Sassy Image

SASSY IMAGE INJURED, OUT OF BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY & MARE SPRINT – Multiple Grade I winner Sassy Image has been taken out of consideration for the Grade I, $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after a chip in a hind ankle was discovered following her most recent work on Oct. 8 at Churchill Downs.

“She’s a filly that has always moved perfectly and the next morning (Oct. 9) when we saw that she was a little off we knew that something was wrong,” said trainer Dale Romans, who conditions the filly for his brother Jerry.

Sassy Image, a 4-year-old daughter of Broken Vow, had been given some time away from the track after tearing her left front quarter in a sixth-place finish as the favorite in the GI Ballerina at Saratoga, a race in which she leapt at the break and then bolted on the final turn. Her four-furlong breeze on Oct. 8 was clocked in :48.60, the fifth fastest of 38 at the distance over a fast Churchill Downs track. “She appeared to come out of it fine,” Romans said.

The injury to Sassy Image is a major disappointment for Romans, who was looking forward to running the filly in the Filly & Mare Sprint over her favorite surface. Sassy Image has compiled a record of 5-0-1 in six starts beneath the Twin Spires, including victories in the GI Humana Distaff, GII Golden Rod, GIII Winning Colors and GIII Pocahontas.

“This has made me sick,” Romans said. “You have to enjoy the high points in this game because there are going to be a lot of disappointments.”

The injury will knock Sassy Image out of this year’s Breeders’ Cup; however, she will still be offered at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Nov. 6 as a racing/broodmare prospect. “If the new owners wanted to remove the chip then she could probably come back next year,” Romans said. She will be consigned by Romans Racing & Sales, as agent, and will sell as Hip 17.Horses in the Romans barn that are still on track for Breeders’ Cup bids include Shackleford, who is scheduled to breeze for the first time Saturday (Oct. 22) since a second-place performance in the GII Indiana Derby, Dullahan, winner of the GI Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, will also breeze Saturday morning for the Juvenile or Juvenile Turf, Court Vision, who came out of his Oct. 15 work in good order and is on track for the Mile and  Me and My Gals, a 2-year-son of Sky Mesa who worked a “bullet” five furlongs Monday in 1:01 in preparation for the Juvenile Sprint.

MY MISS AURELIA HEADS SIX MONDAY BREEDERS’ CUP WORKERS FOR ASMUSSEN – Trainer Steve Asmussen, who won the 2007 Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic with two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, has eight candidates for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Championship races and six of those horses worked on Monday over the main track at Churchill Downs.

Asmussen’s roster of potential Breeders’ Cup stars includes Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s unbeaten My Miss Aurelia (Juvenile Fillies); Ron Winchell’s Tapizar (Dirt Mile); Stonestreet Stable’s Wilburn (Dirt Mile); Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Sabercat (Juvenile), Cathy and Bob Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best (Juvenile Turf); Vinery Stable’s Regally Ready (Turf Sprint); Kirk and Judy Robison’s She Digs Me (Juvenile Sprint) and Ron Winchell’s Seeker (Juvenile Sprint).

Seven of the eight Asmussen trainees are on the grounds at Churchill Downs and Regally Ready is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday after winning the GI $500,000 Nearctic at Woodbine on Sunday.  Vinery Stable’s 4-year-old More Than Ready gelding is perfect in two starts over the Churchill Downs turf course, with his most recent run here being a victory over Bridgetown and defending Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Chamberlain Bridge in the GIII Churchill Downs Turf Sprint on Kentucky Derby Day.

My Miss Aurelia, winner of the GI Frizette at Belmont Park and Saratoga’s GII Adirondack, headlined Monday’s Asmussen workers with a five-furlong move over “fast” footing in 1:02.  The work by My Miss Aurelia was the fifth fastest of 35 at the distance.

The homebred daughter of Smart Strike covered the distance in fractional times of :12.60, :24.80, :37 and :49.60, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.

"I’m very pleased with her breeze,” Asmussen said.  “We’re obviously extremely impressed with her talent and how she’s going.  We have a pretty good comfort level with the Breeders’ Cup running here.  She didn’t start here, but she spent a lot of time here in the spring.  She’s comfortable with the surroundings.”

Tapizar and Wilburn, coming off wins in their most recent outings, worked five furlongs on Monday.

Working in company with the 2-year-old Seeker, Tapizar breezed five furlongs as the workmates competed the distance in 1:02.80.  Internal fractions for Tapizar were :13.60, :25.80, :38.20, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:17.20.

Tapizar was considered a major contender for Kentucky Derby 137 following a 10 ½-length victory in a Churchill Downs maiden race in November and a 4 ¼-length romp in the GIII Sham at Santa Anita in his stakes debut in January.  But the homebred son of Tapit went to the sidelines with injury following a fifth-place run in the GII Robert Lewis at Santa Anita.  He returned to competition on Oct. 8 with a 2 ¼-length victory in a Belmont Park allowance race.

Wilburn, who notched his third consecutive victory in a 4 ¾-length win over GI Preakness winner Shackleford in the GII Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40.  His internal fractions were :12.60, :25.20, :37.60 and :49.80, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.80.

Sabercat, a Bluegrass Cat colt who won the $75,000 Garden State at Monmouth Park last time out, worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 in preparation for his Juvenile bid.

She Digs Me, winner of the GIII Sapling at Monmouth Park, breezed five furlongs on Tuesday in 1:02.60.

Daddy Nose Best, third in the GIII Summer Stakes on turf at Woodbine, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.60 over a fast main track on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

If all eight horses start in their Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 4 and 5, it will be the largest contingent of Asmussen trainees to compete in the year-end Championships.  Asmussen, who is closing in on 6,000 career victories and ranks fifth in all-time wins by U.S. trainers, started four horses in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup and saddled a trio of starters in three other years (2003, 2007 and 2010). 

“We’re very pleased with the physical condition that we’re in right now,” Asmussen said.  “We surely want a couple of more weeks of that.”

ROCKET TWENTYONE BRINGS HOWARD FULL CIRCLE TO BREEDERS’ CUP – The first time Tom Howard attended a Breeders’ Cup was at Churchill Downs in 1988.

“That was Alysheba’s year. I watched it from right back here in the bleachers,” Howard said. “That was the best place to watch, because you could see all the horses going over to the paddock.”

Alysheba was housed in Barn 32 not only for the Breeders’ Cup, but the previous year when he won the Kentucky Derby. Fast forward to today and Howard has Rocket Twentyone walking in the same shedrow.

Owned by Frank Fletcher, Rocket Twentyone is undefeated in two starts and coming off a victory in the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie on Sept. 10. She shipped to Kentucky on Sept. 28 and was housed at the Trackside Training Center before coming over to Churchill Downs.

