Louisville Distaff

Mr and Mrs Jerome Moss’ Zenyatta, the undefeated 5-year-old who earned a 2008 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top older filly or mare was one of three finalists for “Horse of the Year” honors, will face seven challengers Friday in the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

The 12-race card Friday, highlighted by the 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), will begin with a 10:30 a.m. ET post time. Five other stakes will be on the card, four of them graded.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta closed out a seven-for-seven campaign with a last-to-first triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, who has been aboard for Zenyatta’s past six victories, has the mount Friday in the mile and a sixteenth Louisville Distaff.

The daughter of Street Cry will carry high weight of 124 pounds and break from post position two.  She is one of two unbeaten runners in the Louisville Distaff, which is scheduled as the seventh race on the card.

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s One Caroline, who has been training at Keeneland, is perfect in five lifetime starts, including her  first two victories coming at Churchill Downs. Trained by Rusty Arnold, One Carolina enters the Louisville Distaff off a front-running 6 ½-length victory in the Grade II Rampart at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

Edgar Prado, who has been aboard One Caroline for her past two victories, has the Friday riding assignment and exits post position four.

The field for the Louisville Distaff, from the rail out, is as follows: Swift Temper (Garrett Gomez, 120 pounds), Zenyatta (Mike Smith, 124), Miss Isella (Calvin Borel, 122), One Caroline (Edgar Prado, 122), Unforgotten (Robby Albarado, 118), Modification (Corey Nakatani, 118), French Kiss (Joe Johnson, 118) and Unbridled Belle (John Velazquez, 118).

Three Grade III events are on the card, including the $150,000-added Alysheba (GIII), which serves as a prep for the $750,000 Stephen Foster (Grade I) to be run at Churchill Downs on June 13.

Macho Again, who used a victory in the Derby Trial here last April as a springboard to a runner-up finish in the Grade I Preakness and then a victory in the Grade II Jim Dandy, will tote high weight of 124 pounds and concede 2-6 to nine rivals in the Alysheba.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again enters the Alysheba off a victory in the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on March 14 at Fair Grounds. Robby Albarado will ride and break from the rail in the mile and sixteenth race that goes as the ninth on the card.

The field for the Alysheba, from the rail out, is as follows: Macho Again (Robby Albarado, 124 pounds), Ready Set (Julien Leparoux, 118), Mambo in Seattle (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Cool Coal Man (John Velazquez, 118), Bullsbay (Jeremy Rose, 118), Star Guitar (Corey Lanerie,122), Shift in Power (Jon Court, 118), Dr. Pleasure (Edgar Prado, 118), Prom Shoes (Kent Desormeaux, 122) and Informed (Garrett Gomez, 118).

Keeneland graded stakes winners Stormalory and Bittel Road will share the high weight assignments of 123 pounds for the 18th running of the American Turf for 3-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The American Turf will be the 10th race of the day.

Owned by Darley Stable, Stormalory won the Grade III Transylvania on April 3 at Keeneland in his most recent start. Julien Leparoux, who rode Stormalory to his Transylvania victory will ride for trainer Bill Mott on Friday.

Bittel Road, owned by James Scatuorchio and John Iracane, won the Grade III Bourbon at Keeneland last fall. Runner-up in the Grade III Generous at Hollywood Park on Nov. 29 in his most recent turf start, Bittel Road is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

The field for the American Turf, from the hedge out, is as follows: Stormalory (Julien Leparoux, 123 pounds), Jack Spratt (Eibar Coa, 121), Battle of Hastings (GB) (Tyler Baze, 121), Bruce N Autumn (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Skipadate (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Bittel Road (Garrett Gomez, 123), Turfiste (Jamie Theriot, 117), Bunker Hill (Mike Smith, 117), Orthodox (Jon Court, 117) and Pointing Home (Calvin Borel, 117).

Chamberlain Bridge, owned by Carl Moore Management, LLC, will tote high weight of 121 pounds in the 15th running of the $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint at five furlongs. The race goes as the sixth on the card.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Chamberlain Bridge is two-for-two over the Matt Winn Turf Course and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez on Friday. Gomez partnered Chamberlain Bridge to a third-place finish in the Grade III Shakertown at Keeneland on April 11 in his most recent start.

