Jon Court

Steve Asmussen has won the last five training titles at Churchill Downs and will wrap up another successful meet at the home of the Kentucky Derby when its fall racing session concludes on Sunday. Entering the final day of the 21-day Fall Meet, Asmussen had saddled 14 winners from 63 starters and trailed Mike Maker by a single victory in his bid to add another “leading trainer” title to his collection.

“We were very fortunate to get a couple of wins at the Breeders’ Cup and we’ve had some really nice 2-year-olds this meet,” Asmussen said via phone Sunday morning. “The meet was everything we could have hoped for.”

Asmussen, the fifth all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs with 426 wins, saddled two winners at the 2011 Breeders’ Cup World Championships when the event was held beneath the Twin Spires for a record eighth time on Nov. 4-5. The first came on Breeders’ Cup Friday with Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s unbeaten My Miss Aurelia in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I). The following day, the Asmussen-trained Regally Ready took the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) for Vinery Stables.

“The highlight of the meet was My Miss Aurelia,” Asmussen said. “She won so impressively and you couldn’t be higher on a horse than we are on her.”

Well-known for his success with young horses, Asmussen saddled six 2-year-old winners aside from My Miss Aurelia to lead all trainers with seven wins in so-called “baby races.” Eddie Kenneally has the second-highest 2-year-old victory total with four.

“We had success with 2-year-olds this meet, with Unbridled’s Note and Hierro looking like the standouts,” Asmussen said. “They physically look like the kind of horses that will appreciate more distance. The plan is to bring them to Santa Anita this winter and get them ready for next year.”

Mike McCarthy’s Unbridled’s Note was a debut winner on the undercard of the Stars of Tomorrow I program on opening day of the Fall Meet on Oct. 30. The 2-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song won by 4 ½ lengths under leading rider Julien Leparoux.

Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Hierro broke his maiden on Nov. 9 in his third career start with an eye-catching 5 ¼-length romp as am odds-on favorite. The chestnut son of Hard Spun was also ridden by Leparoux.

COURT BECOMES 17^TH RIDER TO REACH 400-WIN MILESTONE AT CD – Jockey Jon Court became the latest rider to record a career milestone at Churchill Downs when a Saturday victory aboard Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Red Jack in the sixth race made him just the 17^th rider to record 400 wins under the Louisville track’s venerable Twin Spires.

“It’s nice to get the 400^th win at Churchill Downs,” Court said. “I’ve always loved riding here. It’s been a great meet and I hope I can keep it going. I knew Churchill had that (400-win) sign. I was just hoping they wouldn’t have to use it next spring. At 51-years-old I think I can still ride with the youngest and the best and I’m very thankful to be healthy and have the opportunity to do what I do.”

Court, who has over 3,600 wins in his riding career, has won 14 stakes beneath the Twin Spires, including the 2011 Firecracker Handicap (Grade II) aboard Wise Dan, who captured the 137^th running of the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) on Friday. Other notable winners at Churchill Downs include With Anticipation in the 2001 Louisville Handicap, Belterra in the 2001 Golden Rod (GII) and Softly in the 2002 Churchill Downs Distaff Handicap (GII).

His number of Churchill Downs victories would have certainly been higher had Court not left the Kentucky-circuit in 2004 to ride in Southern California for trainer Doug O’Neill. He returned to his Midwest-roots in 2009.

“A few of the trainers gave me a hard time, saying if I hadn’t gone to California to ride I could have doubled that and beyond, but that’s fine,” Court said. “It’s all in the name of racing and that’s good.”

Court began his riding career in 1980 and recorded his first victory aboard Nevada’s Hope at the now defunct Centennial Park in Colorado. He has won riding titles at Oaklawn, Ellis Park, Hoosier Park, Turfway and Birmingham and has recorded six top-five finishes at Churchill Downs, including a trio of thirds: 1999 Fall Meet, 2001 Fall Meet and 2002 Spring Meet.

The victory aboard Red Jack was Court’s second victory of the day and 13^th of the Fall Meet. He is poised for another top-five finish in the jockey standings as he is currently in fourth behind Julien Leparoux, Corey Lanerie and Calvin Borel.

STARS OF TOMORROW II WINNERS EXIT RACES IN GOOD ORDER – WinStar Farm LLC’s Gemologist exited his 1 ¾-length victory in Saturday’s 85^th running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) in good order, according to Michael McCarthy, assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher.

“He came out of the race well,” McCarthy said. “He’ll go to WinStar Farm on Monday for a brief freshening and then make his way down to Palm Meadows.”

            A 2-year-old son of Tiznow, Gemologist improved his record to a perfect 3-for-3 and increased his earnings to $145,855 in the Kentucky Jockey Club. There are currently no plans for his next start.

The Kentucky Jockey Club was the co-featured event on Saturday’s Stars of Tomorrow II program with the 68^th running of the Golden Rod (GII), which was won by Anita Cauley’s homebred On Fire Baby. A 2-year-old gray/roan daughter of Smoke Glacken, On Fire Baby won the Golden Rod in gate-to-wire fashion by 6 ¼ lengths.

