. On the far turn, Formulaforsuccess and Corey Nakatani moved to the lead while Baird still had Gleam of Hope last but in the clear.

Turning for home, Baird swung Gleam of Hope eight-wide and swept past the field to secure his first stakes victory at Churchill Downs and the second stakes score for Gleam of Hope, who took the Cradle at River Downs last September.

Gleam of Hope returned $20, $9.60 and $5.80. Psychic Income, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $20.20 and $9.40 with favored Asphalt finishing three-quarters of a length back in third under Jose Lezcano and paying $3.60 to show. Completing the field in order were Our Douglas, Lost Aptitude, Guys Reward, Don’t Tell Kitten, Formulaforsuccess, Scottkeith’skitten

The Jefferson Cup trophy was presented by Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen, who rode the most recent Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, in 1978.

JEFFERSON CUP QUOTES

E.T. BAIRD (jockey, GLEAM OF HOPE, winner): “We put blinkers on him this time and it made him focus a little more and a little more aggressive. The plan was to lay him a little closer today, but the way the race worked out we got pinched back a little bit. He was being aggressive and I didn’t want to fight him the whole way, so I thought the best thing was to lay back and it made him relax.” 

TONY REINSTEDLER (trainer, GLEAM OF HOPE, winner): “Before the blinkers he was so far out of his races and he had way more to do. He’s always been a solid horse and he’s shown that. If you look at the past performances he has run against the best and he’s better on the grass than the dirt. I’m real proud of him. He’s responded to what we wanted to do with a turf schedule for this year, and so far it’s working out for us. The Mid-America Triple at Arlington Park will probably be next for him.”

COREY LANERIE (jockey, PSYCHIC INCOME, second): “I had a great trip. I was just stalking on the outside and moved when I was ready. It looked like I was going to run them down.”  

JOSE LEZCANO (jockey, ASPHALT, third): “He had good position but I just don’t think he liked the grass.”

A.C. and Clare Asbury’s Gleam of Hope rallied from last place in the field of nine to upset the field in scoring a half-length victory over Psychic Income in the 35th running of the $112,300 Jefferson Cup (GIII) for 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.ridden by E.T. Baird and trained by Tony Reinstedler, Gleam of Hope ran the 1 1/16 miles on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “good” in 1:45.61. The victory was worth $66,841 and raised Gleam of Hope’s bankroll to $258,219 with a record of 11-4-1-1.

Gleam of Hope is a homebred son of City Zip out of the Vice Regent mare Victorious Vice.

Lost Aptitude, ridden by Garrett Gomez, led the field through fractions of :24.77 and :50.19. On the far turn, Formulaforsuccess and Corey Nakatani moved to the lead while Baird still had Gleam of Hope last but in the clear.

Turning for home, Baird swung Gleam of Hope eight-wide and swept past the field to secure his first stakes victory at Churchill Downs and the second stakes score for Gleam of Hope, who took the Cradle at River Downs last September.

Gleam of Hope returned $20, $9.60 and $5.80. Psychic Income, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $20.20 and $9.40 with favored Asphalt finishing three-quarters of a length back in third under Jose Lezcano and paying $3.60 to show. Completing the field in order were Our Douglas, Lost Aptitude, Guys Reward, Don’t Tell Kitten, Formulaforsuccess, Scottkeith’skitten

The Jefferson Cup trophy was presented by Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen, who rode the most recent Triple Crown winner, Affirmed, in 1978.

JEFFERSON CUP QUOTES

E.T. BAIRD (jockey, GLEAM OF HOPE, winner): “We put blinkers on him this time and it made him focus a little more and a little more aggressive. The plan was to lay him a little closer today, but the way the race worked out we got pinched back a little bit. He was being aggressive and I didn’t want to fight him the whole way, so I thought the best thing was to lay back and it made him relax.” 

TONY REINSTEDLER (trainer, GLEAM OF HOPE, winner): “Before the blinkers he was so far out of his races and he had way more to do. He’s always been a solid horse and he’s shown that. If you look at the past performances he has run against the best and he’s better on the grass than the dirt. I’m real proud of him. He’s responded to what we wanted to do with a turf schedule for this year, and so far it’s working out for us. The Mid-America Triple at Arlington Park will probably be next for him.”

COREY LANERIE (jockey, PSYCHIC INCOME, second): “I had a great trip. I was just stalking on the outside and moved when I was ready. It looked like I was going to run them down.”  

JOSE LEZCANO (jockey, ASPHALT, third): “He had good position but I just don’t think he liked the grass.”

Churchill Downs’ Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare, a race that shares a rich history with the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) and the Kentucky Oaks (GI), has been elevated to Grade I status by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association’s (“TOBA”) American Graded Stakes Committee (“AGSC”).

The Clark Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, was run for the first time in 1875 during the inaugural meet of Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, the Clark has been run annually and without interruption since and was accorded Grade I status for the second time when the AGSC met Dec. 2 in Lexington, Ky.

Two other Churchill Downs stakes races – the American Turf Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and the Pocahontas, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies – were raised from Grade III to Grade II status. One race was the downgraded: the Jefferson Cup, previously a Grade II race, was accorded Grade III status for 2010.