The field for the Aegon Turf Sprint, from the hedge out, is as follows: Chitoz (Tyler Baze, 118 pounds), Smart Enough (Jeremy Rose, 118), Hewitts (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Captivating Cat (John Velazquez, 118), Due Date (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Chamberlain Bridge (Garrett Gomez, 121), Cannonball (Elvis Trujillo, 118), Accredit (Julien Leparoux, 118) and Jazz Nation (Robby Albarado, 118).

Laragh, winner of last fall’s Jessamine at Keeneland and third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will carry top weight of 121 pounds and concede 4 pounds to her 11 rivals in the 25th running of the $100,000-added Edgewood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Trained by John Terranova for owners IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin, Andrew Cohen and Pegasus Holdings Group, Laragh    ran fifth in her 2009 debut in the Grade II Comely on the main track at Aqueduct on April 11. Edgar Prado has the mount.

The field for the Edgewood, from the hedge out, is as follows: Excelente (IRE) (Rafael Bejarano, 117 pounds), Fleet Streak (Corey Lanerie, 117), Banker’s Choice (Calvin Borel, 117), Abbott Hall (Robby Albarado, 117), Walloon (Hector Rosario Jr., 117), Complicity (Joe Talamo, 117), Magical Affair (Julien Leparoux, 117), More of the Best (Jesus Castanon, 117), Mein Fraulein (Jon Court, 117), Laragh (Edgar Prado, 121), Diamond Tags (Mike Smith, 117) and Kiss Mine (Eibar Coa, 117).

Unbeaten Eclipse Award champion Zenyatta, a finalist for ‘Horse of the Year’ honors in 2008, is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday, April 27 to run in the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Friday’s Kentucky Oaks Day program at Churchill Downs.

Trainer John Shirreffs confirmed Zenyatta’s participation via telephone Sunday afternoon and Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss’ 5-year-old daughter of Street Cry is scheduled to board a Louisville-bound plane after leaving Shirreffs’ barn at Santa Anita on Monday.

Zenyatta, who is perfect in nine career races and has not raced since her emphatic victory in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI) over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in late October, will stabled in Barn 45.  Shirreffs and the Mosses enjoyed success in that barn when Giacomo, their winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby (GI), was stabled there.

Shirreffs and the Mosses finalized the decision to bring their unbeaten champion to Churchill Downs after she turned in a sharp five furlongs in :59 over the synthetic  Cushion Track surface on Sunday morning at Hollywood Park.  The Oaks Day race would be only Zenyatta’s second appearance on conventional dirt.  All of her other victories have been scored on synthetic tracks in California.

The brilliant mare earned the Eclipse Award for the top older filly or mare of 2008 following a campaign in which she was perfect in seven races.  All of her 2008 wins came in stakes races and four were in Grade I events.

Zenyatta’s primary challenger in the 1 1/8-mile race is One Caroline, an unbeaten daughter of Unbridled’s Song owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and trained by Rusty Arnold.  The 4-year-old filly is coming off an easy win in the Rampart Handicap (GII) at Gulfstream Park, her fifth consecutive victory.  Others considered possible for the Louisville Distaff, formerly known as the Louisville Breeders’ Cup, include Falls City Handicap (GII) winner Miss Isella, Bear Now, Dawn After Dawn, Stealin' Kisses, Sugar Mint, Swift Temper, Unbridled Belle, and Unforgotten.

Other stars scheduled for stakes appearances during the Kentucky Oaks program on Friday, May 1 and the Kentucky Derby Day stakes on May 2 include Einstein, Indian Blessing, Laragh, Fabulous Strike, Kodiak Kowboy and Macho Again.

The versatile and accomplished Einstein is scheduled to defend his 2008 $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day.  The 7-year-old son of 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Spend A Buck is coming off a victory in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (GI) at Santa Anita, a race that marked his debut on a synthetic racing surface.  A three-time Grade I winner on grass, Einstein also won last fall’s Clark Handicap (GII) and finished second to two-time “Horse of the Year” Curlin in the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on the dirt surface at Churchill Downs.

Others expected to contest the 1 1/8-mile Woodford Reserve Turf Classic include Cowboy Cal, Court Vision, Artiste Royal, Proudinsky, Zambezi Sun, Yate’s Black Cat, Just as Well and Furthest Land.

