Leandro Goncalves

Klaravich Stables Inc and William H Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, an impressive son of Speightstown who was a convincing winner in his lone career start, heads a field of 11 2-year-olds entered to compete in Saturday’s 110^th running of the $100,000-added, Grade III Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong race, the first graded stakes race of the year for 2-year-olds, is scheduled as the 12^th and featured event on a special 13-race program on the final Saturday of the historic track’s 38-day Spring Meet.  Post time for the first race is 12:45 p.m. (all times EST) and the Bashford Manor is set for 6:23 p.m. start.

The Bashford Manor Stakes, which was first run in 1902, is named in honor of the prominent Louisville Thoroughbred breeding farm owned by George James Long, who bred three winners of the Kentucky Derby on the property.  The farm bred and raced Derby winners Azra (1892) and Sir Huon (1906) and bred 1899 winner Manuel.  Bashford Manor also owned Kentucky Oaks winners Selika (1894) and Kathleen (1916).

The Tom Amoss-trained Sum of the Parts turned heads early in the Spring Meet with a flashy 2 ¾-length victory as the favorite in his 4 ½-furlong racing debut on May 14.  That is the lone start for the colt that is bidding to join Lone Star Sky (2002) and Backtalk (2009) as Bashford Manor winners saddled by Amoss.

“He’s a horse we’re very excited about,” Amoss said.  “I thought his race was really good, and the horse that ran second to him, Exfactor, won his next race.  Exfactor won a split (maiden) race and he ran a lot faster than the other division, so that was encouraging.”

Leandro Goncalves had the mount on Sum of the Parts in his debut and will be in the irons again on Saturday.  Sum of the Parts will carry 118 pounds in his stakes debut.

Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor, a gray/roan son of Exchange Rate trained by Bernie Flint, will get a shot at turning the tables on Sum of the Parts in the Bashford Manor.  After his runner-up finish in his debut, Exfactor returned to score an easy 4 ½ length victory at 5 ½ furlongs in his most recent outing on June 9 at Churchill Downs.  Exfactor will carry 118 pounds and Calvin Borel will ride Flint’s colt for the third time in as many starts.

Stoneway Farm and Flint will also be represented by Bonaparte, a speedy son of Touch Gold who rolled to a front-running 5 ½-length victory at 4 1/2 furlongs in his lone start on May 30.  Jon Court has the return call on Bonaparte, who will also carry 118 pounds.

Ed Few’s unbeaten Texas invader Lil Cherokee is the only member of the 11-horse field for the Bashford Manor has stakes experience on his resume.  Lil Cherokee won the colts and geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity for trainer Bret Calhoun on June 11 at Lone Star Park.  The Texas-bred son of Cherokee Run, an easy winner in his racing debut at Lone Star on May 12, will carry high weight of 120 pounds in the Bashford Manor and Miguel Mena will ride.

Other contenders include Courtlandt Farm’s homebred Power World, a Distorted Humor colt who overcame traffic problems to win his June 11 career debut at Churchill Downs at odds of 14-1; Mike Tarp’s Tarpy’s Goal, a son of High Cotton who won his May 19 Churchill Downs debut for trainer Dale Romans;  Hot Speed, a Florida-bred son of Burning Roma who has one win in two starts at Florida’s Calder Race Course; Dunbarton Stable’s Friscan, who won his only start for trainer Al Stall Jr. at Keeneland on April 14; and Denzik Racing LLC and Meritage Racing LLC’s Green Mouse, a Cherokee Run colt who was a 3 1/2-length winner over a sloppy track in his second career start on May 26 at Churchill Downs.

Two colts will bid to score their first career victory in the Bashford Manor.  Willis Horton’s Laurie’s Rocket finished second his lone start for trainer Dallas Stewart at Churchill Downs on May 30.  And Bluegrass Hall’s Chalybeate Springs ran fifth over a sloppy track in his debut on June 18 of Hall of Fame trainer and five-time Bashford Manor winner D. Wayne Lukas.

