Dale Romans

Carolyn Wilson’s Arena Elvira outdueled longshot Afleeting Lady in deep stretch to grind out a win in the 96^th running of the $193,725 Falls City Handicap (Grade II) for fillies and mares by a neck on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Arena Elvira raced near the inside rail about two lengths behind pacesetters Juanita and Afleeting Lady as the former led the field of eight through fractions of :24.40, :49.04 and 1:12.83. The leaders got a jump on Arena Elvira on the final turn, but Alvarado switched her to the outside and she wore down the competition in deep stretch for the narrow win in 1:50.76 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast track.

“(Alvarado) made the right decision and went for the right spot leaving the quarter pole,” Mott said. “When they were turning for home, he had a choice to make of who to try to get in between and he selected the right spot.”

Alvarado suggested that despite winning his filly may not have handled the Churchill Downs dirt oval very well. “When we turned for home, she switched leads and I knew I had plenty of horse, but when she got real close to the other horse (Afleeting Lady) she didn’t really want to go by her,” Alvarado said. “I always thought I had enough horse to get there by the wire, though. She’s a nice filly. She ran great last time and ran well again today.”

Arena Elvira has won seven of her last nine starts – including four in a row – and seven of 12 overall. She collected her first graded stakes win in her previous start, the Turnback the Alarm (GIII) at Aqueduct on Nov. 4.

"We’ve brought her along very conservatively, never running in graded stakes until the last couple of times,” Mott said. “But it’s gotten her there. She’s got her confidence up and she’s handled every challenge.”

Arena Elvira is a Kentucky-bred daughter of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper out of the Twining mare Two Item Limit. The victory was worth $116,506 and increased Arena Elvira’s earnings to $391,436.

Sent to post as the even-money favorite, Arena Elvira, who carried 121 pounds, returned $4, $3 and $2.80. Afleeting Lady, who carried 116 pounds under Kent Desormeaux at odds of 13-1, returned $8 and $4.40 in finishing three lengths in front of It’s Tea Time, who paid $5.20 to show under Manny Cruz while tacking 116 pounds. Juanita, Super Espresso, Brushed by a Star, Secret File and Riviera Chic completed the order of finish. Spring Party and Ravi’s Song were scratched.

Mott, Churchill Downs’ all-time leader with 656 wins, is enjoying a dream Fall Meet beneath the Twin Spires. This was his fourth stakes win of the 21-day meeting. He also won the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic with Drosselmeyer; the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic with Royal Delta; and the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) with Deluxe. Overall, he leads all trainers with 84 local stakes wins, which is a dozen more than runner-up D. Wayne Lukas. This season, he boasts a record of 19-7-2-2—$4,144,208, which is good for a tie for fourth in the local trainer standings.

"It’s been good,” Mott said. “It’s not much fun when it doesn’t work out well, but it’s fun when it does work well.”

Arena Elvira also gave Mott his fourth win in the Falls City Handicap, one back of trainer Harvey Vanier’s record. Mott won the first division in 1985 with Donut’s Pride, the 1997 renewal with Feasibility Study and the 2000 edition with Bordelaise-ARG.

Racing resumes Friday with a 12-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). Highlighting the card is the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) that drew a field of 13. Post time for the Clark, the 11^th race on the program, is 5:42 p.m.

FALLS CITY HANDICAP QUOTES

Bill Mott (by telephone from New York), trainer of Arena Elvira (winner): Q: You had a choice of staying at Aqueduct to run in the Go for Wand or ship here for the Falls City, and your decision worked out … “We looked like we’d be competitive in either spot, but this race was at the nine furlongs that she’s been running at.  It worked out. Sometimes you get lucky. There was a plane coming on Tuesday, and it worked out well.”

Q: What is her future – will she run next year? “I would imagine. She’s only four. I guess she deserves a little bit of a break right now and we’ll bring her back later on. But she’s stepped up. We’ve brought her along very conservatively, never running in graded stakes until the last couple of times. But it’s gotten her there. She’s got her confidence up and she’s handled every challenge.”

Q: She had to fight today. It looked like she was going to run on by, then Afleeting Lady came back and she had to dig in again … “I thought it was good and the boy (jockey Junior Alvarado) rode her good. He made the right decision and went for the right spot leaving the quarter pole. When they were turning for home, he had a choice to make of who to try to get in between and he selected the right spot.”

Q: You’ve had a very good Fall Meet, with the two Breeders’ Cup wins and now this stakes win and a top five spot in the leading trainer standings …“It’s been good. It’s not much fun when it doesn’t work out well, but it’s fun when it does work well.”