“We are very pleased that the American Graded Stakes Committee has recognized the excellence of the Clark Handicap and accorded Grade I status to one of our track’s most important races,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs. “We have long felt that the Clark ranked with America’s top races for older horses and applaud the committee’s decision. The upgrade of the Clark and accompanying elevation of the Pocahontas and American Turf to Grade II status are tributes to both the strength of our racing program and the efforts of owners and trainers who compete in our races every year. We thank the committee for its consideration and decisions, and our horsemen for their unwavering support.”

The Clark was previously accorded Grade I status for a single running in 2006, when the race was won by Premium Tap, winner of the Woodward (GI) and subsequent runner-up to “Horse of the Year” Invasor in the Dubai World Cup (GI).  The 2008 running was won by Einstein, a multiple Grade I winner on turf and, subsequently won the 2009 Santa Anita Handicap (GI) on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita. Einstein was a finalist for the Eclipse Award for America’s top older horse that went to two-time “Horse of the Year” Curlin and defeated a Clark Handicap field that included two-time Whitney Handicap (GI) winner Commentator.

The 2007 running of the Clark saw A.P. Arrow knock off Grade I winner Brass Hat; Magna Graduate edged Suave in 2006; and Saint Liam defeated Grade I winners Seek Gold and Perfect Drift in its 2005 running. The latter was the first stakes victory for Saint Liam, who would win the Breeders’ Cup Classic the following year to cap a campaign in which he earned “Horse of the Year” honors. Other notable recent Clark Handicap winners include Overbrook Farm’s Surfside, who defeated older males in 2000 on her way to earning an Eclipse Award as America’s champion 3-year-old filly; multiple Grade I winner Lido Palace, a multiple Grade I winner who gave the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel his only Clark victory; and Robert and Beverly Lewis’ 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm, who won the 1998 renewal to become the 14th Kentucky Derby winner to win both races.

The 2008 Pocahontas saw multiple Sara Louise, winner of this year’s Top Flight (GII) defeat Rachel Alexandra. The runner-up would go on to win the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and defeat males in the Preakness (GI), Haskell Invitational and the Woodward (GI), becoming the first 3-year-old filly ever to win the latter. Rachel Alexandra has not lost since her Pocahontas setback and is a leading candidate for 2009 American “Horse of the Year.” Pure Clan, who won the race in 2007, is a two-time Grade I winner on turf with wins American Oaks at Hollywood Park at 3 and this year’s Flower Bowl at Belmont Park. Stellar Jayne, the 2003 Pocahontas winner, would later score Grade I wins in the Coaching Club American Oaks, Gazelle Handicap and Ruffian Handicap.

The roster of recent winners of the American Turf, a regular fixture on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, includes Kitten’s Joy, who would defeat Prince Arch in 2004 on his way to earning an Eclipse Award that honored him as America’s turf champion. The runner-up would later win the Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup (GI) on turf. Multiple stakes winner Stream Cat won the race in 2006, but runner-up Go Between would go on to earn more than $2.9 million in a career that included victories in the Pacific Classic (GI) on synthetic Polytrack and the Virginia Derby (GII) on turf. The 2008 renewal went to Tizdejavu, over Sailor’s Cap and Nistle’s Crunch. The winner would go on to win the Jefferson Cup (GII) and American Derby (GII), while runner-up Sailor’s Cap would later win the Colonial Cup (GIII) and Poker Handicap (GIII) and Nistle’s Crunch would win the Commonwealth Turf (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Orthodox defeated Battle of Hastings to win the 2009 American Turf, with the latter going on to a strong campaign that included victories in the Colonial Turf Cup (GII) and Virginia Derby (GII).

With the elevation of the Clark Handicap, the Churchill Downs stakes schedule will include five Grade I events in 2010 (not including Breeders’ Cup World Championship races scheduled for Nov. 5-6, 2010). Along with the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and the Clark Handicap, the Stephen Foster Handicap and the Humana Distaff, which retained their AGSC status as top-level events in American racing, are on the list of Grade I events to be run beneath the historic Twin Spires in 2010.

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).

