Bobby Flay

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay hopes for a Thanksgiving Day feast at Churchill Downs when his 4-year-old filly Super Espresso faces nine rivals in the 96^th running of the $175,000-added Falls City Handicap (Grade II), the centerpiece of the annual holiday program at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

The Falls City, which was won last year by Dundalk 5 LLC’s Dundalk Dust, is scheduled to be the 11^th event on Thursday’s 12-race holiday program with a post time of 4:24 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the first race on Thanksgiving Day is 11:30 a.m.

The Falls City is one of four stakes races created in 1875 by Churchill Downs founder Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark for the inaugural meet of the track then known as the Louisville Jockey Club.  Clark’s original stakes schedule included the Kentucky Derby on Monday, the Kentucky Oaks on Wednesday, the Falls City on Thursday and the Clark Handicap on the Saturday’s closing-day.

The Falls City will be the second consecutive start on the main track beneath Churchill Downs’ historic Twin Spires for Super Espresso.  In her most recent start the daughter of Medaglia D’Oro ran seventh to Royal Delta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (GI) on Nov. 4.  A $1.1 million Keeneland September yearling purchase, Super Espresso captured the Allaire DuPont Distaff (GIII) at Pimlico prior to competing in  a string of five straight Grade I events leading up to the Falls City.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who won the 2005 Falls City with Indian Vale, Super Espresso will break from post eight under jockey Javier Castellano as the race’s 121-pound co-highweight.

Flay is seeking his first victory in a Churchill Downs stakes race, although has does own a major stakes win at the Louisville track.  His 2-year-old filly More Than Ready won last year’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) over Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course, and his 3-year-old filly Her Smile ran third to Musical Romance in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at the Louisville track on Nov. 4.

Also slated to carry121 pounds in Thursday’s Falls City is Carolyn Wilson’s Arena Elvira, who sports a three-race winning streak highlighted by a 6 ¾-length victory in her most recent outing in Aqueduct’s Turnback the Alarm Handicap (GIII). She is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs who previously won the Falls City with Donut’s Pride in 1985, Feasibility Study in ’97 and its 2000 running with Bordelaise (ARG).

Arena Elvira drew the rail post for the Falls City and is scheduled to be ridden by Junior Alvarado, but Mott’s New York-based filly might not make the trip to Louisville.  The 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper was cross-entered in the Go for Wand (GII) at Aqueduct, which will be run on Friday.

The field for the Falls City, from the rail out, is as follows: Arena Elvira (Alvarado, 121 pounds), It’s Tea Time (Manny Cruz, 116), Riviera Chic (Jesus Castanon, 115), Spring Party (Ben Creed, 114), Juanita (Edgar Prado, 116), Brushed by a Star (Brian Hernandez Jr., 111), Secret File (Julien Leparoux, 115), Super Espresso (Castellano, 121), Afleeting Lady (Kent Desormeaux, 114) and Ravi’s Song (Corey Lanerie, 117).  

GIANT RYAN HAS EASY WORK; TEST TIME FOR TRINNIBERG ON THURSDAY – The plan for Shivananda Parbhoo was to have his two Breeders’ Cup hopefuls, Giant Ryan and Trinniberg, work on Thursday morning after the break.

Mother Nature did not get the memo.

Lighter than expected rain overnight coupled with light drizzle during training hours left the track in “wet-fast” condition and Parbhoo in a quandary with more rain scheduled the next 24 hours in the Louisville area.

“I didn’t know the track would be so good this morning,” Parbhoo said. “I sent (Trinniberg) out early without company and I had no company lined up for him at that time.”

After the break, Giant Ryan breezed an easy three furlongs on his own with exercise rider Sabastian Garcia aboard in :39.20. Clockers got Giant Ryan in :12.60 for the first eighth of a mile and galloping out a half-mile in :53.60.

"I just wanted him to get used to the track and I told the rider to really slow him down and not go too fast,” Parbhoo said. “The next work next week is more important. He’ll go a half-mile and gallop out a strong five-eighths.”

Giant Ryan will enter the Grade I, $1.5 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint on a six-race win streak that is highlighted by victories in the GII Smile Sprint Handicap and the GI Vosburgh.

As for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint candidate Trinniberg, he will have company tomorrow morning for a key work.

“He will breeze the best he can and show me what he is all about,” said Parbhoo, who would have to ante up $100,000 to supplement Trinniberg to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint. “I am in it to win, not run second. If he is not up to the standard to win, he’s not going."

Trinniberg, who is nominated to the GIII Iroquois to be run here on Oct. 30, finished second in his most recent start in the GII Nashua and prior to that was second in the GI Hopeful. He is scheduled to work a half-mile Thursday with Willie Martinez slated to be aboard.

CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE FIRES BULLET FIVE-EIGHTHS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP TURF SPRINT – Carl Moore Management LLC’s Chamberlain Bridge, defending champion in the GII Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, tuned up for an expected repeat bid Wednesday morning by working a bullet five furlongs on the main track in :59 with jockey Jamie Theriot up.