Another event of note on Saturday’s 13-race program is the 11^th:  a 6 ½ furlong allowance optional claiming race with a purse of $65,200 with a field of nine that includes Vinery Stables and Mrs. Susan Roy’s Awesome Act and Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin.  Both competed in the 2010 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) won by WinStar Farm’s Super Saver.

The race will launch a comeback for the Lukas-trained Dublin, the winner of the 2010 Hopeful (GI) at Saratoga who finished seventh in the Derby.  Dublin has not competed since a fifth-place run behind Lookin At Lucky in the Preakness (GI). Awesome Act, a British import who won the 2010 Gotham (GIII), was injured in a 19^th-place finish in the Derby and has not been close in a pair of 2011 starts for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The field for the 111^th running of the Bashford Manor, in post position order from the rail out (with jockey, weight) includes:  Laurie’s Rocket (Brian Hernandez Jr., 116), Lil Cherokee (Mena 120), Power World (Corey Lanerie, 118), Exfactor (Borel, 118), Chalybeate Springs (Jesus Castanon, 116), Bonaparte (Court, 118), Sum of the Parts (Goncalves, 118), Hot Speed (Robby Albarado, 120), Tarpy’s Goal (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Green Mouse (Manoel Cruz, 118) and Friscan (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118).

Gold Mark Farm LLC’s Culotte and Stoneway Farm’s Queen Teuta, who finished 1-2 when they faced each other in the first race of their respective careers, loom as likely favorites when eight lightly-raced 2-year-old fillies meet in Saturday’s 111^th running of the $100,000-added Debutante Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong race is the nation’s first graded stakes event for 2-year-old fillies and the featured 10^th race on the next-to-last Saturday program of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet.  Post time for the first of 11 races on Saturday is 12:45 p.m. (Eastern).

The connections of the eight fillies set to compete in Saturday’s Debutante hope their fillies can live up to the standards of excellence established by a roster past Debutante winners that include Bewitch and Alcibiades, two outstanding champions of the first half of the 20^th century.  Recent winners include two-time champion Silverbulletday, a Hall of Fame filly who won the 1998 Debutante and the 1999 Kentucky Oaks (GI), and multiple stakes winners Chilukki and Cashier’s Dream.  Fillies that competed in recent Debutante runnings but failed to win include 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, third in the ’08 Debutante; Countess Diana, the 1997 2-year-old filly champion who suffered the only loss of her championship season in a runner-up run the Debutante; and Serena’s Song, who finished fourth in 1994 but retired as racing’s all-time female earnings leader.

Culotte, a daughter of Sky Mesa trained by Tom Amoss, could end up as the favorite in the 2010 renewal of the Debutante because of her dazzling racing debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race at Churchill Downs on May 13.  She started quickly and led throughout as the 2-1 favorite to score an emphatic 5 ½-length win over Debutante rival Queen Teuta.  The latter, a daughter of Theatrical trained by veteran Bernie Flint, rebounded to win her next start at 4 ½ furlongs on June 3.

Culotte will break from post seven under jockey Leandro Goncalves, while Queen Teuta and jockey Calvin Borel will start from post two.  Both fillies are set to carry 118 pounds.

There are no fillies in the Debutante’s field of future stars with more than two career starts, and only one member of the field is a veteran of stakes competition.   That filly is Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Shocktime, a Texas-bred daughter of Langfuhr who invades from the Lone Star State off a pair of lopsided victories for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Shocktime won her two previous races at Lone Star Park by a combined margin of 21 ¾ lengths.  In her most recent start the homebred filly cruised to a 12 ¾-length win in the filly division of the $93,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity on June 11.  She covered five furlongs that day in :58.61, a clocking that was faster than the winning time turned in by stablemate Lil Cherokee one race earlier in the Futurity’s division for colts and geldings.

Miguel Mena, who won last week’s $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) aboard William Farish Jr.’s Pool Play, will ride Shocktime, who will carry high weight of 120 pounds.