After the Lassie victory, Howard had mentioned the GI Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 7 as a possible next start leading up to the GI $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“We looked at it (the Alcibiades) and thought we had enough points (to get in the Breeders’ Cup) and opted not to run,” Howard said.

A regular on the Louisiana-Arkansas circuit, Howard has five other horses stabled at Trackside. He gave Rocket Twentyone her first Churchill Downs work last Friday, a half-mile in :51.60 over a track labeled muddy.

“She worked OK in the slop last week and she probably will work again this Friday depending if her rider (Eddie Razo) can be here,” Howard said.

One filly who did run in the Alcibiades, Heart of Destiny, may be pre-entered next Monday in both the Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Owned by Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr., Heart of Destiny broke her maiden on the grass at Saratoga and then ran second in the Alcibiades.

“We’d be foolish not to (look at the Breeders’ Cup),” trainer James Baker said. “We’d look at both races, but I think the dirt race may be easier than the turf.”

Baker plans to give Heart of Destiny two works prior to the Breeders’ Cup.

CASSE BARN STILL WEIGHING OPTIONS FOR NORTHERN PASSION – Northern Passion, an impressive winner of the Grade III Natalma at Woodbine in her most recent start, is scheduled to breeze Tuesday morning shortly after the renovation break at Churchill Downs under regular exercise rider Melanie Giddings for trainer Mark Casse in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies or Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"We are still considering both races,” said assistant trainer Norman Casse, Mark’s son. “She’s going to have to show us enough in her workouts over the track for us to try her on the dirt.”

Northern Passion, a 2-year-old daughter of First Samurai who races under the colors of John Oxley, beat a competitive field in the Natalma, including Stephanie’s Kitten, who returned to win the GI Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. “It looks like the Natalma has turned into a key race,” Casse said.

The chestnut Canadian-bred filly recorded two solid workouts at Woodbine following her score in the Natalma and then shipped to Churchill Downs, arriving beneath the Twin Spires on Oct. 12. “She’s doing great and her last workout (:59.60 bullet work at Woodbine on Oct. 9) was the best one of her life.”

BARN TALK - C R K Stable’s Switch, third-place finisher in the Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 8 in her most recent start, is scheduled to arrive from Keeneland for the GI Filly & Mare Sprint on Tuesday. The remainder of trainer John Sadler’s Breeders’ Cup continent is scheduled to fly in from California on Oct. 30. …

Shivananda Parbhoo’s two Breeders’ Cup hopefuls, Giant Ryan (Sprint) and Trinniberg (Juvenile Sprint), are scheduled to work Thursday morning after the renovation break. Giant Ryan has won his past six  starts, highlighted by a score in the GI Vosburgh, and Trinniberg followed up his runner-up effort in the GI Hopeful with a second-place finish in the GII Nashua. …

Activity in the stable area will begin to pick up next Monday with the scheduled arrival of trainer Todd Pletcher’s high-profile duo of Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty. Other expected arrival dates for marquee names include West Coast stars Turbulent Descent (Filly & Mare Sprint) and Weemissfrankie (Juvenile Fillies) on Oct. 30, Union Rags (Juvenile) on Oct. 31 and Gio Ponti (Mile) on Nov. 1. Trainer Bob Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup contingent is also scheduled to arrive on Nov. 1. Two European charters are slated to arrive on October 29 with a third plane scheduled for Oct. 31 or Nov. 1. …

Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the 2010 edition of the GII Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint beneath the Twin Spires, is preparing to defend his title on Nov. 5 and will work at the Louisville track for trainer Bret Calhoun on Tuesday or Wednesday. …

Nominations for four graded stakes races to be run at Churchill Downs over Breeders’ Cup weekend will close Wednesday. The eighth running of the GIII, $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be contested on Thursday, Nov. 3. The 19^th running of the GIII, $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the main track will be part of the undercard on Breeders’ Cup Friday. The 26^th running of the GII, $150,000-added Chilukki for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at one mile on the main track will be contested on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. The 38^th running of the GIII, $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be run Sunday, Nov. 6.

WORKTAB - Dell Ennis’ Hunt Crossing, winner of the NATC Futurity at Monmouth Park on Sept. 24 and who is being considered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, worked a half-mile over a fast track Monday morning in :49.20 for trainer Todd Pletcher. Fractions for the work were :12, :24 and out five-eighths in 1:03.60.

 Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image collected her fifth win in six starts at Churchill Downs when she narrowly defeated Beat the Blues by a head in the eighth running of the Grade III, $111,600 Winning Colors for fillies and mares ages three and up on Memorial Day.

Sassy Image ran six furlongs over a “fast” track in 1:08.59 and was one of three winners for The Downs’ leading rider Corey Lanerie on Monday. Lanerie took over the mount from regular rider Robby Albarado, who had a pair of stakes engagements at Lone Star Park in Texas.

“I was lucky to get the mount on her today with Robby being out of town. Things have just seemed to fall into place this meet,” said Lanerie, who, at the halfway mark of the 39-day Spring Meet, had 23 winners, one more than Shaun Bridgmohan.

Starlite Starbrite broke fastest of all and led the field of nine fillies and mares through the first quarter mile in :21.54 with Beat the Blues pressing the pacesetter and Sassy Image rating patiently in mid-pack. Beat the Blues took the lead at the half-mile marker in :44.65 as Sassy Image ranged into striking distance with a five-wide move on the turn for home. The two battled down the stretch and Sassy Image, from the outside, wore down Beat the Blues in the final yards for the win.

“At the quarter-pole I thought I was definitely going to win, but I wasn’t so sure at the sixteenth pole,” Lanerie said. “When we hit the wire I knew we won.”

Sassy Image, who sprang a 16-1 upset in the Grade I Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day, returned mutuels of $3.80, $2.60 and $2.40 as the odds-on 4-5 favorite. Beat the Blues, ridden by Miguel Mena, paid $6.20 and $4.60. Fortune Play, with Freddie Lenclud up, was 4 ½ lengths back in third and returned $8.40.

Jocata, Starlite Starbrite, Wind Caper, Stephanie Got Even, Bell’s Shoes and My New Lady completed the order of finish. Indian Ink was scratched.

Dale Romans trains Sassy Image for his older brother, who purchased the 4-year-old daughter of Broken Vow for $42,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale. She banked $66,426 for the win and improved her overall record to 13-6-2-1 with career earnings of $598,781.

"She loves this track and she ran good,” Romans said. “That was a little more work than I expected, but they ran so fast and there’s only so fast a horse can run.”

The Kentucky-bred filly has enjoyed tremendous success beneath the Twin Spires. At 2, she broke her maiden by 5 ¾ lengths and later won the Pocahontas (GIII) by two and the Golden Rod (GII) by 3 3/4. She faltered in two starts at Gulfstream Park this winter but it was discovered that she had an entrapped epiglottis and underwent surgery to correct the problem. Her three-length triumph in the Humana Distaff on May 7 was her first victory since taking the Sweet Chant at Gulfstream Park early in her 3-year-old season.