Working shortly after the track opened at 6 o’clock on a surface labeled as “wet-fast”, Chamberlain Bridge recorded fractions of :11.80, :23.40, :35.40, :47 and out six furlongs in 1:13.80. The five-furlong time was 1.4 seconds better than the next fastest time.

“You can’t do any better than that,” Theriot said. “I think he has a big, big chance.”

Theriot rode Chamberlain Bridge to victory in last year’s Breeders’ Cup, a day after winning the GI Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with Dubai Majesty, also for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Theriot was confident about Chamberlain Bridge’s chances last year, “but Dubai Majesty, she was doing so good, but she was 0-for-7 at the (seven-furlong) distance and it was a tough spot.”

In the 27-year history of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, riders have won the same race in consecutive years 18 times with seven coming with the same mount. The Turf Sprint has had only three runnings and no rider has repeated.

“The (prospective) field doesn’t look as a deep as last year,” said Theriot, who also has been Chamberlain Bridge’s regular rider for works. “There were some tough horses in there last year.”

BARN TALK – Bobby Flay’s Her Smile, winner of the Grade I Prioress at Belmont Park this year, will be pointed to the GII, $150,000 Chilukki, which is to be contested at one mile on the main track beneath the Twin Spires on the undercard of Breeders’ Cup Saturday. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Her Smile finished sixth after a troubled trip in the Charles Town Oaks in her most recent start. …

Dark Thunder, winner of four consecutive sprints in New York, will be pointed to the $85,000 The Jimmy V, which is scheduled to be run on the undercard of Breeders’ Cup Friday. Also trained by Pletcher, Dark Thunder captured the Island Whirl Stakes at Saratoga by 5 ¾ lengths. …

General Quarters, a multiple Grade I winner of more than $1.2 million, is likely to appear next in the GII Fayette going 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack at Keeneland on Oct. 29. He is stabled at Churchill Downs in Barn 37. …

Nominations for four graded stakes races to be run at Churchill Downs over Breeders’ Cup weekend will close today (Wednesday). The eighth running of the GIII, $100,000 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 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 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 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.

Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay knows his recipes – and his horses. The host of the Food Network’s Emmy-awarding winning television show, “Boy Meets Grill,” is no stranger to the horse racing scene, having owned racehorses for a number of years after developing an affinity for the sport.

Flay’s latest connection to the Sport of Kings comes as official host and spokesperson for Kentucky Derby Party (www.kentuckyderby.com/party), a new program launched this spring by Churchill Downs Incorporated designed to connect millions of Kentucky Derby fans worldwide who enjoy hosting annual Kentucky Derby parties on the first Saturday in May.

“The Kentucky Derby is a one-of-a-kind springtime sports party that showcases a unique blend of food, fashion and Southern hospitality against the backdrop of America’s oldest continuously held sporting event,” Flay said. “As a horse racing enthusiast, I love attending the Kentucky Derby in person, and I also enjoy throwing Kentucky Derby parties for family and friends. I am excited to work with Churchill Downs Incorporated on the launch of its official Kentucky Derby Party program and Web site, which offers party hosts and hostesses everything they need to know about Kentucky Derby entertaining.”

“Churchill Downs is thrilled to partner with Chef Bobby Flay on our Kentucky Derby Party program, as we look for ways to extend the Kentucky Derby experience to sports fans around the world,” said Casey Cook, senior director of marketing for Churchill Downs Incorporated. “The Kentucky Derby has a tremendous following because it’s more than just a sporting event. The Derby encompasses fantastic cuisine, eye-catching fashion and lavish entertaining – as well as the ‘Greatest Two Minutes in Sports’.

“Through our Kentucky Derby Party program, Churchill Downs hopes to reach out to the millions of party hosts and hostesses scheduling annual Kentucky Derby parties and assist them with a party planning ideas,” Cook continued. “From official party invitations, to menu and beverage options, to games and party favors, to ways guests can actually wager on the Kentucky Derby through Churchill Downs’ official online wagering platform, TwinSpires.com, we want to help horse racing fans around the world bring the Derby home to their friends and families.”

Party hosts and hostesses can visit the official Kentucky Derby Party Web site, Kentuckyderby.com/party to register their event as an “official” Derby party and to send out free electronic invitations to guests. The site also features tips for throwing a Derby party, including recipes and menu ideas from Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay; examples of traditional Derby hats and attire; an online Kentucky Derby Party store offering a variety of party packages; and a social networking platform with blogs, photo and video uploads so partygoers around the world can share their Kentucky Derby experience.

Kentucky Derby Party hosts and their guests can also enter a contest for a chance to attend the 2009 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and walk the official Kentucky Derby Red Carpet with Derby celebrities. Winners of the 2008 contest will be announced as part of the festivities for Kentucky Derby 134 on Saturday, May 3. For more information, or to register your Kentucky Derby Party, visit www.kentuckyderby.com/party.

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 134th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2008. The track’s 2008 Spring Meet runs from April 26 through July 6. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record six times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.