Kenny McCarthy, assistant trainer to Bill Mott who trains Arena Elvira (winner): “We figured the five (Juanita) was the speed and thought we’d get a good comfortable spot with her. Certainly around the turn she looked like she was under a little pressure, but I thought once she straightened out in the lane and switched leads that she would really finish up. It was a little close at the end, but I think she proved her mettle at the end today.”

Q. What’s the upside for this filly? “She’s definitely going the right way, so the sky’s the limit.”

Q. This has definitely been a meet to remember, right? “Definitely. We kicked things off with Mr. (James) Karp’s filly (Anecdote) giving Mr. Mott his 650^th win at Churchill Downs and we’ve just rolled since then.”

Junior Alvarado, rider of Arena Elvira (winner): “She was kind of bobbling throughout and not really handling the track. When we turned for home, she switched leads and I knew I had plenty of horse, but when she got real close to the other horse (Afleeting Lady) she didn’t really want to go by her. I always thought I had enough horse to get there by the wire, though. She’s a nice filly. She ran great last time and ran well again today.”

Dale Romans, trainer of Afleeting Lady (runner-up): “She’s doing good. She’s just been an improving mare all summer and fall, so she just keeps getting better and better.”

Q: What about that finish – she looked like she was beat and then she came back …“It looked like she was going to back way up, then she surged again. But she just couldn’t hold her off. That’s a good filly that beat her. I think she’s going to be tough next year.”

Kent Desormeaux, rider of Afleeting Lady (runner-up): “She’s still a little green, so I think there’s room for improvement, which is exciting, you know?  She’ll gain some racing maturity from that race. The other one (winner Arena Elvira) had an edge in experience over her, and it looks like the light went on with the other one a long time ago. We’ll get her light turned on after today, hopefully.”

“Rusty” Arnold, trainer of It’s Tea Time (third): “I was happy with her race. She made a huge run around the turn. She might have hung a little bit, but I think that was because of the pace. I was pretty happy with it.”

Manny Cruz, rider of It’s Tea Time (third): “She ran a big race. We sat off the pace and she gave a lot to me in the end. The pace was a little slower than I hoped and that didn’t help me. Hopefully we’ll get a better pace next time.”

Frank Jones Jr.’s  Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, will carry top weight of 117 pounds Sunday when she faces six rivals in the 38^th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (Grade III) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Cardinal, won last year by Askbut I Won’ttell, will go as the 10th race on Sunday’s 11-race program with a 5:15 p.m. EDT post time. Post time for the first race on the Sunday program that closes out Breeders’ Cup weekend at the track is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Tapitsfly has run twice on the Matt Winn Turf Course in her career with her best finish coming in this spring’s Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) when she finished a neck behind My Baby Baby and Cardinal rival Ravi’s Song. Robby Albarado has the mount on Tapitsfly, who will break from post position five.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song is the next high weight at 116 pounds. Trained by Carl Bowman, Ravi’s Song followed up her Mint Julep runner-up finish with a second-place finish in the Matchmaker (GIII) at Monmouth Park. Corey Lanerie has the mount on Ravi’s Song, who will break from post position three.

An intriguing member of the Cardinal field is Juddmonte Farms’ Deluxe, trained by Bill Mott. The 4-year-old Storm Cat filly is a daughter of Hasili, who has produced five Group or Grade I winners including Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winners Banks Hill and Intercontinental.

Deluxe, winless in two U.S. starts, will carry 115 pounds and break from post position six under Julien Leparoux.

The Cardinald field, from the rail out, includes: A She’s Adorable (Brian Hernandez Jr., 115 pounds), Distorted Love (Miguel Mena, 114), Ravi’s Song (Lanerie, 116), Kiss Mine (Edgar Prado, 114), Tapitsfly (Albarado, 117), Deluxe (Leparoux, 116) and Mutually Benefit (Mark Guidry, 114).

UNCLE MO, OTHER BREEDERS’ CUP CONTENDERS ARRIVE FOR PLETCHER –Four Breeders’ Cup hopefuls trained by Todd Pletcher, led by Mike Repole’s probable Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic starters Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday at 9:52 a.m.

“Everyone arrived in excellent order,” said assistant trainer Michael McCarthy, who oversees the Churchill Downs barn for Pletcher, who is expected to be at the Louisville track Tuesday for training hours. “They all look great.”

Uncle Mo, the 2010 champion 2-year-old colt, returned to the Churchill Downs backstretch for the first time since missing this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) with a rare liver ailment. The bay son of Indian Charlie will enter the Classic off a dominating performance in the Kelso Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1.