“We’ll look at a couple of different spots for her now,” Romans said. “We may go to Saratoga for the 

Ballerina (a Grade I, $250,000 seven-furlong sprint on Aug. 27). We’ll probably run her in one more sprint and  then give her a route race before the Breeders’ Cup (Ladies Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4). We’re going to try and make her a champion and to get that she’ll probably have to win the (Ladies’ Classic).”

The Winning Colors is named in honor of the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner, who is the most recent of three fillies to win the famed “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs. Past winners of the Winning Colors are Lady Tak (2004), Molto Vita (2005), Ever Elusive (2006), Miss Macy Sue (2007), Graeme Six (2008) and Dubai Majesty (2009-10). The latter won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.Churchill Downs will be dark Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Racing will resume Friday with an 11-race twilight program that begins at 2:45 p.m. ET. There will be a two-day Pick 6 carryover of $9,553 on Races 6-11, and a Super Hi-5 carryover of $5,689 in the finale.

                       WINNING COLORS QUOTES

Corey Lanerie, jockey of Sassy Image, winner: “I was lucky to get the mount on her today with Robby (Albarado) being out of town. Things have just seemed to fall into place this meet. I actually broke her maiden, but I lost the mount when she went to New York. She ran good for me today. At the quarter-pole I thought I was definitely going to win, but I wasn’t so sure at the sixteenth pole. When we hit the wire I knew we won.”

Dale Romans, trainer of Sassy Image, winner: “She loves this track and she ran good. That was a little more work than I expected, but they ran so fast and there’s only so fast a horse can run. We’ll look at a couple of different spots for her now. We may go to Saratoga for the Ballerina (a Grade I, $250,000 seven-furlong sprint on Aug. 27). We’ll probably run her in one more sprint and then give her a route race before the Breeders’ Cup (Ladies Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4). We’re going to try and make her a champion and to get that she’ll probably have to win the (Ladies’ Classic).”

Jerry Romans, owner of Sassy Image, winner: “I didn’t think she was going to get up, but she somehow did! She ran a great race and Bret’s filly ran an amazing race too. She (Sassy Image) is a once in a lifetime horse.”

Bret Calhoun, trainer of Beat the Blues (runner-up)

“You know, it’s tough.  It’s disappointing to get beat like that after you run such a huge race.  I’m happy with the way she ran, but very disappointed to get beat like that on the wire in a Grade III.  We were expecting a big race out of her, I really was.  I know Sassy Image is a great filly and a Grade I winner and I didn’t expect to beat her.  But I thought she had a big shot in there today and she ran up to expectations.  I’m just disappointed to get beat right there on the wire.”

Q: You won this race last year with Dubai Majesty and returned in the fall to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.  Could she be that type of filly?

“This filly, from the time we bought her, has just gotten better and better and I think she proved that today.  You never know where they’re going to go, but I thought today was a big step forward in that direction.  Oh sure, you’d always love to end up there.  I don’t know if she’ll end up there or not, but she took on what’s right now one of the best one-turn sprint fillies there is, and one that’s really got an affinity for this track.”

Miguel Mena, jockey on Beat the Blues (runner-up)

“I had a perfect trip.  She broke good and settled off the speed in a perfect spot.  Turning for home we made a run and just got outrun at the end. But my filly ran really hard.  We’ve got a pretty good filly with a big future.”

FREDDIE LENCLUD, jockey on FORTUNE PLAY (third)

“She ran well.  We wanted to kind of rate off the pace.  It was six furlongs, but there wasn’t a lot of speed in the race, so we wanted to lay third or fourth.  She made a nice run down the lane.  She tried hard.”

DUBAI MAJESTY’S CONNECTIONS GOING FOR THIRD WINNING COLORS – One year ago, Martin Racing LLC and Morgan Thoroughbred LLC’s Dubai Majesty scored the second of her back-to-back victories in the $100,000 Winning Colors (Grade III) under Miguel Mena – a key victory in what turned out to be an Eclipse Award championship campaign. 

            The Bret Calhoun traineed has since retired, so there will be no bid for a Winning Colors three-peat by the talented mare.  But her connections are seeking a three-peat of their own when the send Beat the Blues into the six-furlong feature on Monday’s special Memorial Day holiday card.

            Beat the Blues, a 4-year-old daughter of Great Pyramid-IRE, will face a field of 10 as she makes her second start against stakes company in the eighth running of the Winning Colors.

The Florida-bred is coming into the Winning Colors off an allowance victory over the Polytrack at Keeneland.  It was the first win for Calhoun with Beat the Blues, who has also won while in the barns of trainers Scott Volk, Robert Dibona, and Justin Sallusto.

Beat the Blues’ main rival Monday will be Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, fresh off a 16-1 upset victory in the Humana Distaff (GI), her third stakes win at Churchill Downs. Trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image will be ridden by Corey Lanerie, who currently sits atop the Spring Meet jockey standings.

The field for the Winning Colors, from the rail out (with jockey) includes Indian Ink (Fernando De La Cruz), Stephanie Got Even (Shaun Bridgmohan), Wind Caper (Jesus Castanon), Beat the Blues (Miguel Mena), Bell’s Shoes (Kent Desormeaux), Fortune Play (Freddie Lenclud), My New Lady (Jon Court), Sassy Image (Corey Lanerie), Starlite Starbrite (Leandro Goncalves), and Jocata (Calvin Borel). All horses will carry 118 pounds, except for Sassy Image, who will carry high weight of 124.

The Winning Colors will be the ninth race of a special 10-race Memorial Day program at Churchill Downs that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). Approximate post time for the Winning Colors is 4:59 p.m.

STRONG FIELDS TAKING SHAPE FOR GRADE III ARISTIDES AND WINNING COLORS – Great racing is on tap at Churchill Downs next weekend as the racing program on Saturday, June 4 will feature a pair of Grade III stakes races in the $100,000-added Dogwood and the $100,000-added Aristides.

            The latter has a attracted an impressive group of probable starters (with trainers) headed by a pair of Grade I stakes winners in Rosemary Rausch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can (Ian Wilkes), winner of the 2009 King’s Bishop, and Marianne and Brandon Chase’s Here Comes Ben (Charles Lopresti), winner of the 2011 Forego.

Twenty-three older sprinters were nominated for the 23^rd running of the six-furlong Aristides, which looms as an important early prep for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), which will be run over main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 5.