“It was an excellent performance and she’s doing well this morning,” trainer Gary Hartlage said. “She’ll head to Oaklawn Park on Thursday morning and the goal is to be back here (at Churchill Downs) in the spring (for either the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks).”

On Fire Baby became just the seventh 2-year-old filly to sweep the Pocahontas (GII) and Golden Rod and improved her record to 3-0-0 from four career starts with earnings of $227,329.

Another impressive winner on Saturday’s card was John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock’s Indian Ambush, who won the seventh race by two lengths at the 3-2 favorite for trainer Bill Mott. A 2-year-old son of Indian Charlie, Indian Ambush was doing well Sunday morning will be sent to Florida on Monday. He will be stabled at Mott’s barn at Gulfstream Park or Payson Park.

Other winners Saturday who will be shipped to Gulfstream Park this week include Elm Tree Farm’s Callmenancy, winner of the second race on the Matt Winn Turf Course for trainer Ken McPeek, and McKee Stables Inc.’s King Kid, who took the finale by two lengths for trainer Dale Romans. Both 2-year-olds exited their races in fine order.

BARN TALK – Entering the final day of the 21-day Fall Meet, the race for leading trainer is still wide open with Mike Maker holding a 15-14 lead over Steve Asmussen. Maker, who won only training title at the Louisville track in the 2008 Fall Meet, has two horses entered Sunday: Chyhyryn (Race 1, 3-1 on morning-line) and Twinspired (Race 10, 8-1). Asmussen will be seeking his 11^th training title at Churchill Downs with his previous titles coming in 2001 Fall, 2004 Spring, 2004 Fall, 2007 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2009 Fall, 2010 Spring, 2010 Fall and 2011 Spring. He has four horses entered Sunday: Miss Chloe H. (Race 6, 9-2), Eyeseeyou (Race 8, 5-1), Hunterwood Point (Race 8, 6-1) and Joes Blazing Aaron (Race 10, 5-1). …

In the race for leading jockey, Julien Leparoux held a 32-27 advantage over Corey Lanerie heading into Sunday’s closing day program. Leparoux is seeking his ninth Churchill Downs riding title with his previous titles coming in 2006 Spring, 2007 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2008 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2010 Fall and 2011 Spring. Lanerie is seeking his first riding title at the Downs. …

Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the track’s all-time leading owners, wrapped up their record 18^th Churchill Downs title as leading owner and 10^th in the Fall, including five in a row. They enter closing day with a 12-5 lead over Billy, Donna and Justin Hays. The Ramseys’ local titles: 2000 Spring, 2000 Fall, 2001 Spring, 2001 Fall, 2002 Spring, 2002 Fall, 2003 Spring, 2003 Fall, 2004 Spring, 2005 Fall, 2006 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2008 Spring, 2008 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2009 Fall, 2010 Fall and 2011 Fall.

WORKTAB – Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables LLC’s Hamazing Destiny, second in the Sentient Jet Breeders Cup Sprint (GI) in 2010 and fifth in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, breezed four furlongs in :48.60 on a sloppy main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

SUPER ESPRESSO LOOKS TO END RACING CAREER WITH FALLS CITY VICTORY – Celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Super Espresso will look to end her racing career in style on Thursday when she makes her final start in the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

“This will be her last race,” said Michael McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “We’re looking to get her some more black type before she enters her second career (as a broodmare).”

Super Espresso, a $1.1 million Keeneland September Yearling purchase, will face nine rivals in the Falls City, the featured event on the Thanksgiving Day racing program.

She captured the DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico in May and then competed in five consecutive Grade I events. She hit the board in her first two starts at the highest level, running third to Awesome Maria in the Ogden Phipps Handicap (GI) and second to Ask the Moon in the Ruffian Handicap (GI).

The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia D’Oro then finished fifth to Ask the Moon in the Personal Ensign, 10^th to Aruna in the Spinster (GI) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland and enters the Falls City off a seventh-place finish to Royal Delta in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs.

The Ladies’ Classic was a bit of a reach,” McCarthy said. “This is a logical spot for her. She’s getting a bit of a class break and her numbers are as good as or better than everyone else in the field.”

In preparation for the Falls City, Super Espresso breezed a sharp four furlongs over the fast main track in company with Giant Sensation in :47.80, the third fastest of 47 at the distance. The duo recorded fractions of :12.20, :24.20, :35.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:14.20.

“She had a nice work over the track a few days ago and she’ll enter the race with good energy and a good attitude,” McCarthy said.

Super Espresso has a career record of 4-2-4 from 17 starts and earnings of $270,788. She will break from post eight in the field of ten under Javier Castellano.

The Falls City is the featured event on Thursday’s 12-race holiday program.  It will go as race 11 with a post time of 4:24 p.m. EST.

CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE GETS CLASS BREAK, BETTER DRAW ON THURSDSAY – Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) at Churchill Downs, returns to his favorite track on Thursday in an attempt to snap a five-race losing streak.