Stay Thirsty, who captured the Jim Dandy (GII) and Travers (GI) at Saratoga this summer, finished third behind Flat Out and Drosselmeyer in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) in his first try versus older horses. In two races beneath the Twin Spires, Stay Thirsty was fifth behind his stablemate Uncle Mo in the 2010 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and 12^th in the Kentucky Derby.

Also arriving at Pletcher’s Barn 34 Monday morning were Repole’sStopshoppingmaria, who will pre-enter the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) or the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint following a runner-up performance in the Frizette (GI), and Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Finale, winner of the Summer (GIII) at Woodbine who will pre-enter the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII).

All four of the probable Breeders’ Cup starters breezed Sunday at Belmont Park prior to boarding the plane to Louisville Monday morning. Training plans for this week at Churchill Downs have not been finalized.

MY MISS AURELIA HEADS FIVE ASMUSSEN-TRAINED CUP HOPES ON WORK TAB – Unbeaten Grade I Frizette winner My Miss Aurelia led a parade of five Steve Asmussen-trained contenders for the Nov. 4-5 Breeders’ Cup World Championships who worked on Monday at Churchill Downs. 

Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s 2-year-old daughter of Smart Strike breezed five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01.40.  Exercise rider Carlos Rosas was in the saddle as the candidate for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) covered the distance fractional splits of :12.80, :24.80 and :36.80.  She galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20 after a five-furlong move that ranked 17^th among 60 at the distance.

“We’re extremely pleased with her,” said Asmussen.  “She’s been very special at every stage, and has looked the part and has come through.  Her talent was obvious, but the races that she’s run have shown another dimension.”

My Miss Aurelia has not run over the one-mile dirt oval at Churchill Downs, but she did train over the surface during the track’s Spring Meet.

Four other Asmussen trainees out of an expected seven-horse Breeders’ Cup contingent worked Monday beneath the Twin Spires.  The other workers were Dirt Mile (GI) contenders Tapizar and Wilburn; Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) hopeSabercat; and Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint contender Seeker.  Cathyand Bob Zollars’ Juvenile Turf (GI) contender Daddy Nose Best worked Sunday andVinery Stable’s Turf Sprint (GI) contender Regally Ready did not work this week after winning the Canadian Grade I Neartic at Woodbine on Oct. 16.

Asmussen said Kirk and Judy Robison’s She Digs Me is no longer being considered for the Juvenile Sprint and was not pre-entered for that race on Monday. 

Ron Winchell’s Tapizar, winner of the Robert B. Lewis (GII) at Santa Anita, worked just after the mid-morning maintenance break and breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40, the sixth-fastest move of the day. 

Rosas was up as the son of Tapit worked in fractions of :12, :35.60 and :48 and galloped out in 1:14.

Stonestreet Stable’s Wilburn, whose win in the Indiana Derby (GII) was his third consecutive triumph, worked five furlongs under Rosas in 1:00.80 prior to the break.

Wilburn completed his work in fractional times of :12.80, :24.20, :36.20 and :48.20, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20.  The move by the Bernardini colt was the eighth best of 60 at the distance.

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Sabercat worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 in company with stablemate Tritap.  Fractional times for the winner of Monmouth Park’s Garden State Stakes were :12.80, :24.60, :36.40 and :48.50.  The son of Bluegrass Cat finished on even terms with Tritap and galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.60.

Ron Winchell’s Seeker breezed five furlongs under jockey Julien Leparoux in 1:00.20.  The son of Hard Spun worked in company with stablemate Governor’s Bridge, starting the work about two lengths behind his workmate and finished up a length in front.

Fractional times were :24.60, :36.40 and :48 and Seeker galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.80.

With seven horses in its ranks, the Asmussen 2011 Breeders’ Cup team remains his largest to compete in the World Championships.  He saddled four horses in 2008 and a trio of starters in three other years.

“I’m happy with the group of them,” Asmussen said, “I feel that they’re very fresh, sound and happy at the right time.”

SWITCH WORKS FIVE FURLONGS IN 1:01.20 FOR BREEDERS’ CUP – With exercise rider Edwin Orozco up, C R K Stable’s Switch worked five furlongs over a fast track Monday morning in 1:01.20 for trainer John Sadler.

The first horse to work after the renovation break, Switch posted fractions of :12, :24.60, :36.80 and galloped out six furlongs 1:14.40.

“That was a nice work for her,” said Sadler, who left Switch in Kentucky after she ran third in the six-furlong Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland on Oct. 8. “She looks good and bright and she shipped well over here (last week). (Trainer) Mike(Stidham) had a video of her last work at Keeneland (a :47.40 half-mile breeze on Oct. 18), so I got to watch that work.” 

Switch finished second in last year’s seven-furlong Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI), but Sadler left the door open after the work Monday for a possible run in the 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI).