            Other Aristides “probables” include Zayat Stables’ defending Aristides winner Riley Tucker (Steve Asmussen); R.E.V. Racing’s Atta Boy Roy (Valorie Lund), winner of the 2010 Churchill Downs (GII) and runner-up in the Aristides; Richard, Bert and Elaine Klein’s Cash Refund (Steve Margolis) third in the 2010

Aristides and winner of a recent Churchill Downs allowance prep for this year’s renewal; Chasing Dreams Racing’s Noble’s Promise (Ken McPeek), fifth in the 2010 Kentucky Derby (GI) and a close fifth to Aikenite in the 2011 Churchill Downs on Derby Day; Homewrecker Racing and Avalon Farm’s Custom for Carlos (Eddie Kenneally), winner of the Mr. Prospector (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park’s Count Fleet (GIII) in 2010, and runner-up to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Big Drama in this year’s Mr. Prospector; and Patrick Donahoe’s Posse Cat (Jinx Fires), a sharp allowance winner at Oaklawn Park in April.

            Listed as “possible’ for the Aristides is Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Chief of Affairs (Bret Calhoun), fourth in last year’s Aristides and third to Smiling Tiger in the 2011 Count Fleet.

            The 37^th running of the Dogwood (GIII), a one mile race on the main track for 3-year-old fillies, closed May 21 with 23 nominations and its field of probable starters is headed by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s promising Might (Al Stall, Jr.), K.K. and V.D. Jayaraman’s Holy Heavens (Benard Chatters), who finished 13^th to Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks (GI), and Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Gran Lioness (Bret Calhoun).

            Might is a homebred full sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) and Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) winner Blame who brings a two-race winning streak into the Dogwood that includes an impressive allowance victory at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.  Holy Heavens won Oaklawn’s Marsha Washington and finished second to Joyful Victory in the Honeybee (GIII) and third to that rival in the Fantasy (GII).  Gran Lioness won the Prima Donna at Oaklawn Park and finished sixth to Grade I winner Turbulent Descent in the Beaumont (GII) at Keeneland, her first start over a synthetic racing surface.

            Others listed as “probable” for the Dogwood include Angelica Zapata (Ron Pellegrini), fourth in the Eight Belles (GIII) on Kentucky Oaks Day; Fantasy of Flight (John Terranova), an impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day in her only start; and Salty Strike (Ken McPeek), a narrowly beaten third in last year’s Debutante (GIII) who returned to form in a seven-length romp in a seven-furlong allowance race on May 20 at Churchill Downs.

            The list of “possible” starters for the Dogwood includes Henny’s Hurricane (McPeek) and Juanita (Mike Maker)..  .

            Ailalea won last year’s running of the Dogwood under Calvin Borel for trainer Todd Pletcher.  

    Entries for both the Dogwood and the Aristides will close on Wednesday, June 1.

LOUISVILLE HANDICAP WINNER KEERTANA’S HALF-SISTER POINTS TO MINT JULEP – Trainer Tom Proctor was still on cloud nine the morning after Barbara Hunter’s homebred Keertana scored a breathtaking photo-finish win over males in the 74^th running of Saturday’s Louisville Handicap (GIII).

             “I was so excited last night that I couldn’t even go to sleep,” Proctor said of the first victory by a filly or mare in the history of the Louisville, which was first run in 1895.

            While Proctor barn was thrilled with Keertana’s historic performance; the team hopes to make more noise in a couple of weeks with Keertana’s half-sister, Snow Top Mountain. The 4-year-old homebred daughter of Najran won the 2010 Arlington Oaks (GIII) is now being pointed to the 35^th running of the Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 11.

            One might think that the half-sisters would have similar personalities, but Proctor says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

            “Keertana is one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever had and Snow Top Mountain is flat-out nasty,” Proctor said. “A couple of weeks ago my friend’s seven-month-old was petting Keertana and she just loved it. You wouldn’t want to do that with Snow Top (Mountain). You have to avoid being bitten by her when you walk down the shedrow.”

            The half-siblings out of Hunter’s homebred Storm Cat mare Motokiks might have differing dispositions, but Proctor has happily found that they have one thing in common.

            “They can both run,” Proctor said. “They definitely share that characteristic.”

            Snow Top Mountain will enter the Mint Julep off an impressive allowance victory on the Kentucky Derby (GI) undercard. The win improved her record to 4-6-0 from 12 starts with earnings of $270,102.

BARN TALK – Three-time Kentucky Derby winner Kent Desormeaux is leading the Churchill Downs jockey colony in Spring Meet stakes victories with three. Desormeaux’s stakes-winning mounts include Diva Ash in the Edgewood, Victoria’s Wildcat in the Eight Belles (GIII), and Aviate-GB in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII).  Three trainers are tied for most stakes victories with two each: Preakness (GI) winner Dale Romans, whose wins came in the Humana Distaff (GI) with Sassy Image and the Edgewood; Proctor, whose Louisville ‘Cap triumph with Keertana joined an earlier victory by Banned in the American Turf (GII), and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert, who won the Kentucky Oaks and Alysheba (GIII) with First Dude. …

            Leading Spring Meet jockey Corey Lanerie top all riders in turf victories with four. Overall, Lanerie had won with 20 of his 92 mounts heading into Sunday’s racing beneath the Twin Spires.  Trainers Dale Romans and Tom Proctor have three turf wins each to lead all trainers in that category. …

The majority of Shaun Bridgmohan’s 19 wins have come in sprints. The journeyman jockey was 16-for-51 in sprint contests heading into Sunday’s 10-race program. …

            Little Miss Muffet’s victory in the ninth race at Churchill Downs on Friday gave trainer Tom Amoss his third victory with a 2-year-old during the meet. Sum of the Parts and Culotte were the other winners for Amoss, who is a perfect 3-for-3 with juveniles this spring.   

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 21-28) are Corey Lanerie (9-for-35), Shaun Bridgmohan (6-for-28) and Miguel Mena (6-for-29). Brad Cox (4-for-7), Merril Scherer (3-for-7) and Steve Asmussen (3-for-15) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-6) and Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer (2-for-2).     

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) – Dundalk 5 LLC’s  Dundalk Dust, upset winner of the 2010 Falls City Handicap (GII) for trainer Chris Block, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80, the third fastest move of 19 at the distance.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image pulled away from Decelerator in mid-stretch and went on to a 3 3/4-length victory in the 66th running of the $163,200 Golden Rod Stakes (Grade II) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Robby Albarado and trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:44.51. The victory was worth $100,172 and raised Sassy Image’s career earnings to $247,689.

Vivid Colors, ridden by Calvin Borel, led the field of six through fractions of :23.30, :47.29 and 1:12.66 with Decelerator in closest pursuit and Sassy Image running fourth but within striking distance. Midway through the far turn, Terry Thompson sent Decelerator after Vivid Colors with Sassy Image on the move just to their outside.

Decelerator hit the top of the stretch with a narrow advantage, but was soon joined by Sassy Image. The two raced on even terms to the eighth pole when Sassy Image began to draw away for her third win in seven starts.