The 7-year-old War Chant gelding is entered in Thursday’s sixth race, an allowance optional-claiming event at five furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Chamberlain Bridge attempted to defend his title in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in his most recent start, but fell well short of that goal.  He broke from the outside post in a field of 14 on the Churchill Downs grass and finished eighth to the victorious Regally Ready.

"Hopefully that race is just a throw out,” said Dennis “Peaches” Geier, assistant to trainer Bret Calhoun. “He was coming into the Turf Sprint really well and his two works before the race (:59 on a wet-fast main track at Churchill Downs on Oct. 19 and :50.60 on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course on Oct. 29) were probably two of the best works of the entire Breeders’ Cup. He really had no chance whatsoever breaking from the 14-hole. It’s a tough gig out there.”

Chamberlain Bridge, who was made the 7-5 morning-line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, will break from post two in Thursday’s race under Brian Hernandez Jr. It will be the first time since October of 2009 that Chamberlain Bridge has been ridden by a jockey other than Jamie Theriot.

Jamie is already in New Orleans (for the Fair Grounds meet), so we got Brian to ride,” Geier said. “Brian has definitely been hot this meet and I hope he (Chamberlain Bridge) runs well for him.”

Hernandez has experience aboard Charmberlain Bridge.  He rode the veteran turf sprint star to a  5 ½-length claiming victory at Keeneland in October of 2007.  And Hernandez has been on a roll during the Fall Meet and entered Wednesday’s racing with 11 wins from 55 mounts at the meet.  That’s good for third in the jockey standings behind Julien Leparoux and Corey Lanerie.

Thursday’s race is also notable for Chamberlain Bridget in that it will be his first outing in more than three years in which he has dropped out of the ranks of stakes horses to face allowance foes.

“It’s a break, but it’s not going to be an easy race,” Geier said. “There are several horses in there that are running really well. I think they’ll be enough speed in there for him to run at, though, and if he’s anything like he was last year then he should win.”

Future plans for Chamberlain Bridge, whose 17 career wins include four victories over the Matt Winn Turf Course, have not been decided.  But he is expected to race as an 8-year-old.

“We’ll bring him to Fair Grounds with us, but I’m not sure what we’ll do with him,” Geier said. “There aren’t too many races down there for him, though. We didn’t go too hard on him this year, so he might stay in training, but he could also get some time off before next year. A lot will depend on Thursday’s race.”

FALL MEET LEADERS ENTERING FINAL WEEK – Through 16 days of the 21-day Fall Meet, jockey Julien Leparoux, and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey had clear leads in their respective divisional races at Churchill Downs.  But trainers Steve Asmussen and Mike Maker were locked in a tight battle for “leading trainer” honors.  Below is a look at the leaders entering the final week of the Fall Meet:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (28-for-106, 26% win-percentage, $1,441,452 in earnings)

2. Corey Lanerie (20-for-103, 19%, $511,772)

3. Brian Hernandez Jr. (11-for-55, 20%, $285,115)

4. Jesus Castanon (9-for-55, 16%, $415,003)

5. Jon Court (8-for-51, 16%, $185,269)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (11-for-49, 22%, $2,013,337)

1. Mike Maker (11-for-42, 26%, $1,374,178)

3. Dale Romans (8-for-43, 19%, $1,583,459)

4. Eddie Kenneally (6-for-25, 24%, $297,652)

4. Ken McPeek (6-for-30, 20%, $250,988)

4. Bill Mott (6-for-18, 33%, $4,027,702)

Top Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (9-for-33, 27%, $735,718)

2. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (5-for-20, 25%, $98,805)

3. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-10, 30%, $34,053)

4. 14 owners are tied for fourth with two wins each

BARN TALK – Veteran trainer Robert Holthus, a regular on racing circuits in Kentucky, Arkansas and the Midwest for nearly 60 years, died Tuesday morning in Louisville, Ky. at the age of 77. A local memorial service for Holthus has been scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (EST) at Christ Chapel on the Churchill Downs backside. Holthus saddled 211 winners beneath the Twin Spires, including 11 stakes wins. …

For the second year in-a-row, jockey Corey Lanerie was named a finalist for Santa Anita's George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. The other finalists are Ramon Dominguez, Martin Pedroza, DeShawn Parker and Scott Stevens. The winner, to be determined by a nationwide vote of jockeys, will be announced in January. The Woolf Award has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950 and is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in all of racing.  It recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. …

Leading-rider Julien Leparoux will travel to Hollywood Park on Friday to ride Team Block's Never Retreat in the Matriarch (GI). Leparoux enters Wednesday with a 28-20 lead in the jockey standings over Corey Lanerie. He will return to beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday and is named to ride in all 12 races on that day’s Stars of Tomorrow II program.  ...