"I am going to talk to the owners (Lee and Susan Searing) and we may cross-enter in the Ladies’ Classic as well as the Sprint,” Sadler said.

A two-time Grade I winner at seven furlongs in her past two starts at the distance, Switch returned to sprinting in the TCA.

“The Keeneland race was a little short for her, but it was a good race,” Sadler said. “She made her run, but she just couldn’t get there. She was wide and the track was kind of speed favoring that day.”

Switch has run twice at the Ladies’ Classic distance this year, finishing second to Miss Match by a head in the Santa Margarita (GI) at Santa Anita and second to Blind Luckby a half-length in the Vanity (GI) at Hollywood Park.

OPTIMIZER, HAMAZING DESTINY WORK FOR LUKAS – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has saddled a record 18 Breeders’ Cup winners and compiled a record $20,005,520 in earnings at the World Championships and Monday morning he sent out his two hopefuls for the 28^th edition of the races.

Working first with jockey Robby Albarado aboard shortly after 6 o’clock wasBluegrass Hall’s homebred Optimizer, who covered five furlongs in 1:01.

Working in company with Conway, Optimizer started two lengths back and finished four lengths in front while compiling fractions of :12.60, :36.60 and out six furlongs in 1:16. The five-eighths time was the 11^th fastest of 60 at the distance.

Albarado came out in the next set on Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables’Hamazing Destiny, who worked a bullet half-mile in :46.20 on his own. Fractions for the move were :11.40, :22.80 and out five furlongs in 1:01.

“Both of them worked well,” Lukas said. “I was pleased with both.”

Hamazing Destiny ran second in the Grade I Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint here last year.

“He is doing as well as he can be and he is coming up to the race great,” Lukas said. “He has an affinity for this track.”

Lukas said that Optimizer would be pre-entered in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI), which would mark the English Channel colt’s debut on dirt.

“All of his races have been two turns,” Lukas said of Optimizer, who broke his maiden at first asking on turf at Saratoga and then ran second in the With Anticipation (GII) on turf before a third-place finish on Polytrack in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland. “He’s running on the dirt. The (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) Turf was not considered.”

CASSE WORKS STRING OF BREEDERS’ CUP HOPEFULS – It was a busy Monday morning for trainer Mark Casse as he sent out no fewer than three probable Breeders’ Cup starters to breeze beneath the Twin Spires for owner John Oxley.

The first horse to breeze for Casse was Prospective, a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling purchase who captured the Grade III Grey over the Polytrack at Woodbine. The 2-year-old son of Malibu Moon worked five furlongs in 1:02.

Starting four lengths behind his workmate Saturday Classic, Prospective recorded fractions of :13.60, :26.80, :38.60 and crossed the wire five lengths in front under Luis Contreras, who was aboard for the Grey triumph. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.

“He worked about as well as a horse can work,” Casse said. “When we brought him here (to Churchill Downs) we thought there was only a 10-percent chance we would enter him in the (Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup) Juvenile (GI), but he worked himself into the race. He reminded us a lot of Pool Play.” 

The Casse-trained Pool Play won the Stephen Foster Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) in his first start on dirt. Prospective debuted on turf and his next two starts have been on Polytrack.

Stepping on to the track shortly after the renovation break was Natalma (GIII) winnerNorthern Passion. Starting two lengths behind workmate Delightful Magic, a 2-year-old daughter of Mineshaft who only lost by a length to Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) hopeful My Miss Aurelia in her career debut, Northern Passion completed the work even with her stablemate in 1:02 under Contreras.

“We’re really happy with the work,” Casse said.

Northern Passion is likely to be cross-entered in the Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“If I had to make the decision right now, I would say we are leaning toward the (Juvenile Fillies) turf,” Casse said. “She worked very well over the dirt this morning, but we already know she handles the turf well.”

The last Oxley-Casse duo to hit the Churchill Downs track was Spirited Miss and Sky High Lady. Both horses are coming out of performances in the Mazarine on the Polytrack at Woodbine. Spirited Miss finished second by a head and Sky High Lady battled a troubled trip to finish fourth.

Under Contreras, Spirited Miss started three lengths behind Sky High Lady, guided byShaun Bridgmohan, and the two fillies crossed the wire together. Spirited Miss was credited with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 and Sky High Lady was clocked in 1:02.40. 

“Both horses worked well,” Casse said. “We are likely to cross-enter Spirited Miss in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Juvenile Fillies, but we’re leaning toward running her on the dirt. Most likely we wouldn’t enter her and Northern Passion in the same race.”

Sky High Lady, who has yet to break her maiden, might have also worked herself into the Breeders’ Cup like her stablemate Prospective.