The Grade I $300,000-added Humana Distaff, a seven-furlong Derby Day test for older fillies and mares on the main track, will be headed by Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s Indian Blessing, runner-up to Big City Man when she tested males in the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in late March.  The Bob Baffert-trained daughter of Indian Charlie has a 9-4-0 record in 13 races and is expected to face a talented group of rivals that include Game Face, Secret Gypsy, Informed Decision, Royale Michele, Sugar Mint and Tiz To Dream.

The Grade II, $250,000-added Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Carewise Health (GII) for 4-year-olds and up on Derby Day shapes up as showdown between sprint stars Fabulous Strike and Kodiak Kowboy, Other possible contenders in the seven furlong race include Ide Like A Double, My Pal Charlie, Paul's Hope, Riley Tucker, Silver Edition, Sok Sok, Spotsgone, and The Roundhouse.

The $100,000 Eight Belles Presented by GE Consumer & Industrial (GIII), formerly the La Troienne, will match 3-year-old fillies over 7 ½-furlongs on Derby Day.  Now named in honor of the ill-fated Fox Hill Farms’ filly who was runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, the Eight Belles is expected to attract a field that could include the Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Auspicious and Four Gifts, the Larry Jones-trained Just Jenda, Arlington-Washington Lassie (GIII) winner C.S. Silk, Dave's Revenge, Diamond Tags, Gatorette, Lady's Laughter, Luster, and Warrior Maid.

The remaining race on the Kentucky Derby Day schedule of six stakes events is the $100,000 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GIII) Presented by American Commercial Lines (GIII).  The one-mile test for older fillies and mares on the Matt Winn Turf Course could include Ballymore Lady, Elusive Lady, Flibberjibit, Lady Carlock, Lemon Chiffon, Rustic Flame, Sugar Mint, Sweeter Still, and Tizaqueena.

Along with the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks and the Louisville Distaff, the four other stakes races on the Oaks Day card will attract star-studded fields. 

The $100,000 American Turf Presented by HRTV (GIII) is expected to mark the stakes debut of the promising Affirmatif as the Todd Pletcher-trained colt faces stakes veterans Battle of Hastings, Bittel Road, Jack Spratt, Orthodox, Skipadate, Stormalory and Turfiste in the 1 1/16-mile test on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

New Orleans Handicap (GIII) and 2008 Preakness (GI) runner-up Macho Again heads the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba Presented by ZirMed (GIII).  The 1 1/16-mile race for older horses could also include 2008 Kentucky Derby veteran Cool Coal Man, Ready Set, Acting Zippy, Bullsbay, Prom Shoes, Dr. Pleasure, Golden Yank, Star Guitar and Limestone Edge.

The $100,000-added Edgewood Presented by Recreonics Inc.could attract Laragh, winner of the Hollywood Starlet (GI) on the synthetic Cushion Track course at Hollywood Park and third to Stardom Bound in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.  Other possible starters include Abbott Hall, Banker's Choice, Kiss Mine, Magical Affair, Speed Dating, Stone Legacy and Walloon.

The $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on grass is expected to attract star turf sprinter Smart Enough and rivals that include Accredit, Castles in the Sky, Chitoz, Due Date, Jazz Nation and Silver Edition.

George Krikorian’s Street Car worked five furlongs in 1:01 over a “sloppy” track Monday morning in preparation for an expected start in Saturday’s 85th running of the $100,000-added Derby Trial (Grade III), the opening-day feature of the 52-day spring meet that runs through July 5.

    In addition to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, 12 stakes will be run over the course of the first seven days of the meet and fields for those races are taking shape according to Donnie Richardson, Senior Vice President, Racing.

    In addition to Street Car, other probables for the Derby Trial include Starlight Partners’ Checklist, Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables’ Hamazing Destiny, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Gary Barber and Team Valor International’s Hull, Jerry Hollendorfer, George Todaro and Team Green’s Rendezvous and Clarence Scharbauer Jr.’s Silver City.

    Entries will be drawn Wednesday for the Derby Trial.

    The first graded stakes of the year for 2-year-olds, the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III), will be run on Thursday, April 30. Probables for the five-furlong sprint are Steven Michael Bell’s Aegean, Robert Abrams, Mitch Dutko and Wesley Ward’s Jealous Again, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Kinsolving and Midst, Elizabeth and Patrick Everard’s Kitty in the Bag and J. Kirk Robison’s Western Smoke.