Churchill Downs will host a “Stache Bash” on Saturday during the races to honor and celebrate all of the Mo Bros and Mo Sistas who participated in Movember. Churchill Downs will donate $1 per attendee who is sporting a mustache to the Movember Foundation with a minimum guaranteed pledge of $5,000 given through the Churchill Downs Foundation. The day’s festivities will include between-race live music by popular Cincinnati-based My Sister Sarah in the paddock area and Happy Hour drink specials from 3-5 p.m. …

Trainer Angel Montano Sr. recorded his 334^th victory at Churchill Downs with Autumn Eyes in Sunday’s sixth race. Montano ranks ninth in career victories at Churchill Downs and his next victory will pull him into a tie for eighth with Jack Van Berg. …

Jockey Jon Court is five wins away from the 400-win milestone at Churchill Downs. Court has mounts in eight races Wednesday, six races Thursday and nine races Friday.

Mort Fink’s Wise Dan stalked the pace and rallied to take over from Strike Impact in deep stretch to draw off and win the 21^st running of the Grade II, $203,000 Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE by 2 ¾ lengths over Baryshnikov on Monday to close out the 38-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Charlie Lopresti and ridden by Jon Court, Wise Dan ran the mile on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:34.59. It was Wise Dan’s fifth victory in 10 starts, but first on turf. He became the first horse to win the Firecracker without a previous race on the grass.

Wise Dan is a 4-year-old gelded homebred son of Wiseman’s Ferry out of the Wolf Power-SAf mare Lisa Danielle.

The victory was worth $119,567 and increased Wise Dan’s earnings to $323,047 with a record of 5-0-0 in 10 starts. The Firecracker was the second graded stakes victory for Wise Dan, who won the Grade III Phoenix at Keeneland last fall. That race served as a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in which he finished sixth.

Longshot Plutonium and 6-1 chance Strike Impact prompted the early pace of :23.81, :47.19 and 1:11.12 with Wise Dan just off their hips in third from the outside. Strike Impact grabbed the lead at the head of the stretch and Wise Dan was in close pursuit four-wide to his outside. With clear sailing and right handed urging by Court, Wise Dan kicked home powerfully to turn back a late run by Baryshnikov, who rallied from the back of the pack to get the place.

“Wow! He ran huge,” said Lopresti, who breezed Wise Dan a half-mile in :48.80 over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Tuesday – a move that convinced him to enter in the Firecracker. “Jon rode him perfectly and that’s what this horse has needed all along. He had him sit back and just make one big run with him. I wanted that kind of a race. I didn’t want him in a speed duel. He needed to learn how to relax and he’s grown up and matured.”

It was the second stakes win of the meet for Lopresti, who also won the $76,445 Kelly’s Landing on June 24 with Here Comes Ben. He has four stakes wins at Churchill Downs overall. Fink combined with Lopresti to win the 2009 Northern Dancer (Grade III) at Churchill Downs with Successful Dan for his only other Churchill Downs stakes win. For the 50-year-old veteran Court, it was his 12^th stakes triumph beneath the Twin Spires.

Wise Dan, carrying 115 pounds, returned $30.60, $12 and $7.40 as a 14-1 wagering choice in the field of 10 older horses. Baryshnikov, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Julien Leparoux at 117 pounds, paid $5 and $3.80 and finished a neck in front of Strike Impact, who paid $4.20 to show under Robby Albarado at 117 pounds.

Mystic, Lubash, Plutonium, 119-pound starting high weight General Quarters, Joshua Reynolds, El Caballo and Omniscient completed the order of finish. Mister Marti Gras was scratched.

Leparoux won his eighth Churchill Downs riding title (fourth at the Spring Meet) with 53 victories with Corey Lanerie in second with 47 triumphs. Steve Asmussen held off late charges by Ken McPeek and Eddie Kenneally to win his 10^th training title and fifth straight which began with the 2009 Spring Meet crown. Asmussen had 18 wins, one more than McPeek and Kenneally. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. was the leading owner with eight wins, two ahead of Jay Em Ess Stable and 17-time champs Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Racing returns to Churchill Downs on Sunday, Oct. 30 for the 122^nd Fall Meet, a 21-day stand that will be highlighted by the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to the track on Nov. 4 and 5.

FIRECRACKER HANDICAP QUOTES

Charlie Lopresti, trainer of Wise Dan (winner): Q. Immediate reaction after the race: “Wow! He ran huge. (Jockey) Jon (Court) rode him perfectly and that’s what this horse has needed all along. He had him sit back and just make one big run with him. I wanted that kind of a race. I didn’t want him in a speed duel. He needed to learn how to relax and he’s grown up and matured.

"Things have been tough on him. He had to come back off long layoffs and run against good horses. At Keeneland, I was a little disappointed in him in the Commonwealth (when he finished fourth) and then we threw him to the wolves in the Alysheba (finished eighth), but he really didn’t run a bad race and only got beat a few lengths and then he just lost by a couple of lengths. I told Mr. (Morton) Fink that he’s getting better every race and some horses it just takes a few races.”

Q. What went into the decision to try him on the turf? “Mr. Fink and I were talking about it and decided that since he was nominated we would go up and work him on the grass just to see what he would do. They had him coming home (in the workout) in 23 (seconds) and everyone was telling me he worked phenomenal and Jon (Court) told us he could have gone around the track again.”