“That was a really nice work and I might pre-enter her in the Juvenile Fillies after watching her this morning,” Casse said.

BARN TALK – Trainer Jim Baker said Monday morning that Darley Alcibiades (GI) runner-up Heart of Destiny would bypass the Breeders’ Cup in favor of Sunday’s Pocahontas (GII). “Our main goal is to have a good horse and a good broodmare,” Baker said of the homebred filly who is owned by Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr. “We are going to be conservative with her and the Breeders’ Cup would be too much too quick.”

WORK TAB – The first day of training on the Matt Winn Turf Course brought out several Breeders’ Cup hopefuls including two top contenders for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI): Pam and Marty Wygod and W.S. Farish’s Courageous Cat and Spendthrift Farm’s Court Vision. Courageous Cat, working in company with Clear Attempt for trainer Bill Mott, covered five furlongs on a course rated as “good” in 1:02.60, around the “dogs.” Starting three lengths in back of his workmate and finishing on even terms, Courageous Cat had fractions of :25.40, :38.60, :50.40 and out six furlongs in 1:17.40. Court Vision, trained by Dale Romans, worked five furlongs on his own in 1:02.80 with fractions of :25.40, :37.80, :50.40 and out six furlongs in 1:18. …

Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s homebred Country Day worked five furlongs for an expected start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) in 1:01.20 with jockey James Graham up. Trained by Steve Margolis, Country Day posted fractions of :12, :24, :37.20 and out six furlongs in 1:17.40. …

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Animal Spirits, winner of the Bourbon (GIII) at Keeneland (GIII) in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in company on even terms with Intercompany Loan in :52.60 on the turf. Fractions for the work were :28.20, :40.60 and out five furlongs in 1:07.20. Trained by Al Stall Jr., Animal Spirits is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII). …

Dell Ennis’ Hunt Crossing, a candidate for the $500,000 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, worked five furlongs in 1:02.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The move was the 46^th fastest of 60 at the distance. …

Several nominees for Sunday’s Pocahontas (GII) worked on the main track Monday morning. James Spence’s Aubby K, a 15 ½-length maiden winner last month at Belmont Park,  worked a half-mile in :49.20 (13^th best of 58) and Spendthrift Farm’sTrading Paint worked a half-mile in :52.20 (57^th fastest). Putting in five-furlong works were Schuylerville (GIII) winner Georgie’s Angel (1:02.20, 37^th fastest of 60) and Debutante (GIII) winner Flashy Lassie (1:05, 59^th fastest). Georgie’s Angel is owned bySheffer Racing Stable, Ronald Stocks, Betsy Wells and Kelly Weitsma; Barry King owns Flashy Lassie. …

Two nominees for Sunday’s Iroquois (GIII) worked Monday: Bluegrass Hall’sChalybeate Springs (half-mile in :50.80, 39^th fastest of 58), and Stewart Madison,Justin Querbes III and Al Stall Jr.’s Seven Lively Sins (half-mile in :48.60, 10^thfastest). …

Frank L. Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and nominated to the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) to be run Nov. 6, worked a half-mile on the turf in :49.40. Another Cardinal nominee working Monday morning was Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song, who worked five furlongs on the main track in :59.80, the fourth fastest of 60, for trainer Carl Bowman. …

Working five furlongs in 1:00.60 over a fast track at the Trackside Training Center wasKendall Hansen’s undefeated Hansen for trainer Mike Maker.

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.

 

Preston Stables’ Flat Out, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade I) and a leading contender for the $5 million Breeder’ Cup Classic (GI) on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs, displayed continued sharpness Saturday in a ‘bullet’ five-furlong work over his home track.

The 5-year-old son of Flatter stepped onto the “fast” one-mile oval at the home of the Kentucky Derby (GI) just after 7 a.m. (EDT) and then zipped five-eighths of a mile under jockey Greta Kuntzweiler in :59.80.  The work was the fastest of 46 moves at the distance on the crisp autumn morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by veteran Charles “Scooter” Dickey, Flat Out completed the work in fractional times of :12, :24, :35.80 and :47.60.  He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80 and seven-eighths in 1:28.80.

“We broke him off at five-eighths and he finished real strong up the stretch,” Dickey said.  “He cooled out good and he’s doing great right now.  I hope we can keep him going.”

Plagued by quarter cracks through most of his career, Flat Out has overcome those foot woes this year in what is easily the most successful campaign of his racing career.  He has run six times with a record of 2-3-0 and earnings of $992,613.  His career mark stands at 5-3-0 in 12 races with earnings of $1,109,713.