    G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s undefeated One Caroline tops a list of nine probables for the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II). Unbeaten in five starts, One Caroline is expected to face the likes of Town and Country Farm’s Bear Now, Dawn and Ike Thrash’s Dawn After Dawn, Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella, Nancy Cole and Charles Kidder’s Stealin’ Kisses, William Deburgh’s Sugar Mint (IRE), Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, Team Valor International’s Unbridled Belle and Robert Adams’ Unforgotten.  Reigning older filly and mare champion Zenyatta is also nominated to the race.
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, winner of the New Orleans Handicap (Grade II) in March and runner-up in last year’s Preakness (Grade I), tops a list of seven probables for the Alysheba (Grade III) to be run at a mile and a sixteenth on May 1.

    Other probables include William Bennett and Carl Bowling’s Acting Zippy, John Oxley’s Dr. Pleasure, Millard Seldin Revocable Trust’s Golden Yank, Lanni Family Trust and Joel Barish’s Limestone Edge, Brittlyn Stable, Inc.’s Star Guitar and Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune.

    The 18th running of the $150,000-added American Turf (Grade III) has five probables, headed by Darley Stable’s Stormalory, winner of the Grade III Transylvania at Keeneland on April 3. Others under consideration for the mile and a sixteenth event for 3-year-olds are Werthheimer and Frere’s Affirmatif, Michael House’s Battle of Hastings (GB), James Scatuorchio and John Iracane’s Bittel Road and Jack Spratt, owned in partnership by Sand Dollar Stable, Skychai Racing, Golden Goose Stable, Thomas Conway and Mike Maker.

Five horses are considered as probable for the Aegon Turf Sprint (Grade III) at five furlongs. They are Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Accredit, Balkrisna Sukharan’s Castles in the Sky, Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Due Date, Westrock Stables’ Jazz Nation and Thomas Van Meter and Phillip Maloof’s Silver Edition.

    The only non-graded Oaks Day stake is the $100,000-added Edgewood for 3-year-old fillies going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Probables include Dolphus Morrison’s Abbott Hall, A. Stevens Miles Jr.’s Banker’s Choice and Marylou Whitney Stable’s Stone Legacy.

    Highlighting the Kentucky Derby Day undercard is the 23rd running of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at a mile and one-eighth. Einstein (BRZ), winner of the 2008 renewal, is expected to seek a repeat win in the race against the likes of Court Vision, owned by IEAH Stables and WinStar Farm, Robert and Janet McNair’s Cowboy Cal and Juddmonte Farms’ Zambesi Sun (GB).

    Derby Day’s other Grade 1 race, the 23rd running of the $300,000-added Humana Distaff at seven furlongs, is expected to attract Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s champion Indian Blessing. Other probables include Zabeel Racing International’s Game Face, Augustin Stable’s Informed Decision, Richard Hills and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy, Darley Stable’s Seventh Street and William Wahl’s Tiz to Dream.

    The 75th running of the $250,000-added Churchill Downs (Grade II) has nine probables: Brian Prichard’s How’s Your Halo, Valene Farms’ Ide Like a Double, Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Kodiak Kowboy, B. Wayne Hughes’ My Pal Charlie, Jerry Hollendorfer and George Todaro’s Paul’s Hope, Zayat Stables’ Riley Tucker, Savorthetime Stables’ Sok Sok, Robert Yagos’ Spotsgone and Michael Tabor’s The Roundhouse.

    A trio of West Coast invaders tops the probables for the 24th running of the $200,000-added Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II). They are Ron Beegle’s Lemon Chiffon, William Deburgh’s Sugar Mint (IRE) and the David Lanzman Racing Stable’s Sweeter Still (IRE). Also “probable” is Mrs. Paul Shanahan’s Rustic Flame (IRE).

    Eight 3-year-old fillies are considered probable for the $100,000-added Eight Belles (Grade III) at 7 ½ furlongs. Topping the probables are the Larry Jones-trained duo of Just Jenda, owned by his wife Cindy, and Russell Welch’s Warrior Maid. Other likely starters are William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara’s C.S. Silk, David Rippey’s Dave’s Revenge, D. and E. Racing’s Diamond Tags, Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Luster, Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie and Marylou Whitney Stable’s Tweeter.