Sassy Image returned $4.60, $2.80 and $2.20 as the favorite. Decelerator paid $4.20 and $2.80 with Upperline finishing another 7 ¼ lengths back in third under E.T. Baird and paying $2.80 to show. Completing the field in order were Vivid Colors, All Due Respect and Canadian Storm.

Sassy Image, who also won the opening-day Pocahontas (GIII) here, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow.

L.T.B. Inc. and Miles Childers’ Sheer Beauty led all the way to win the $61,968 Caressing for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths over Check the Label.

Ridden by Borel for trainer Bernie Flint, Sheer Beauty completed the mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:37.01 in defeating 11 rivals to pick up her second win in three starts. Sheer Beauty increased her earnings to $56,020 with the $37,220 winner’s check.

Sheer Beauty paid $18.20, $8.60 and $6. Check the Label, ridden by Gabriel Saez, returned $5 and $3.60 with Jody Slew finishing a half-length back in third under Jon Court and paying $24.60 to show.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE GOLDEN ROD

JERRY ROMANS, owner of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “This is so exciting to win the two top graded stakes races for 2-year-old fillies. We grew up here at Churchill Downs so it’s really exciting. We’ll take it one race at a time but, of course, the Kentucky Oaks would be the master plan if she keeps moving forward, stays healthy and keeps doing what she’s doing. She’ll probably get a little time off, go to Florida and shoot for the big spring races.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “The filly (Sassy Image) is great. (Trainer) Dale (Romans) gave me some instruction to keep her a little bit closer today, so I jumped on her out of the gate. We got to settle back on the inside and save some ground. I knew when we got to the top of the stretch she was going to stay the distance. She is a long striding filly that will really improve with the longer races. This is just the type you look for next year in the big races. Dale did such a great job getting this one ready. You have to give him all the credit for this one.”

DALE ROMANS, trainer of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “I think she just improves. The further they go, the better she’s going to get. We always thought that and she’s proven it the last two races. That was a good stretch drive but she put her (Decelerator) away at the end. It was what we were wanting. I was very impressed with her and very happy with her.”
    Q: Did her experience help? “Definitely. When you go in these types of races and it gets down to the nitty gritty, the experience pays off. She’s been a very sound horse, she hasn’t missed a dance and she’s done everything we’ve asked of her. I think it really helps.”
    Q: Does this get you dreaming of the Kentucky Oaks? “Yeah. We just talked about it, (jockey) Robby (Albarado) and I. That’s got to be our big goal.”
    Q: Where does Sassy Image go from here? “We’ll probably go to Gulfstream. I don’t know where yet or what we’ll do with her. She’s had a lot of races so we may give her a little break and give her December and January off. I’ll sit down next week and figure it out.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR, second: “She ran hard and she tries every time.  I was pleased with her and thought she ran a really good race.  I think if we weren’t pressured we would have been closer, but whether we’d have beat her (Sassy Image) I don’t know.  She beat us in the Iroquois the same way.”
Q: She’ll go to Oaklawn with you? “We’ll go there with her. That’s where those people (Westrock Stables) are located, in Little Rock. Until she proves us wrong we’ll keep treating her like an Oaks filly. We’ll certainly nominate her and she’ll go through that series there, then we’ll come back here and see.  But that’s a long way off and there’s time for a lot of things to happen.”

TERRY THOMPSON, rider of DECELERATOR, second: “She gave me everything she had. I was able to sit to the top of the stretch and when I called on her, she gave me a heck of a punch.  But we just got outrun down the lane.  Everything went our way – we just got out-footed late and a nice filly beat us.”

MIKE STIDHAM, trainer of UPPERLINE, third: “Our big concern was whether she was going to handle the dirt and E.T. (Baird) said when he kind of had to set her down for the run, it was breaking away from her.  So, we’re happy that she’s Grade II-placed, but I think probably grass and synthetics are going to be more what she needs.”

E.T. BAIRD, rider of UPPERLINE, third: “She was running real comfortable and I was sitting in behind the 1-horse (Sassy Image). She looked like a tough horse and I was just more or less tracking her.  But when it came time to set her down, it (the ground) was just kind of breaking from her underneath a little bit.  She was real comfortable and when you had her in hand, but you can only go so far doing that.  So you had to drop her over and it just kind of broke from her.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, the stylish two-length winner of the Pocahontas (Grade III) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1, heads a field of seven 2-year-old fillies entered for Saturday’s 66th running of the $150,000 Golden Rod Stakes (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The Golden Rod, which serves as the co-feature on the closing-day “Stars of Tomorrow II” card exclusively for 2-year-olds, will go as the ninth race on the 12-race card with an approximate post time of 3:28 p.m. (all times ET). First post time Saturday is 11:30 a.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image broke her maiden in her second start this summer at Churchill Downs. She finished second in the Adirondack (GII) and fourth in the Spinaway (GI) at Saratoga before an eighth-place finish over the Polytrack at Keeneland in the Grade I Darley Alcibiades.  She returned to form with her impressive victory in the one-mile Pocahontas in her return to traditional dirt.

Robby Albarado has the call Saturday in the Golden Rod aboard Sassy Image, who is the 2-1 favorite in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds for the race.  The rivals for Sassy Image include three of the fillies that finished right behind in the Pocahontas in Decelerator, All Due Respect and Vivid Colors.

But it is a newcomer – Stone Farm, John Adger, Oak Crest Farm and Michael Stidham’s Upperline – who is the 5-2 second choice in the Golden Rod morning line.  The Stidham-trained daughter of Maria’s Mon ran second to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner She Be Wild in the $50,000 Top Flight at Arlington Park and edged Golden Rod rival Vivid Colors by a head in her next start in a Keeneland allowance race.

  All of Upperline’s previous three starts have come on synthetic Polytrack surfaces.  She will be ridden from post three by jockey E.T. Baird.

The field for the Golden Rod, from the rail out, is as follows: Sassy Image (R. Albarado, 119 pounds), All Due Respect (B. Hernandez Jr., 119), Upperline (E. Baird, 119), Vivid Colors (C. Borel, 119), Decelerator (T. Thompson, 119), Canadian Storm (J. Castanon, 119), Quiet Temper (F. Torres, 119).

Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 winner of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and a contender for “Horse of the Year” honors, won the 2008 Golden Rod for owner-breeder Dolphus Morrison, trainer Hal Wiggins and jockey Calvin Borel.

The Caressing, a $60,000-added overnight stake at a mile on the grass, will be run immediately after the Golden Rod with a field of 12 juvenile fillies. Approximate post time is 3:58 p.m.

Heading the field is Koolman Racing Stable’s Orchestrator, the 5-2 morning line favorite, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Lisa Kitten, the 7-2 second choice.

The former is a daughter of Bernstein who seeks her third consecutive win for trainer Ken McPeek following a victory over soft turf in a one-mile Keeneland allowance race on Oct. 29.  Robby Albarado will ride Orchestrator, who carries 118 pounds and will break from the inside post.  