Another out-of-state threat is posed by R N R Stable’s Defy Gravity, a Maryland-based daughter of Bandini who comes in to the Debutante off an easy victory in a 4 ½-furlong maiden race at Pimlico on May 8.  Trainer Valerie Testerman’s filly finished third in her career debut on April 15, but rolled by six lengths in her second and most recent outing.

Wesley Ho has been in the saddle for both of Defy Gravity’s starts and will travel to Churchill Downs to ride in her stakes debut.  Defy Gravity breaks for post eight and carries 118 pounds.

Other Debutante contenders include Terry Allen’s Five Star Momma, an impressive winner of her June 10 debut at Churchill Downs for trainer Scooter Dickey, and Barry King’s Flashy Lassie, a Garry Simms-trained filly from the first crop of Flashy Bull who won her May 13 debut beneath the historic Twin Spires by nine lengths.  Corey Lanerie will ride Five Star Momma from the rail post, while Kent Desormeaux and Flashy Lassie will start from post five.

The field for the 111^th Debutante (from the rail out with jockey, weight) includes: Five Star Momma (Lanerie, 118), Queen Tueta (Borel, 118), Tippy Toes (Julien Leparoux, 116), My Due Process (Robby Albarado, 116), Flashy Lassie (Desormeaux, 116), Shocktime (Mena, 120), Culotte (Goncalves, 118) and Defy Gravity (Ho, 118).

Michael House's Battle of Hastings (GB), a three-time graded stakes winner on the turf in his career, tops a field of nine older turf stars entered to compete in the 33rd running of the $100,000-added River City Handicap (Grade III) Thursday at Churchill Downs.

The River City, to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, will go as the 11th race on Thursday's 12-race program with an approximate post time of 5:43 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post time is 12:40 p.m.

Now trained by Greg Fox, Battle of Hastings won the Baldwin (GIII) at Santa Anita in March 2009 and that summer won the Colonial Turf Cup (GII) and Virginia Derby (GII) at Colonial Downs. In his most recent start, Battle of Hastings ran fourth over the synthetic Polytrack surface in the Pacific Classic (GI) won by Richard's Kid at Del Mar.

Battle of Hastings will break from post position three under Joel Rosario and carry high weight of 121 pounds.

Also in the field is defending champion Rahystrada, owned by Robert Courtney Jr. Trained by Byron Hughes, Rahystrada scored in last year's race at odds of 56-1 under Leandro Goncalves, who will be back aboard Thursday. Rahystrada will carry 119 pounds and break from post position one.

The field for the River City Handicap, from the inside out, is as follows: Rahystrada (Goncalves, 119 pounds), Ready Set (Jamie Theriot, 114), Battle of Hastings (GB) (Rosario, 121), Boots Ahead (Garrett Gomez, 115), Allie's Event (Jeremy Rose, 115), Schramsberg (Ramsey Zimmerman, 115), Midnight Mischief (Julien Leparoux, 114), Expansion (Shaun Bridgmohan, 119) and Wise River (Calvin Borel, 114).

Robert Courtney Jr.’s Rahystrada, dismissed at odds of 56-1, romped to a 2 ¼-length victory over Rahy’s Attorney to win Friday’s 32nd running of the $112,700 River City Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Byron Hughes and ridden by Leandro Goncalves, Rahystrada covered the 1 1/8 miles over a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “firm” in 1:49.18.

Favored Karelian led the field under the wire the first time through a quarter-mile in :24.02 and was still in front after a half-mile in :48.43. However, in the run down the backstretch, Karelian began to drift toward the outside rail under Rajiv Maragh allowing Rahy’s Attorney to grab a brief lead.

Maragh got Karelian straightened out leaving the backstretch and made a swooping move to reclaim the lead from Rahy’s Attorney at the top of the stretch. At that juncture Goncalves, who had been saving ground throughout, split the two leaders and spurted clear and never was seriously challenged in the run to the wire.

The victory was worth $66,382 to the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Rahy and increased his earnings $265,654 with his eighth win in 22 starts.