After two days off and a 9 ½-hour van ride from Baltimore, Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird returned to the track at Churchill Downs for a light jog on Tuesday.
    Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s gelded son of Birdstone had regular exercise rider Charlie Figueroa in the saddle as he headed to the track around 7:15 a.m. (all times EDT).  It was Mine That Bird’s first trip to the track since his runner-up finish to the Kentucky Oaks-winning filly Rachel Alexandra in Saturday’s Preakness.  
    Trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. said Mine That Bird jogged one mile the wrong way over a “fast” surface.
    “He went good, he looked good,” Woolley said.  “He was bucking and playing a little, so we’re in good shape I think.”
    Woolley said Mine That Bird would on gallop on Wednesday as the Kentucky Derby winner continues his preparation for the $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI), the third jewel of racing’s Triple Crown.  There is no set schedule for Mine That Bird’s next work.
    The trainer’s phone continues to ring with offers from agents of jockeys who hope to pick up the mount on Mine That Bird for the Belmont Stakes.  Mike Smith, who rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness, cannot ride because of a previous commitment in California.  Calvin Borel, who was aboard for his 50-1 upset in the Derby, is committed to ride Rachel Alexandra, but her status for the Belmont Stakes (GI) has not been decided by majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen.
    Woolley said he would discuss the issue with Mine That Bird’s owners and they hope to have a decision in “a couple of days.”
    The runner-up finish in the Preakness improved Mine That Bird’s career record to 5-2-0 in 10 races and lifted his earnings to $2,011,581.
    Meanwhile, Rachel Alexandra walked under Asmussen’s shedrow on her second day back at Churchill Downs following her historic win in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
    Rachel Alexandra is scheduled to return to training on Wednesday.  Asmussen said the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro would go to the track with his second set of horses around 6:15 a.m.
    Her Preakness victory marked the sixth consecutive win for Rachel Alexandra, who has a record of 8-2-0 in 11 races with earnings of $1,618,354.

KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDER ADVICE WORKS – WinStar Farm’s Advice, winner of the Coolmore Lexington (GII), turned in his first serious training move since his 13th-place finish in Kentucky Derby 135 when he worked four furlongs around the dogs on Tuesday at Churchill Downs.
    The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Chapel Royal had exercise rider Kevin Willey in the saddle as he covered the distance on “firm” turf in :50.80.  The move ranked fifth out of seven at the distance on the Matt Winn Turf Course.
    Among the possible near-term options for Advice would be a run in the $150,000-added Jefferson Cup (GII) on the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard on June 13.
    Other stars who worked on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Tuesday include three-time Louisville Handicap (GIII) winner Silverfoot.  The 9-year-old son of With Approval breezed six furlongs in 1:15.40 as trainer Dallas Stewart guides the veteran toward his 2009 racing debut.
    Demarcation, a dead-heat winner of last fall’s River City Handicap (GIII) for trainer Paul McGee, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80, which tied for second among eight works on the turf at that distance.
    Tuesday workers on the “fast” main track included Silverton Hill’s 2007 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner Dominican, who covered four furlongs in :47.80.  The quick move was the second-fastest of 33 at the distance.
    Keep the Peace, who figures to be among the favorites in the upcoming $100,000 Winning Colors (GIII) for older fillies and mares, breezed a half-mile for trainer Eddie Kenneally in :47.40, which was the fastest work of the day at the distance.
    Be Fair, fourth in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, breezed four furlongs in 1:01, which was the third-fastest move at the distance.
    Golden Yank breezed a half-mile in :51.

Tizdejavu swept Churchill Downs’ spring graded stakes races for 3-year-olds on turf with a convincing gate-to-wire romp in Saturday’s $222,600 Jefferson Cup (Grade II).

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Tizdejavu ran 1 1/8 miles over “good” turf in 1:49.15 en route to a four-length victory over Golden Yank. On Kentucky Oaks Day, they also teamed to win the Crown Royal American Turf (GIII) by a neck.

Tizdejavu joined Senor Tomas (1992), King Cugat (2000) and Senor Swinger (2003) as the only four horses to win both races.

Tizdejavu asserted himself from the start Saturday, leading the field of eight 3-year-olds through comfortable fractions of :24.48, :48.06, 1:12.31 and 1:36.35. The Kentucky-bred son of Tiznow was never challenged. Gomez began to work his hands on the colt with a quarter mile to run, and Tizdejavu responded gamely through the stretch.

Tizdejavu, trained by Dr. Greg Fox, paid $8, $4.20 and $3.20. Golden Yank, ridden by Jamie Theriot, paid $7.60 and $5. Old Man Buck, the 2-1 favorite with Robby Albarado in the irons, finished another half-length back in third and paid $3.20.

Halo Najib, Wicked Style, Budge Man, Go West Bert and Bobby Blue Eyes completed the order of finish.

The $133,872 first-place check nearly doubled Tizdejavu’s earnings to $271,187 for owners and breeders Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth. It was his third win in six career starts.

STAKES QUOTES: THE JEFFERSON CUP

GARRETT GOMEZ (jockey, Tizdejavu) – “There did not seem to be a lot of speed in there looking at the race. Julien (Leparoux on Wicked Style) and I broke about two lengths ahead of the field and then he took back. This colt has nice, huge stride and he just went on from there.”

GREG FOX (trainer, Tizdejavu) – “I think his performance speaks for itself. We are going to enjoy this victory now (before committing to the next race). He has plenty of options. We decided to put him on the grass after he ran in the allowance race at Keeneland (on April 12). Garrett felt that the Polytrack may be not his best surface and that he would like the grass. He is a very happy horse.”

JAMIE THERIOT (jockey, Golden Yank) – “He ran a good race.  I just let him fall back and make a run and picked up most of the pieces.  He ran good.”

ROBBY ALBARADO (jockey, Old Man Buck) – “That was a pretty tall order for a first race back off this layoff.  It’s been a while since he’s run, but he’ll be a top horse this year.”