Lisa’s Kitten, a homebred daughter of Kitten’s Joy, won the La Senorita at Retama Park on Oct. 24 and most recently finished 10th to Tapitsfly in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. Trained by Mike Maker, Lisa’s Kitten will be ridden by Miguel Mena and break from post position 10.

The field for the Caressing, from the hedge out, is as follows: Orchestrator (R. Albarado, 116 pounds, 5-2), Rich Pearl (F. Torres, 122, 20-1), Tidal Pool (T. Thompson, 116, 10-1), Greeley’s Rocket (J. Theriot, 116, 8-1), Sheer Beauty (C. Borel, 116, 10-1), Zippy Larry (J. McKee, 116, 30-1), Martita Sangrita (J. Castanon, 116, 12-1), Jody Slew (J. Court, 116, 15-1), Check the Label (G. Saez, 116, 5-1), Lisa’s Kitten (M. Mena, 122, 7-2), Cactus Cadillac (L. Goncalves, 116, 15-1) and Sparky’s Dream (F. Arguello Jr., 116, 15-1).

SUNDAY’S STAKES WINNERS TARGET CLOSING-DAY STARS OF TOMORROW II CARD – Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image and Cathy and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit, winners of the Pocahontas (GIII) and Iroquois (GIII) respectively on Sunday, figure to make return trips in stakes company on Churchill Downs’ closing-day “Stars of Tomorrow II” card.

That Nov. 28 racing card, like Sunday’s meet opener, will be made up exclusively of races for 2-year-olds.    “Everything is good here and I am looking forward to running her closing day in the Golden Rod (GII at 1 1/16 miles),” trainer Dale Romans said of Sassy Image, who scored by two lengths over Decelerator.

Sassy Image will be attempting to become the sixth filly to sweep the Poncahontas and Golden Rod, a feat most recently accomplished by Pure Clan in 2007. Others to do it are French Park (2005), At The Half (1993), Flippers (1983) and Weekend Surprise (1982). The latter two won divisions of the Pocahontas.

   Romans, who leaves Wednesday for Santa Anita to saddle Frank Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, has another Jones runner aimed for closing day in Romans Reward, who broke his maiden in Sunday’s sixth race at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The Grand Canyon, an overnight stake at the same distance on the Matt Winn Turf Course is the next objective for Romans Reward.

Steve Asmussen, trainer of Thiskyhasnolimit, said after Sunday’s victory that the Sky Mesa colt would be pointed to the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Four juveniles have swept the Iroquois and the Kentucky Jockey Club with the Asmussen-trained Tiz Wonderful being the most recent in 2006. Others to do it are The Cliff’s Edge (2003), Exploit (1998) and Ide (1995).

WHITING COULD HAVE RUNNER TO WATCH IN DRYFLY – One of the grittier efforts on Sunday’s “Stars of Tomorrow I” card was turned in by Charles Cella’s Dryfly, an allowance winner going seven furlongs under Calvin Borel.

Dryfly assumed early command but was collared at the head of the stretch by the undefeated Great Attack, who put a head in front at the eighth pole. Dryfly dug back in and had enough to hold off Flatter Than Me, runner-up in this summer’s Bashford Manor (GIII) by 1 ½ lengths and complete the distance in 1:23.55.
“He broke a little flat-footed and I was surprised to see him on the lead. I thought he would be laying third,” said trainer Lynn Whiting, who saddled Lil E. Tee to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby (GI). “That horse that came to him of Merrill Scherer’s (Flatter Than Me) can run a little bit and I thought he had the momentum, but I think my horse will keep on running.”

Dryfly, a son of Jump Start, raced as a first-time gelding on Sunday. Whiting said Dryfly was gelded after his second race because of an undescended testicle.

A winner of two of three starts, Dryfly is done for the year according to Whiting.

“He needs a little break and I am going to keep him in light training, jogging and maybe galloping every third day,” Whiting said. “I am looking at the Smarty Jones on Jan. 18 at Oaklawn Park for him. They have a good series for 3-year-olds there with the Smarty Jones, the Southwest, the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby.

“If you want to make a run at the marbles, you’ve got to have the horse.”

TOUCH FOR A SHOCK JOLTS RIVALS IN ELECTRIFYING DEBUT – “He’s a good colt and he can run a little bit,” trainer Cecil Borel was saying about Touch for a Shock, one of two first-time starters to win on Sunday’s “Stars of Tomorrow I” card exclusively for 2-year-olds.

You think?

Ridden by his brother Calvin, Touch for a Shock exploded out of the 11 hole and quickly made his way to the rail. Turning for home, Calvin Borel was looking over his shoulder for competition and then began gearing down at the sixteenth pole as Touch for a Shock won by five lengths in 1:10.93 for six furlongs.

Three other six-furlong sprints were held Sunday for maidens and the fastest time among those races was 1:11.71.

He won a little easier than I thought he should,” Cecil Borel said of the homebred son of Touch Gold who is owned by Clifford Grum. “There were a lot of others in there who thought their horses were pretty good and I was starting to get scared.

“What I would really like to know is what I beat. A lot of times people will tell you a horse can run, but they can’t.”

Borel plans to bring Touch for a Shock back on closing day, Nov. 28 for a shot at allowance competition and then give the colt a break before heading most likely to Oaklawn Park for the winter.

COMMONWEALTH TURF ATTRACTS 21 NOMINATIONS – Darley Stable’s Florentino (JPN), winner of the Jefferson Cup (Grade II) here in June, heads a list of 21 nominations for the sixth running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) to be run on Nov. 15.

The 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds, won last year by Nistle’s Crunch, will be run over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Three other graded stakes winners on the turf this year are among the nominees topped by William Stiritz’s Proceed Bee. Winner of the Hawthorne Derby (GIII) in his most recent start, Proceed Bee won the Grand Canyon Handicap here at the Commonwealth Turf distance on the closing day of the 2008 Fall Meet.

Other colts coming out of graded stakes victories on the turf are Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy, who took the Bryan Station (GIII) on Oct. 18 at Keeneland, and Lewis Schaffel’s Sal the Barber, winner of the Calder Derby (GIII) at Calder on Oct. 17.

BARN TALK – Trainer Scooter Dickey said that Oxbow Racing’s Flat Out is about a week away from rejoining his barn. Winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes in January at Oaklawn Park, Flat Out was knocked off the Kentucky Derby trail in late April by a stress fracture in a shoulder.

Fred Bradley’s Brass Hat will be among a group of 22 horses trainer Buff Bradley will send to Gulfstream Park this winter. Winner of the Louisville Handicap (GIII) here this spring and an earner of more than $2 million, the 8-year-old Brass Hat has not run since finishing second in the Stars and Stripes Handicap (GIII) at Arlington Park on Sept. 5. “He is on the farm now,” Buff Bradley said. “He got an injury to the outside of his cannon bone from being knocked around in the race at Arlington.”