Along with victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Suburban (GII) at Belmont Park, he ran second to the 4-year-old filly Havre de Grace, the current future betting favorite for her expected run against males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, in the Woodward (GI) and was runner-up to expected Classic competitor Tizway in the Whitney (GI).  Both of those races were run at Saratoga.

Dickey plans two more works for Flat Out prior to the 1 ¼-mile Classic.

“There’ll probably be one more light work, and more kind of serious work,” Dickey said.  “But he’s fit and ready to go.”

If all goes well over the next three weeks, Flat Out will be the first Breeders’ Cup starter for the 70-year-old Dickey, whose training career spans 48 years.

“You can’t imagine how much fun it’s been,” Dickey said.  “It just keeps getting better.  We’ve waited on the horse and he’s rewarding us now and taking good care of us.  He’s just something to be around.”

Other possible Breeders’ Cup contenders to work on Saturday at Churchill Downs included Grade I winner Court Vision (possible for Mile), who breezed five furlongs in 1:02 under exercise rider Tammy Fox.  Spendthrift Farm’s 6-year-old son of Gulch, now trained by Dale Romans, ran fourth and fifth, respectively, to Goldikova in the last two renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Preston Stables’ Brooklyn (GII) winner Birdrun (Marathon) worked four furlongs in :48.80 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the all-time training leader at Churchill Downs.  The move was sixth fastest of 54 at the distance.

Glen Hill Farm’s Banned became the fifth horse in Churchill Downs history to sweep the track’s pair of stakes events for 3-year-olds on turf when he drew clear of Benergy in the stretch to win Saturday’s 36^th running of the Grade III, $106,215 Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi by two lengths. The Jefferson Cup was one of five stakes races on the 12-race Stephen Foster Day program, which was presented by Abu Dhabi.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano and trained by Tom Proctor, Banned clocked 1 1/16 miles on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated “yielding” in 1:43.66. By doing so, the 3-year-old joined Senor Tomas (1992), King Cugat (2000), Senor Swinger (2003) and Tizdejavu (2008) as the only horses to complete the American Turf-Jefferson Cup double. The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten’s Joy out of the Capote mare Cadinalli collected his first stakes victory on the May 6 Kentucky Oaks undercard with a 4 ½-length romp in the Grade II, $237,400 American Turf Presented by Ram.

Banned, sent to post as the odds-on 1-5 favorite, only had three rivals Saturday. Redboard broke from the gate on top, with a hard-pulling Banned in second, and took the field through fractions of :24.69, :49.31 and 1:13.58. Banned made his winning move on the final turn, took the lead at the top of the stretch in 1:37.38 for the mile and drew clear in deep stretch under a hand ride.

“I was really confident in him coming into the race, but the four horse field scared me,” Proctor said. “Too many things can happen in a small field that will make you not get there.”

Banned paid $2.60 and $2.10. There was no show wagering. Benergy, ridden by Javier Casteallano, returned $3. Perregaux, under Robby Albarado, was another 3 ¼ lengths behind in third and pacesetter Redboard was another 2 ¼ lengths back in last. Live in Joy, Dream Warrior, Swagger Jack and Great Mills were scratched.

Banned improved his record to 4-0-1 from seven starts. The $67,890 winner’s share 

JEFFERSON CUP QUOTES

Tom Proctor, trainer of Banned (winner): “I don’t know how good he is yet. Opinions don’t matter in horse racing. You put them in the gate and they tell you how good they are. I was really confident in him coming into the race, but the four horse field scared me. Too many things can happen in a small field that will make you not get there.

"I think the logical choice is to take him to Arlington or Virginia now…or we may even take him to Del Mar. (Owner) Mr. (Leonard) Lavin is a big California guy so he may push for us to run out there.”

Jose Lezcano, jockey of Banned (winner): “He is a very nice horse and has a lot of talent. He broke good and sat comfortable and then went very well at the end. I felt like a winner the whole time.”

Dale Romans, trained of Benergy (runner-up): “I think he’s a good colt.  I’m very proud of the way he ran. He’s improving every race. I think (Banned) is probably the best 3-year-old turf horse in the country right now, but I think our horse even wants to run a little further.”

 

Javier Castellano, jockey of Benergy (runner-up): “He ran excellent. I loved the way he did it today. He settled behind horses and split horses at the right time and the right place, and he took off. Unfortunately, the winner looked a little better on paper and he showed up today. When his jockey asked him, he (Banned) took off. But I’m very satisfied with him – it was a great performance.”

 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.