Q. What’s the next spot for Wise Dan? “Turallure (also trained by Lopresti) was going to run in the Fourstardave (at Saratoga) and we might think of running him (Wise Dan) there, but I don’t know…we’ll want to try and keep the two apart. I don’t think there are any mile races up there and I don’t want to run him (Wise Dan) any further. We’ll look at the fall and the big races and the Breeders’ Cup (Mile), but he’s earned a little vacation so we’ll see how he comes out of this and then decide where to go.”

Mort Fink, owner of Wise Dan (winner): “This is one of the most exciting things that’s happened to me. This makes up a little bit for getting disqualified from the (2010) Clark (with Successful Dan). He’s a super horse.”

Jon Court, jockey of Wise Dan (winner): “I didn’t want to go with the leaders. The strategy was to get him to rate and he actually settled and we were able to wait for the punch down the lane. When we hit the top of the stretch, I had a bridle full of horse. I wanted to pull away as fast as I could and beat them to the wire and he did that. As the owner (Fink) said, it’s great when a plan comes together.”

Mike Maker, trainer of Baryshnikov (runner-up): “Not winning the race is the only thing I’d change. We’ll just take it race-by-race from here. Obviously he’s stepping up every time. There’s a big race run here in the fall and it would be nice to get back to that one.”

Jockey Julien Leparoux, rider of Baryshnikov (runner-up): “He ran good. He broke OK, but not as fast as the other ones. But they set a nice pace for us and he relaxed good and put me in the race on the backside, then he made his run and he ran big.

“In my mind I knew there was a lot of pace and the main thing was the start. He broke good, but not as fast. But I was comfortable there. He was nice and relaxed and I got a clean run after that. I was just second-best today.”

Q: Baryshnikov keeps stepping up … “He’s a nice horse and he keeps trying.”

Robby Albarado, jockey on Strike Impact (third): “Ideally, I would have liked to have been in the back a little bit more, but he was just a little keen. Having said that, I don’t think it compromised him because he ran to the wire. They just went awfully fast for him. When I turned for home, I loved where I was sitting, and he exploded, too. The horse was going really good.”

Tom McCarthy, trainer of General Quarters (seventh as the favorite): “He appeared to come back just fine.  He (jockey Jamie Theriot) said he was going just fine and he asked him to go at the quarter pole and he just came up empty, that’s all. Maybe he just bounced (from his first race of the year), I don’t know.”

Marianne and Brandon Chase’s homebred Here Comes Ben powered down the historic Churchill Downs stretch Friday night to score a repeat victory in $76,445 Kelly’s Landing overnight stakes by 3 ¼ lengths before a “Downs After Dark” crowd of 25,523.

Here Comes Ben, a 5-year-old son of Street Cry, broke sharply under Jon Court to grab a brief early lead and then settled in third behind pace-setters Captain Cherokee and Cool Bullet through fractions of :24.29 and :47.39. The Charles Lopresti-trained veteran surged to the lead a few strides past the quarter-pole and increased his advantage in the run to the finish.  He completed seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:22.26.

Here Comes Ben broke from the gate as the 5-2 second choice and returned mutuels of $7, $3.40 and $2.80. Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Captain Cherokee finished second to return $2.60 and $2.10, while G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s A Diehl, who finished another length back in third, paid $3 to show. Cool Bullet finished another 1 ¾ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by The Program and Spicer.

The victory was worth $46,800 and increased the Kentucky-bred’s bankroll to $406,264 with a record of 7-1-3 from 16 starts. Here Comes Ben, who recorded his fourth career win beneath the Twin Spires, followed last year’s victory in the Kelly’s Landing with victory in the Grade I Forego at Saratoga.

Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program highlighted by the 111^th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Debutante. The six-furlong Debutante is the nation’s first graded stakes event for 2-year-old fillies and will be run as Race 10 at 5:25 p.m. (all times EDT). First post for the next-to-last Saturday program of the Spring Meet is 12:45 p.m. and the Pick 6, which has a carryover of $46,741, begins with Race 6 at 3:23 p.m.

The Robert B and Beverly J Lewis Trust’s Secret File battled with Street Storm and Heavenly Landing down the stretch before overcoming those rivals inside the eighth-pole to take the $63,038 Thursday afternoon feature at Churchill Downs by a widening 1 ¼ lengths.

Secret File was well-held in last in the field of five through opening fractions of :24.49 and :49.07 set by Lally Stable’s Heavenly Landing. The 4-year-old daughter of Smart Strike began to move at the leaders at the three-eighths pole, drew even with Street Storm and Heavenly Landing in the stretch and finally wore down her foes with less than a furlong remaining. Trained by Charlie Lopresti and ridden by Jon Court, Secret File covered the 1 1/16 miles over a fast main track at Churchill Downs in 1:45.47.

Breaking from the gate as the 2-1 favorite, Secret File retuned mutuels of $6.60, $3.80 and $3. Right Time Racing LLC’s Street Storm, who was eighth in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks in her most recent start, finished second to return $3.40 and $3.20, with Heavenly Landing in third returning $3.20.