Rahystrada, who carried 114 pounds, eight fewer than Karelian, who finished eighth, returned mutuels of $115.80, $42.80 and $16.80. Rahy’s Attorney, ridden by Robert Landry, returned $5.40 and $4.40 with Pleasant Strike finishing a nose back in third under Chris DeCarlo and paying $6 to show.

The 21-day Fall Meet concludes Saturday with the 12-race “Stars of Tomorrow II” card for 2-year-olds that begins at 11:30 a.m. (ET).

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE RIVER CITY HANDICAP

LEANDRO GONCALVES, jockey of RAHYSTRADA, winner: “I had a very good trip. When the horses began to split I had an opening and slipped through. I knew going in it was a tough race. I just rode him very confidently and he ran big for me like he always does. All three times that I have been on him I have won. Today was a test to see how good he was. He proved that he fits with these horses. He is really turning into a nice horse.”

Q: How does it feel to get your first Churchill Downs stakes win? “It was such a good feeling to win a stakes at Churchill Downs. No matter if it is a Grade II or Grade III, a stakes win at Churchill Downs means a lot to any jockey. It has always been a great dream of mine to win a stakes at Churchill Downs.”

BYRON HUGHES, trainer of RAHYSTRADA, winner:
Q: Was this a surprise to you? “A bit. We were just hoping to be in the money and he did better than we thought, of course. It was great. We knew he was doing well after his last race so that’s why we ran him and everything worked out. I’ve have him for about a year to a year-and-a-half now and he was doing better than he had before. We went on with him and gave him a shot."

What instructions did you give the jockey? “I said ‘Do what you did last time.’ That’s all! You don’t want to tell ‘em too much. He did it perfect. He saved ground just like the last race. He did everything just right.”
Q: Where’s home? “I’m stabled in Lexington at the [Thoroughbred] Training Center there at Paris Pike.”

Q: Did you bet on him? “Two [dollars] across. And that was because my wife (Tracy) told me to and she’s not here!”
Q: Biggest win? “Yes. First graded stakes and all that good stuff.”

Q: What’s your background? “I’ve been in the horse business all my life. My parents raised us on a farm in Paris (Kentucky). I started training out on the farm. For the last five to eight years I’ve increased my stable. Right now I’ve got about 20 and we’re trying to get better horses. (Owner) Robert Courtney has helped me out quite a bit. I live in Lexington.”

Q: How did you meet Mr. Courtney? “I’ve known him since we were kids almost. When we were young we ran around together and then kind of went our separate ways and got back together a few years ago. His father had a farm in Lexington.”

Q: What gave you the confidence that Rahystrada belonged here? “He’s got the breeding to do it. He’s just been improving for the last three or four races and just getting better and better. Training-wise, he’s been doing really well. He always was meant. Frankie Brothers had him when he was just starting out and he ran him in a stake as a 2-year-old and got third, I think. So he’s always been meant to be a decent horse. He had a few problems along the way but we worked through them and he’s been doing well. He’s supposed to have time off now but we’ll see.”

IAN BLACK, trainer of RAHY’S ATTORNEY, second: “I was happy with him.  He ran really well.  I don’t know where the winner jumped up from, but that happens in racing, doesn’t it?”
Q: What now for your horse? “I’m going to go to Payson (Florida’s Payson Park) for the first time, so we’ll probably run him in Florida once or twice.  Then maybe in here in the spring, or at Keeneland before I come back up.”

ROBERT LANDRY, jockey on RAHY’S ATTORNEY, second: “He ran a tremendous race.  The winner came up to us at the top of the stretch and it was like he was shot out of a cannon.  My horse was running and he ran on by me.  I’m proud of my horse.  He ran a great race and had a great trip, but he was just second best today, unfortunately.”

CHRIS DeCARLO, jockey on PLEASANT STRIKE, third: “He ran a perfect trip, but he tries hard all the time.  I sat on the rail the whole way and was able to get through, but just couldn’t catch the winner.  He (Rahystrada) had a quick turn of foot.”