MUSKETIER READY FOR TOP EFFORT IN LOUISVILLE HANDICAP – It’s scarce to find a multiple graded stakes-winning, un-gelded horse still competing at age 9, let alone in top company, but Musketier-GER, fresh off back-to-back wins in the Elkhorn (GII) at Keeneland, has been installed as the 122-pound high weight and 9-5 favorite for Saturday’s 74^th running of the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs.  

The German-bred horse has been competing on the racetrack for seven years. Heck, he’s been around so long that gas prices averaged $1.87 when he made his Aug. 3, 2004 debut at Deauville in France. One might think that such a veteran would have lost a step; however, trainer Roger Attfield believes his horse is in top form.

“I haven’t had a chance to take a long look at the field yet,” said Attfield, who will also start Simmard in the Louisville Handicap. “But I know my horse (Musketier) is healthy and well and he’s been training very nicely for this race.”

Jesus Castanon, who rode Shackleford to a Preakness (GI) victory last week, will be aboard Musketier for the first time Saturday afternoon.

“His rider from last time (John Velazquez) was unavailable and I needed to find another rider,” Attfield said. “I’ve known Dennis Cooper (Castanon’s agent) for a long time and I know Castanon is a good jockey. We’ve had success together before and so I decided to go with him again.”

Castanon, who has ridden four mounts to victory at the meet, is well aware of Musketier’s class and ability.

“I don’t know a whole lot about the horse, but I know he’s really good,” Castanon said.

Castanon’s agent is also looking forward to Saturday’s race as the Louisville Handicap has been on his radar for some time.

“There aren’t too many races (1 ½ miles on turf) for a horse like that and I thought he might run in this one,” Cooper said. “I called Roger (Attfield) a long time ago and asked about getting this mount. He’s a great horse and we’re ready to roll.”

 

PADDY O’PRADO’S CONNECTIONS LOOK TO REPEAT SUCCESS WITH O’PRADO AGAIN – Just days after celebrating a win in the Dixie (GII) at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard, the connections of Paddy O’Prado were forced to retire their Grade I-winning colt after x-rays revealed a sesamoid injury. Although Paddy O’Prado’s retirement is a major blow to the barn, the duo of Donegal Racing and Dale Romans has been encouraged by the progress of a pair of promising 2-year-old colts.  

One of the colts, O’Prado Again, is named in honor of Paddy O’Prado. The $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase descends from the same family as First Samurai, winner of the Champagne Stakes (GI) and Hopeful Stakes (GI) as a 2-year-old in 2005. Romans is excited about O’Prado Again’s abilities and thinks the colt will make his debut before meet’s end.

“He’s a really nice horse,” Romans said. “I like him a lot.”

The son of El Prado, out of the Pulpit mare Leh She Run, might have a liking for the turf much like his namesake, who recorded all five of his wins on the lawn.

“He’s one that I think will be better on the grass,” Romans said.

The other 2-year-old is Dullahan, a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing purchased the colt at the Keeneland September sale for $250,000.

Romans, who worked Dullahan five furlongs from the gate Wednesday in 1:02.60 on a fast Churchill Downs track, is looking forward to seeing the colt run in the afternoon.

“He’s a good one,” Romans said. “He’s definitely one to watch.”

RETIRED BRASS HAT TO BE HONORED SATURDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Fred Bradley’s homebred Brass Hat – one of the greatest rags-to-riches stars in the history of Kentucky racing – will get a fond farewell from fans and the people closest to him during a Saturday ceremony at Churchill Downs.

            Churchill Downs’ farewell to Brass Hat is scheduled after Saturday’s fifth race, which is set for a post time of 2:55 p.m. (Eastern).  Brass Hat will make the trip to the Churchill Downs paddock with the horses that will run in the fifth, and the veteran star will remain in the paddock while the race is run.  The ceremony honoring Brass Hat and his connections will be conducted in the winner’s circle following the race.

            Trainer Buff Bradley, the owner/breeder’s son, announced this week that the 10-year-old gelded son of Prized would head into retirement.  The younger Bradley described Brass Hat on Friday as a “blue collar horse” who had become a hero and favorite to many racing fans.  Bradley said Brass Hat had been training well for a campaign at 10, but he decided it was time for Brass Hat to head back to the family’s farm near Frankfort.

            “He still really has the want-to,” Bradley said.  “If he was ready to run in the Louisville Handicap tomorrow, he’d be in the starting gate.  But he’s not ready and I thought it would just take too much time to get him ready to compete this year.”

            The Bradleys could never be accused of being overly ambitious with Brass Hat, who started his career as a 3-year-old in a race for $15,000 claiming horses on Jan. 29, 2004 at Turfway Park.  He finished second that day at odds of 32-1, but two starts later scored his first career victory in a 38-1 upset in Turfway’s $100,000 Rushaway Stakes.  By the end of his first racing season Brass Hat had also collected victories in the Ohio Derby (GII) and Indiana Derby (GII).