The victory, which was worth $39,060, was Secret File’s second win of the Spring Meet and increased her bankroll to $98,126 with a record of 3-1-3 from eight lifetime starts.

Racing continues Friday with the return of the Downs After Dark nighttime racing program. Admission gates will open at 4 p.m. EDT and the first of 11 live races will begin at 6 p.m.

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.

MALIBU PRAYER HELPS SALVAGE THE DAY FOR EVANS – Saturday was not a total loss for Edward Evans, who saw his Quality Road scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) when he refused to load in the starting gate.

Nearly two hours earlier, his Malibu Prayer posted her first graded-stakes victory by taking the Chilukki (GII) at Churchill Downs by a length over Copper State.

“She is doing well this morning,” said Michael Dilger, the Churchill Downs assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “She had been training well at Belmont and we thought she would run well.”

Dilger was not sure if Malibu Prayer would come back in three weeks to run in the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) on Nov. 26.

“I don’t know if Todd would want to run her back that quick,” Dilger said. “We have Unbridled Belle pointed to the Falls City and that will be the last race for her.”

The Chilukki victory improved Malibu Prayer’s record to 9-4-3-2 with the three runner-up finishes coming in graded stakes.

“We had her at Delaware Park this summer and she only needed to improve a little bit to be a good filly,” Dilger said. “She has always been well thought of and she has progressed well through the year.”

One Caroline, the Chilukki favorite who finished third in her first start in more than six months, was headed back to her home base at Keeneland on Sunday.

"She ran hard yesterday,” said Jack Bohannan, assistant to trainer Rusty Arnold. “It is tough to sustain those fractions (:22.47 and :44.87) after being off so long. We were disappointed she didn’t win.”

A return in the Falls City is possible for One Caroline.

“If Rusty feels she is all right, I am sure he will entertain that thought,” Bohannan said. “Rusty and (owner) Mr. (G. Watts) Humphrey (Jr.) will talk it over.”
    
SHE’S OUR ANNIE COMES BACK STRONG IN DREAM SUPREME – Trainer Jinks Fires was all smiles Sunday morning after the performance of Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie in Saturday’s $60,000 Dream Supreme overnight stakes.

Idle since being taken out of training in the spring, She’s Our Annie came off the 7 ½-month layoff by going wire-to-wire under Jon Court to win by 2 ½ lengths. The 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro covered the six furlongs in 1:10.31.

“She had been training that way, so we thought she would run that way,” Fires said. “She’s doing well this morning. We are going to take it one step at a time and see what’s out there, but we are not going to push her.”

Now a winner of four of five starts, She’s Our Annie developed the start of a slab fracture this spring at Oaklawn Park and Fires gave her 90 days off before starting her back. Prior to the Dream Supreme, She’s Our Annie had recorded two bullet six-furlong works here.

WIGGINS’ HORSE OF THE YEAR VOTE … JUST SAY HE’S PARTIAL – “I bet I know what you are going to ask me,” trainer Hal Wiggins said with a big grin. “Who do I think should be Horse of the Year?”

Well, now that you mention it after Zenyatta’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), who should be Horse of the Year, Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra?

“I think it will be a photo finish,” Wiggins said. “You can’t gripe if it goes either way. But then, you know I may be a little prejudiced.”

Wiggins trained the 3-year-old Rachel Alexandra to the first four of her eight victories in a perfect 2009 campaign. Zenyatta finished a 5-for-5 year with the Classic victory that ran the 5-year-old mare’s career record to a perfect 14-for-14.

"“The only knock I have on Zenyatta is that all of her wins were on synthetic tracks,” Wiggins said. “Rachel Alexandra won on seven tracks, three times in the mud and was a 3-year-old filly beating older horses in a Grade I race. That just doesn’t happen.

“But then for Zenyatta to do what she did (yesterday in the Classic), that doesn’t happen often either.”

CARDINAL HANDICAP ATTRACTS 27 NOMINATIONS – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma, a two-time graded-stakes winner over the Matt Winn Turf Course, tops a list of 27 fillies and mares nominated to the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) to be run 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Trained by David Carroll, Acoma won the Mrs. Revere (GII) here last fall and came back in June to win the Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) over Pure Clan, runner-up in Friday’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) at Santa Anita.

Two Cardinal nominees posted Grade III turf wins in their most recent starts.

Ronchalon Stable’s Belle Allure (Ire) took the Athenia at Belmont Park on Oct. 21 and Dell Ridge Farm’s Bluegrass Princess won a division of the Valley View on Oct. 23 at Keeneland.

Weights for the Cardinal will be announced on Saturday and entries will be taken on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

 Indescribable won last year’s Cardinal.

BARN TALK – Trainer Dale Romans said that his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly would be back in his barn at Churchill Downs on Sunday afternoon. Romans said that Tapitsfly, owned and bred by Frank Jones Jr., was “probably done for the year.” … Julien Leparoux, who rode three winners in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, was the winner of the seventh annual Bill Shoemaker Award given to the top jockey at the event. Leparoux’s winners were Informed Decision (Filly & Mare Sprint) and She Be Wild (Juvenile Fillies) on Friday and Furthest Land (Dirt Mile) on Saturday.