RUSTY ARNOLD, trainer of KARELIAN, eighth as the favorite: “I have no idea what happened.  Rajiv (Maragh) said that he broke sharp, eased over toward the rail and when he got the first turn her just started heading for the outside fence.  He’s a 7-year-old and he’s never done anything bad in his life.  Rajiv said he ran to the outside and he couldn’t get him – he said he was going to pull him up, but then all at once he dropped back into the race again.  After he went around that turn, obviously he was done.  Hell, I don’t know what to say.”

GONCALVES OFF TO FAST START IN RIDERS RACE – Trainer Buff Bradley has found that other trainers are taking notice of the riding talents of Leandro Gonvalves.

"I am not getting to ride him as much because he is getting more clients,” Bradley said of Goncalves, who sits in a four-way tie for second place in the rider standings with seven victories through the first eight days of the 21-day meet.

Goncalves, a 27-year-old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, already has equaled his victory total from the Spring Meet in only 51rides, nearly half his spring total when he had 100 mounts.

“Everything is better,” Goncalves said of the difference between the two meets. “I am getting on better horses and more people are watching me ride.”

Goncalves won his first U.S. riding title at the September Turfway Park meet and followed that up with six victories at the Keeneland meet, good for a tie for eighth in the standings. He also picked up his first graded-stakes victory when he guided Satans Quick Chick to win the Raven Run (Grade II) on Oct. 24, part of a three-win day.

Represented by Steve Elzey, Goncalves will ride at Turfway Park after the current meet ends Nov. 28 and then move to Oaklawn Park for the first time early next year.

Bradley has been a big supporter of Goncalves.

“He’s a very patient rider and he puts horses in the right place in a race,” Bradley said. “He is very positive and a hard worker. He has a lot of good qualities and I think he’ll be a top rider.”

Goncalves does not pattern his riding style after any one jockey.

“I watch all of the riders,” Goncalves said. “But there are a couple that I really like, John Velazquez and Gary Stevens when he was riding.”
 
EIGHT DISTAFFERS CONSIDERED PROBABLE FOR CARDINAL – Weights for the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) will be announced Saturday and as of Friday eight fillies and mares were considered as probable for the race by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman.

Topping the list for the 1 1/8-mile race to be contested over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Saturday, Nov. 21, is Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma. Trained by David Carroll, Acoma has two graded-stakes wins over the Matt Winn Turf Course: the Mint Julep (GIII) in June and the Mrs. Revere (GII) last fall.

Other graded-stakes winners among the probables are Social Queen, winner of the Gallorette (GIII) at Pimlico in May, and Tizfiz, winner of the San Gorgonio (GII) at Santa Anita in January.

Other probables include Leamington, Lemon Chiffon, My Baby Baby, Polo Lounge and You Go West Girl.  
Three horses are considered as possible for the Cardinal including Long Approach, who ran second to Indescribable in last year’s race. Other possibles are Celtic Princess (Brz) and Finish in Style.

KELLY’S LANDING THRIVING IN NEW CAREER AS PONY – Even though millionaire Kelly’s Landing retired from the races in January, his career at the racetrack is far from finished.

The 8-year-old gelding, whose career highlight was a victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) in 2007, is now serving as a pony for his former trainer Eddie Kenneally.

“We retired him after the Mr. Prospector in January at Gulfstream Park,” Kenneally said. “He retired sound. He just wasn’t running at the highest level.”

During his career, Kelly’s Landing amassed $1,853,831 in earnings with a record of 27-10-3-2. He won at least one race each year from 2004-08 with his most impressive Churchill Downs victory coming in the 2005 Aristides (GIII) when he set the track record for six furlongs in 1:07.59, a mark that stood for two years.

A son of Patton, Kelly’s Landing won four graded stakes in her career and competed in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) twice.

“He is perfect for the job,” Kenneally said. “He began in May and is doing just super.”