WORK TAB – On Monday, three-time Churchill Downs graded-stakes winner Acoma worked a half-mile in :50.40 over a “fast” track for trainer David Carroll in advance of a possible run in the Nov. 21 Cardinal Handicap (GIII). … Also working a half-mile were two possible runners for Saturday’s Chilukki (GII): Copper State (:49.60) for trainer Steve Asmussen and Be Fair (:50.60) for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. On Tuesday, Lukas’ other possible Chilukki starter, Color Me Up worked three furlongs in :36.40 over a “fast” track. Another Chilukki nominee, Keep the Peace worked the same distance in a bullet :34.80 for trainer Eddie Kenneally. Working on “firm” turf around the dogs was Regret (GIII) winner Keertana, who covered a half-mile in :49.60 for trainer Tom Proctor. Keertana in nominated to the Grade II Mrs. Revere to be run Saturday, Nov. 14.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image weaved her way between horses in the stretch and then drew away to win the 41st running of the $115,900 Pocahontas (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths over Decelerator on the opening day of Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet.

Sassy Image was ridden by Robby Albarado, who posted his fourth victory of the afternoon on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” card that featured racing exclusively for 2-year-olds. Dale Romans, who won the Pocahontas last year with Sara Louise, trains Sassy Image.

Albarado gave Sassy Image a ground-saving trip down the backstretch as Tiz Miz Sue and Vivid Colors dueled through fractions of :22.46 and :45.66. The field began to bunch up as the leaders hit the quarter pole in 1:11.62 and Albarado began to look for an opening with Sassy Image.

He found it at the eighth pole as he moved between Vivid Colors and All Due Respect and spurted clear with plenty left to hold a late challenge by Decelerator, who had won the Debutante (GIII) here in June.

Sassy Image, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow, covered the mile on a “fast” main track in 1:38.63. The victory was worth $66,828 for Sassy Image to boost her career earnings to $147,512 with a record of 6-2-1-1.

Sassy Image returned mutuels of $6.20, $3.40 and $2.80. Decelerator, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, returned $7.20 and $6 in finishing a head in front of All Due Respect who paid $8.80 to show under Brian Hernandez Jr.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE POCAHONTAS

DALE ROMANS, trainer of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “It’s great to be back on the real stuff and it’s great to be back at Churchill Downs. I think she’ll run all day. She outlasted ‘em and had the most stamina today and I just think she’ll run even further.

“You just don’t know [what will happen] when you turn for home and you’re down on the inside all boxed up like that. Are they going to get through? I just thought if [jockey Robby Albarado] found a seam that she would kick through and she did.”

Q: How nice is it to see her overcome adversity at such a young age? “It shows a lot. She’s got a bright future and she’s got a lot of room to improve.

Q: What’s next? “We’ll be here [for the Grade II, $150,000-added Golden Rod for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles] on closing day [Saturday, Nov. 28].”

JERRY ROMANS, owner of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “When she got through on the rail, that was the only anxious moment. Turning for home it didn’t look like it was going to open up. Robby [Albarado] said she felt like a different horse back here on her home track. Once she got head and head, I felt pretty good.
Q: How many horses do you have with your brother Dale? “I’ve got five horses with Dale and she’s by far the best. She’s the best one I’ve ever had. These are once-in-a-lifetime types of horses, for me anyway and not necessarily for Dale training-wise but for us to own.”

Q: The age difference between you and Dale? “I’m 17 months older than Dale.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “The filly (Sassy Image) ran great. [Trainer] Dale [Romans] gave me some instruction to keep her a little bit closer today, so I jumped her out a little earlier and got some forward position going down the backside. I was always very comfortable during the race and just had to find a place to get through. She found the spot up the rail and just went on without me really asking anything of her."

Q: On four wins through the first eight races: “This is just the way that I wanted to start my meet.  I wanted to get off to a hot start and try and keep it going.”

RAJIV MARAGH, rider of DECELERATOR, second: “She ran pretty well. She was game. She fought hard to finish second. ‘As seen on TV’ – it was the same way it felt out there. Maybe if I’d had an inside post it would have made a difference between winning and losing, because she did have a wider trip than the eventual winner. The winner was able to stay down along the rail while I was four wide. But she ran good.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR, second: “I thought she ran well. She got a little wide on the turn, but that other filly is nice filly, so I was pleased with the effort.”

Q: Was there any specific problem in her three off-the-board finishes coming into this race? “I don’t know. We had an active spring and she probably needed a little less action. Then I gave her a little break and came back with her, and now she’s good again. She appears to really like this track.”

Westrock Stables’ Decelerator, winner of the Debutante (Grade III) here in June, bids for a second graded stakes victory on Sunday as she takes on a dozen 2-year-old fillies in the 41st running of the $100,000-added Pocahontas (Grade III) at a mile on the main track at Churchill Downs.

The Pocahontas shares the marquee with $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII), a mile race for 2-year-old colts and geldings, on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” program that opens Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet, which will run through Saturday Nov. 28. First post time for Sunday’s 11-race card, of the first of two programs during the meet devoted exclusively to races for juvenile runners, is 12:40 p.m. (all times EST).  The Pocahontas is scheduled as the eighth race with a 4:05 p.m. post time.

The second “Stars of Tomorrow” program is set for the meet’s closing day.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the Pocahontas three times, Decelerator is 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs but enters the Pocahontas off a seventh-place finish in the two-turn Darley Alcibiades (GI) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland on Oct. 9. Despite that perfect local record and her status as the only graded stakes winner in the Pocahontas, Decelerator is a 10-1 risk in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds for the race. New York-based Rajiv Maragh has the mount on Decelerator, who will break from post position eight and carry top weight of 123 pounds.

Louisville-born trainer Dale Romans, who edged past the Hall of Famer Lukas in the Spring Meet and now ranks second in all-time wins at Churchill Downs, will bid for his second consecutive Pocahontas victory when he sends Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image into Sunday’s race. Romans saddled Sara Louise, who is scheduled to run in next Friday’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, to defeat Rachel Alexandra in the 2008 Pocahontas.  Rachel Alexanadra has not lost a race since.

A maiden winner at Churchill Downs in June and runner-up in the Grade II Adirondack at Saratoga in August, Sassy Image comes into the Pocahontas off an eighth-place finish in the Alcibiades, 1 ¼ lengths behind Decelerator. Robby Albarado has the mount on Sassy Image, who is the 9-2 morning line favorite for the Pocahontas and will carry 117 pounds when she breaks from post position three.

Other stakes winners in the field include Robert DeWitt and Catherine Kenneally’s All About Anna (15-1), who took the Bassinet at River Downs; Summerplace Farm’s Running Bride (6-1), an undefeated Indiana-bred who won the restricted City of Anderson and Miss Indiana stakes at Hoosier Park; and Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Vertical Vision (6-1), winner of two stakes races at Iowa’s Prairie Meadows this summer.