Churchill Downs will host its annual “Stars of Tomorrow” 2-Year-Old Handicapping Seminar on Sunday, Nov. 1 in the Paddock Pavilion from 9-11:30 a.m.

Churchill Downs racing analyst Jill Byrne will host this year’s seminar with jockey Jon Court, trainer Ian Wilkes and workout clocker John Nichols. The quartet will provide insight on how to improve handicapping skills for 2-year-old racing and in-depth analysis of the entire “Stars of Tomorrow I” racing program with a question and answer session.

One of the most popular aspects of the seminar is a special trip to the saddling paddock for an up-close inspection of a 2-year-old and its confirmation, behavior and equipment.

The cost to attend is $25 and includes breakfast buffet, official program, Brisnet.com past performances and a reserved seat in Skye Terrace 5. There also will be a raffle for door prizes, including a VIP day at the races, two rounds of golf at Belterra Casino Resort & Spa, winning connections-signed framed photographs of past Kentucky Derby winners and a chance to watch a race from the Churchill Downs announcer’s booth with track commentator Mark Johnson.

Call (502) 636-4400 for reservations.

Texas Toyco, LLC’s Victory Notion collared Holy Anthem in deep stretch to win Saturday’s featured $49,995 Le Cou Cou Purse for 3-year-olds and up by a head at Churchill Downs.

            Trained by Jeff Talley and ridden by Jon Court, Victory Notion trailed the field of eight through much of the 1 1/16-mile allowance test. Court began to pick off horses approaching the far turn with a five-wide move and had clear sailing in the stretch to eventually wear down Holy Anthem.

            A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Victory Gallop, Victory Notion covered the distance on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “good” in 1:43.62 in winning for the second time in nine starts. The victory was worth $30,580 and increased Victory Notion’s career earnings to $80,777.

            Victory Notion returned mutuels of $17.80, $6.60 and $4.80. Holy Anthem, with Robby Albarado up, paid his backers $4.60 and $3.80 in finishing two lengths ahead of Torini, who paid $10.60 to show with Joe Johnson up.

Racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race Father’s Day program beginning with a 12:45 p.m. EDT post time.

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EINSTEIN ASSIGNED 124 POUNDS FOR FOSTER; MISS ISELLA TOPS FLEUR DE LIS WEIGHTS – Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein (BRZ) was assigned top weight of 124 pounds by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman for next Saturday’s 28th running of the $600,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein ran second in last year’s Stephen Foster behind Horse of the Year Curlin.  The 7-year-old son of 1985 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Spend A Buck is scheduled to work a half-mile Sunday morning.  A winner of 11 of 25 races with earnings of $2,609,904, Einstein will be shooting for a third consecutive Grade I victory and his first win at that level on traditional dirt.
A win in the Stephen Foster would allow Einstein to join Lava Man as the only horses to win Grade I races on dirt, grass and synthetic courses.  The two-time winner of Churchill Downs’ Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on turf and the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (GI) on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, Einstein won the $500,000 Clark Handicap (GII) last fall on the man track at Churchill Downs.
The next high weight was assigned to Asiatic Boy with 122 pounds. The 6-year-old is coming off a 12th-place finish to Well Armed in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) and the Foster will mark both his U.S. bow and debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.  Previously trained by South African Mike de Kock, he has a record of 7-3-2 in 15 races and earnings of $3,068.090.  He was second to Curlin in last year’s Dubai World Cup and won the $2 million UAE Derby as a 4-year-old in 2007.
Other probable starters and their weight assignments include 2008 Meadowlands Cup (GII) winner Arson Squad (118); Finallymadeit, winner of Calder’s Memorial Day Handicap (GIII) and Gulfstream Park’s Skip Away (GIII) (118); Researcher (118), winner of the Queens County (GIII) at Aqueduct and the recent $500,000 Charles Town Classic;  Alysheba (GIII) winner Bullsbay (117), Macho Again (117), runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Preakness (GI) and winner of the 2009  New Orleans Handicap (GII).
Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella, winner of the Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (GI) undercard, was assigned top weight of 122 pounds for the 35th running of the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Trained by Ian Wilkes, Miss Isella has won four of six starts at Churchill Downs, including the Grade II Falls City Handicap last fall.  The daugheter of 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm has a record of 4-1-0 in six races under the Twin Spires and has earned $436,733.  Of that total, $400,968 has been earned at Churchill Downs.
Second high weight for the Fleur De Lis is the Eric Guillot-trained Santa Teresita, winner of Santa Anita’s Santa Maria (GI) with 121 pounds. Other probable starters and their weight assignments are Sixty Saile (GIII) and Gardenia (GIII) winner Swift Temper (117); Arlington Matron (GIII) runner-up Kiss With a Twist (115); Unforgotten (115), the runner-up in Churchill Downs Chilukki (GII) and Pimlico’s DuPont Distaff (GII); and Distinctive Dixie (114), runner-up in Oaklawn’s Bayakoa. Considered as possible for the race are Maryland-based multiple stakes winner All Smiles (115) and Humana Distaff (GI) runner-up Temple Street (113).