BARN TALK – Apprentice Freddie Lenclud had a riding double Thursday, scoring on Sea Scamp ($5.60) in the third and Prince Will I Am ($93.80). Lenclud has five victories through the first eight days of the 21-day meet and already has equaled the 2008 total of leading fall apprentice Brandon Meier. … Bill Troilo, who retired from riding this past spring, was a visitor on the backside Friday morning. “I’m here in Louisville for steward’s school,” said Troilo, who retired with 2,514 victories and whose lone graded-stakes victory came here last fall aboard Karelian in the River City Handicap (GIII).

Edward Evans’ Malibu Prayer collared favored One Caroline on the far turn and then held off a late charge by Copper State by a length to win the 24th running of the $167,550 Chilukki (Grade II) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Chris DeCarlo, Malibu Prayer gave trainer Todd Pletcher his second consecutive victory in the Chilukki having scored in 2008 with Leah’s Secret. Malibu Prayer covered the mile on a “fast” main track in 1:36.24.

One Caroline, who was coming off a six-month layoff because of an injury, shot to the lead under Leandro Goncalves and took the field through fractions of :22.47 and :44.87 while maintaining a clear advantage.

DeCarlo moved Malibu Prayer after One Caroline leaving the backstretch and took command entering the stretch only to have One Caroline battle back. Malibu Prayer finally began to draw clear in the final sixteenth of a mile as Copper State closed fast to swipe second place by a neck over One Caroline.

The victory was worth $99,626 and increased Malibu Prayer’s earnings to $348,526 with her fourth victory in nine starts.

Malibu Prayer, a 3-year-old Virginia-bred daughter of Malibu Moon who carried 115 pounds, nine fewer than top weight Swift Temper who finished sixth, returned $12.20, $6.20 and $3.80. Copper State, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, paid $15 and $6.60 with One Caroline paying $2.60 to show.

Payton d’Oro, who finished fifth in the field of nine, represented the final starter for trainer Larry Jones, who is turning the training of his 23-horse stable over to his wife Cindy.

Jones, a 53-year-old native of Hopkinsville, Ky., who began training in 1982, is best known as the conditioner of 2008 Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles. Jones, who saddled Proud Spell to win the 2008 Kentucky Oaks, also had the 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up in Hard Spun.

"At least I ended the career better than I started,” Jones said. “The pressure’s off. I bet my blood pressure’s already come down now. But, no, it’s good. Trust me, it’s got some sentimental feelings about it, but I’m OK. It’s all good. . . . I don’t know what the future really holds, but it’ll all be good.  You know, we’re ready for the next journey, whatever it may be.”

Cindy Jones will oversee the barn operations through the end of the Churchill Downs meet on Nov. 28 and then the couple will head home to Henderson, Ky., for the holidays before rejoining the barn for the 2010 meet at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

In the race before the Chilukki, Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie made a successful return to the races after a 7 ½-month layoff to post a 2 ½-length victory over Adhrhythm in the $61,300 Dream Supreme, a six-furlong overnight stake for fillies and mares.

Ridden by Jon Court for trainer Jinks Fires, She’s Our Annie returned mutuels of $5.20, $4.20 and $3.20 as the favorite in the field of nine. Adhrhythm, ridden by Chris Emigh, returned $17.60 and $10.20 with Step Out Smartly paying $5.20 to show under Francisco Torres.

Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race card beginning at 12:40 p.m.

The group of jockeys that will assemble to compete during 21 days of racing at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet is topped by stars like three-time Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Kent Desormeaux, two-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel, Julien Leparoux and Robby Albarado – but the meet could be remembered as one in which a rising star made a move toward those accomplished and established stars at the top of that list.

    Leandro Goncalves, a 27-year-old Brazilian who has been riding at tracks in the region for about three years, is enjoying a breakout season and appears poised to further raise his profile during the Fall Meet at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

    After riding just seven winners during Churchill Downs’ 45-day Spring Meet, Goncalves has enjoyed a strong summer and fall capped by a riding title at the September meet at Turfway Park, his first U.S. riding crown. He was second in the standings at Indiana Downs meet and his victory total at the ongoing Keeneland meet includes an upset victory last week aboard Satans Quick Chick in the Lexus Raven Run (GII). Heading into racing on Wednesday, Oct. 28, Goncalves ranked eighth in total victories by U.S. riders with 226 wins on the year.