The field for the Pocahontas, from the rail out (with jockey, assigned weight and morning line odds), is as follows: Biorra (I. Ocampo, 117 pounds, 30-1), All Due Respect (B. Hernandez Jr., 117, 20-1), Sassy Image, Tiz Miz Sue (J. Castanon, 117, 5-1), Happy Week (E. Prado, 117, 6-1), Running Bride (J. Leparoux, 121), Jody Slew (L. Goncalves, 119, 30-1), Decelerator, Snap Happy (C. Borel, 119, 20-1), Vertical Vision (S. Bridgmohan, 121), Vivid Colors (K. Desormeaux, 117, 5-1), All About Anna (C. Lanerie, 121) and Tidal Pool (J. Theriot, 119, 12-1).  

CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN TO HAVE FINAL BREEDERS’ CUP WORK SUNDAY – Trainer Ian Wilkes said that Joseph Rauch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can is scheduled for his final work before the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade I) on Sunday and then ship to Santa Anita the next day.

Capt. Candyman Can, who won the first of his four graded-stakes victories in last fall’s Iroquois (GIII) here, has been training at the Skylight Training Center in Goshen over the Pro-Ride synthetic track, similar to what he will run on at Santa Anita.

“He has had two works since the Phoenix (GIII) and is doing well,” Wilkes said of the 3-year-old gelding who ran second to Fatal Bullet in the Phoenix on Oct. 9 at Keeneland. “He will probably work Sunday and then ship Monday.”

Wilkes’ other top 3-year-old in the barn, Warrior’s Reward, has been galloping at Churchill Downs after running fifth as the favorite in the Perryville (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 17. After the race, jockey Calvin Borel got off Warrior’s Reward in the first turn and the colt was unsaddled there.

“We are just keeping an eye on him; hopefully all it was just a bad step (in the race),” Wilkes said of Warrior’s Reward, who is owned by A. Stevens Miles Jr. “He is galloping now and I’m not sure (when he’ll run next).”

ROMANS EYES POCAHONTAS REPEAT WITH SASSY IMAGE – Trainer Dale Romans unleashed a true “Star of Tomorrow” in the 2008 Pocahontas when Sara Louise romped to victory by 3 ¾ lengths over Rachel Alexandra.

On Sunday, he hopes history repeats itself when he saddles Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image in the 41st running of the Grade III event for 2-year-old fillies.

“This time last year, Sara Louise was starting to move forward and I hope Sassy Image does the same,” Romans said.

Sassy Image has some big hoofprints to follow in. Sara Louise ran second behind Rachel Alexandra in last year’s Golden Rod (GII) and this year has won the Grade III Victory Ride at Saratoga and was second behind champion Indian Blessing in the Grade II Gallant Bloom at Belmont. Next Friday she will be competing in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at Santa Anita for Godolphin Racing and trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

Sara Louise came into last year’s Pocahontas off a maiden score. Sassy Image, a maiden winner here in June, finished eighth in her most recent start in the Darley Alcibiades (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 9 after enduring a wide trip.

“She likes this track and she has been training well,” Romans said of Sassy Image, who worked a bullet half-mile of :47.80 in her first work back after the Alcibiades.

Romans will have one Breeders’ Cup starter in Frank Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly, who is already at Santa Anita. A maiden winner at Saratoga, Tapitsfly won the P.G. Johnson on grass at Saratoga and is pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Robby Albarado has the mount.

Romans also reported that Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper remains on track for a run in the Nov. 26 Falls City Handicap (GII). Tenth as the favorite in the Juddmonte Spinster (GI) over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface, Swift Temper worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Sunday.

WIGGINS HOPING TO FINISH WITH A FLOURISH – Hal Wiggins hit the apex of his training career this spring when he saddled Rachel Alexandra to her resounding victory in the Kentucky Oaks (GI).

He hopes the final month on the backside gets off to a rousing start on Sunday when he sends out Brassy Boy in the 28th running of the Iroquois (GIII) for longtime client Millsap Stables.

Wiggins, who has 20 horses stabled here, is retiring at the end of the meet on Nov. 28, two days before his 67th birthday.

“It is starting to sink in a little bit,” Wiggins said. “It will probably hit me on the 28th when I get ready to turn another year older. I’m going to go to Houston. My wife, Renee, is already there.

“I am still going to go to sales and still be involved in it because I love the game so much. I don’t want to quit cold turkey.”

Brassy Boy won his first two starts during the spring meet and then ran third in the Bashford Manor (GIII).

“I gave him a month off after the Bashford Manor,” Wiggins said. “He came back at Louisiana Downs (on Oct. 3 in the Razorback Futurity) and ran OK. He was just second best that day.”

The horse that beat Brassy Boy that day, Comedero, also is considered a likely Iroquois starter.
    “I hope Brassy Boy likes a mile better than the other colt,” Wiggins said.

BARN TALK – Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan came out of her five-furlong breeze of Tuesday in good order according to Betsy Couch, assistant to trainer Bob Holthus. “She ate up everything last night and is in good form this morning,” Couch said. Winner of the Flower Bowl (GI) in her most recent start on Oct. 3, Pure Clan worked five-eighths in 1:01.40 on Tuesday, her second five-furlong work since the Flower Bowl in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) to be run Friday, Nov. 6 at Santa Anita. Pure Clan is scheduled to have a light breeze Sunday morning and ship to California on Monday.

Trainer Ken McPeek said that Anthony Bonomo Jr.’s Connie and Michael would ship to California on Saturday for a start in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) on Nov. 6. Connie and Michael broke her maiden at first asking on Oct. 17 at Keeneland going seven furlongs by 7 ¾ lengths from the No. 12 post position. McPeek hoped to have another Keeneland maiden winner on the plane in Fist of Rage, but that colt was sixth on the preference list for the over-subscribed Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) to be run Nov. 7.

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, winner of this year’s Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) here and runner-up to Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward (GI), is on track for a start in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) on Nov. 27 according to trainer Dallas Stewart. A cough last week knocked Macho Again out of a possible start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and the Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust-2008’s One Caroline is scheduled to return to the races in the 24th running of the Chilukki (GII) on Nov. 7. Trained by Rusty Arnold, One Caroline is scheduled to work at Keeneland on Sunday and then ship to Churchill Downs midweek for her first start since running second to Miss Isella in the Louisville Distaff (GII) on May 1. One Caroline will be ridden in the Chilukki by Leandro Goncalves.

WORK TAB – Centaur Farms’ Yes It’s Valid, considered a possible starter for Sunday’s Pocahontas, worked a half-mile Wednesday morning over a “muddy” track in :50.20 for trainer Merrill Scherer.