COURT RELISHES RETURN TO THE BLUE GRASS – A familiar scene from the Spring Meet played out after Friday’s sixth race, where jockey Jon Court’s mega-watt smile illuminated the winner’s circle as a fat, double-figure payoff lit up the tote board.
    Hidden Bay gave Court his 14th winner of the meet and returned $35.20. The average payoff for Court’s winners is $25.10, which nearly triple the average return for a winners ridden by the meet-leading Julien Leparoux and almost double the return on Calvin Borel’s winners, which include the $103.20 Derby mutuel on Mine That Bird.
    “People are hollering back ‘welcome home’ and it just doesn’t get any sweeter than that,” said Court, who last rode regularly at Churchill Downs in the 2003 Fall Meet. “I was just thinking that maybe about this time next year it will wear off, but I hope the rejuvenation doesn’t.”
When Court, 48, left for Southern California to ride regularly five years ago, he held on to his house in Shelbyville. Now, that house is home again.
“I am far more delighted about being back in Kentucky than I thought I would be,” said Court, the 18th-leading rider all time at Churchill Downs with 323 victories. “Second of all, I thought I would miss California a bit, but the warm homecoming has been so overwhelming that I have no longings to go back to California.”
Court feels the return to Kentucky may prolong his career.
“I have found that at my age I get an agent (Tony King) that puts you on the card and your career has some longevity that a year ago you didn’t think was possible,” Court said. “I had people ask last year what I would do after I was done riding.
“At that point, I had no plans on quitting, but apparently the way my career was  moving -- it had slowed down quite a bit – people were thinking I was taking that as an option. I know that is down the road. I just hope it is further down the road.”
Another plus for Court is the fact that his son Justin is here and works as an exercise rider.
“That has been a pleasure to have my oldest son on the track,” Court said. “he is always a joy to be around.”

FINAL LIGHTS ARRIVE FOR NIGHTS NEXT WEEK – “Downs After Dark” night racing debuts June 19 and its final sets of temporary lights arrive next week.
    “They will be installing one set of lights at the top of the stretch and two near the track kitchen on June 10 and 11,” said David Sweazy, Churchill Downs’ vice president, Operations. “There will be eight mobile trailers for the infield that will go up between June 10 and 13.”
    Training hours on Monday and Tuesday, June 15 and 16, will begin at 5 a.m. to give trainers an opportunity to have their horses on track under the lights.
    Two more Downs After Dark programs are scheduled for June 26 and July 2 with the first post time for each card being 6 p.m.

RAMSEYS IN COMMAND OF OWNERS RACE – With 60 percent of the 45-day Spring Meet in the books, the husband-wife team of Ken and Sarah Ramsey appear to be well on their way to a 15th owner’s title at Churchill Downs.
The victory by Pauillac in Friday’s fifth race gave the Ramseys 12 winners for the meet, six more than their closest pursuer, Maggi Moss.
The Ramseys, who have won the past three meet titles at Churchill Downs, had 20 winners during last spring’s 52-day meet.
Steve Asmussen, who has won five training titles at Churchill Downs, leads Mike Maker 16-12 in the chase for leading trainer.
In the race for leading rider, four-time meet leader Julien Leparoux has a 43-35 lead over Calvin Borel. Both jockeys are riding at Belmont Park on Saturday and have mounts in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I): Leparoux on Flying Private and Borel on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

MILESTONE WATCH – Calvin Borel will be back at Churchill Downs on Sunday, with mounts in nine of the 10 races. Borel has 920 career victories at Churchill Downs and needs six wins to surpass Don Brumfield for second place all time at the track. Pat Day is No. 1 all time with 2,482 victories.
David Vance has one starter in at Churchill Downs on Saturday – Westline in the eighth -- in his bid to become the 11th trainer with 300 victories beneath the Twins Spires.

BARN TALK – The disqualification of Calimonco for interference in the stretch of Friday’s 11th race that elevated Victory Notion to the win was only the second DQ of the meet for first place. The other previous win DQ came on May 7 in the seventh race when Cross Village was disqualified and placed third for interference in the stretch.

WORK TAB – Three possible candidates for next Saturday’s Fleur De Lis worked over a fast track Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Likely starter Unforgotten worked a half-mile in :49.80, the 41st fastest of 70 at the distance. Also working were possible starters Temple Street, who worked a half in :47.40 under jockey Jon Court for the second fastest move at the distance of the morning, and French Kiss, who worked seven furlongs in 1:27.60 under jockey Joe Johnson. Probable Regret starter The Best Day Ever worked five furlongs in 1:03.20, the 20th fastest of 33 at the distance. Posting half-mile works were Matt Winn runner-up Cash Refund (:49.20, 30th fastest) and seventh- place Preakness finisher Terrain (:49.60, 36th fastest), who runs next in the Iowa Derby.