    Goncalves will attempt to increase his stature at Churchill Downs with the aid of agent Steve Elzey, who most recently worked with jockey Miguel Mena. But it will be no easy task for Goncalves to make a significant step forward in the Nov. 1-28 Fall Meet because of the high-quality roster of world-class riders that will surround him in the jockeys’ room under the historic Twin Spires.

    That room will include the winners of the last two renewals of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. One is two-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel, the regular pilot for 2009 Derby winner Mine That Bird and Kentucky Oaks (GI) and Preakness (GI) winner and “Horse of the Year” frontrunner Rachel Alexandra. The other is Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, whose victory aboard Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby was his third. Desormeaux also won this year’s Belmont Stakes (GI), Travers (GI) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) aboard Summer Bird.

    Borel has earned a pair of Fall Meet riding crowns at Churchill Downs, while Desormeaux is looking for his first title at the track. Desormeaux, a three-time Eclipse Award winner, currently ranks fourth in earnings by U.S. jockeys with purses of nearly $11.6 million. Borel’s big year, headed by his rare Kentucky Derby-Oaks sweep, included another special milestone when he moved past Hall of Famer Don Brumfield into second place in career victories at Churchill Downs. He trails only Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day.

    Julien Leparoux, who rode 62 winners to edge Borel for the Spring Meet riding title at Churchill Downs, will seek is third consecutive Fall Meet crown and his sixth overall. Leparoux, who ranks second in total earnings by U.S. riders in 2009 as his mounts have collected nearly $14.8 million in purses, has won five of the last seven meet riding crowns at Churchill Downs and also swept Spring and Fall meet honors in 2007.

    Robby Albarado, the regular rider of “Horse of the Year” winners Mineshaft and Curlin, will pursue his second local title after leading the 2008 Spring Meet in victories. The Louisiana native ranks second in stakes wins by a jockey at Churchill Downs.

    Other new faces who hope to earn repeated trips to the winner’s circle in the Fall Meet include Israel Ocampo, a 23-year-old native of Mexico City who currently leads the jockey standings at Hawthorne Park, and Chris DeCarlo, a veteran who has ridden primarily at tracks in New Jersey, Florida and New York. Back for his second consecutive Fall Meet is Chicago-based veteran E.T. Baird.

    Other Churchill Downs regulars scheduled to be back for the upcoming meet include Miguel Mena, third in the 2009 Spring Meet standings; Shaun Bridgmohan, who tied with Borel for leading rider honors in the 2006 Fall Meet; Jon Court, the leading rider at this year’s Ellis Park meet following several years in Southern California; Jamie Theriot; Jesus Castanon; Larry Sterling Jr.; and Kentucky-based veterans Larry Melancon, Joe Johnson and Charles Woods, Jr. Also expected to ride at Churchill Downs during the Fall Meet is Orlando Mojica, Jr., the leading rider this year at Kentucky Downs, Indiana Downs and Hoosier Park.

    Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010. The track will conduct its 2009 Fall Meet from Sunday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 28. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on November 5 and 6, 2010. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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.

Team Kentucky’s Gandolph Finch, ridden by Leandro Goncalves, took the lead leaving the backstretch and cruised to a 1 ¾-length victory in Sunday’s featured $49,280 Morluc Purse at Churchill Downs.

            Trained by Garry Simms, Gandolph Finch covered the five furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :57.74 to record his fourth victory in 19 starts.

            A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Sunday Break, Gandolph Finch rewarded his backers with mutuels of $18.60, $8 and $4.20. Echo in Eternity rallied for second under Shaun Bridgmohan to return $5.20 and $3.80 with Western Prospector finishing third in the field of nine under Calvin Borel and paying $3.20 to show.

            The victory was worth $30,580 and increased Gandolph Finch’s earnings to $68,881.

            Racing at Churchill Downs resumes Thursday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:45 p.m. EDT.

-30-