            He rebounded successfully from two major injuries during his career to compile a record of 10-8-5 in 40 races with earnings of $2,173,561.  Other highlights included victories at five in the Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park and the New Orleans Handicap (GII) at Fair Grounds.  Brass Hat also won the $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap in 2007 and the 2005 Prairie Bayou at Turfway Park.  He shifted almost exclusively to the grass late in his career and scored emotional victories for the Bradleys in Churchill Downs’ Louisville Handicap (GIII) in 2009 and a major win as a 9-year-old in last year’s Sycamore (GIII) at Keeneland. 

            His numbers would be even more glittering had Brass Hat not been disqualified from a runner-up finish in the 2007 running of the $5 million Dubai World Cup (GI) at Nad Al Sheba.  He was disqualified after that race because of a medication violation on that international journey that the younger Bradley disputes to this day. 

          “It will be an emotional day, but no more emotional than watching him any other day,” Bradley said of his veteran star’s Saturday farewell.  “It has been so special to watch and be around this horse, especially in later years when he won the Louisville Handicap here and won the Sycamore at Keeneland last year at nine.  All my barn crew is going to walk over to the paddock with him, so I’ll get to share the moment with them.”

 

BARN TALK – Trainer Dale Romans has confirmed that Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image will be entered in Monday’s 8^th running of the Winning Colors (GIII). The 4-year-old daughter of Broken Vow captured the Humana Distaff (GI) here in her last start as part of the Kentucky Derby (GI) undercard. …

            Romans galloped Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and said he’d firm the colt’s travel plans to New York on Friday afternoon. “It looks like he’ll leave here for Belmont on Saturday or Sunday and I need to decide if he’ll go by plane or van.” …

Romans couldn’t help but chuckle when he received a text message from a friend that included a picture of a congratulatory sign outside his alma mater, Butler High School, which is located just 3 ½ miles from Churchill Downs in the south end of Louisville. The sign read: Dale Romans: Preakness Winner, Butler Grad. “For four years, all they did was to try and kick me out,” Romans said. “Now that I’ve won the Preakness with Shackleford, they’ve got open arms and they’re showing me love!” …

Robby Albarado won the ninth race Thursday aboard Attractive Ride for trainer Merrill Scherer. The win was Albarado’s 915^th at Churchill Downs and moved him past Larry Melancon (914) for fourth place in career victories under the Twin Spires behind Pat Day (2,482), Calvin Borel (1,046) and Don Brumfield (925). …

After today, two Friday twilight programs (2:45 p.m. ET) remain during the Spring Meet and both include live music after the races in conjunction with the new five-week Paddock Concert Series: Corey Chisel and the Wandering Sons on June 3 and Wax Fang on June 10. “Downs After Dark” night racing with a 6 p.m. ET first post will return in earnest for the final three Fridays of the meet on June 17, June 24 and July 1. …

Nominations close Saturday for the 35^th running of the $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course. Hot Cha Cha won the 2010 Early Times Mint Julep. … 

MEET LEADERS - Shaun Bridgmohan and Corey Lanerie entered Friday’s program tied atop the jockey standings with 15 wins apiece, and were followed by Calvin Borel (12), Julien Leparoux (12), Miguel Mena (11), Jon Court (10) and Kent Desormeaux (10). …

The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 19-26) are Lanerie (9-for-33), Mena (8-for-28) and Borel (7-for-33). …

There’s a three-way tie atop the trainer standings with seven wins each between Tom Amoss, Steve Asmussen and Romans. They’re followed by Eddie Kenneally (5), Steve Margolis (5), Bob Baffert (4), Jim Baker (4), Greg Foley (4), Tim Glyshaw (4), Wayne Lukas (4), Mike Maker (4), Merrill Scherer (4) and Ian Wilkes (4). … 

Lukas’ clients, Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack, top the owner standings with four winners. They collected win No. 4 in Thursday’s fourth race when Manhattan Man collected his second win of the Spring Meet. The other two-time winning-horses this season are Distorted Love, She’s an Alpha Gam, Shot of Kela and Valid Citizen. …

WORK TAB – Carl R. Moore Management LLC’s Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) at Churchill Downs in November, worked four furlongs over a good Churchill Downs track on Friday morning in :49.80 for trainer Bret Calhoun. …

            Right Time Racing LLC’s two Kentucky Oaks (GI) starters Bouquet Booth and Street Storm both worked four furlongs over a good track for trainer Steve Margolis in :49.20 after the renovation break. …

            Tom McCarthy’s multiple GI-winner General Quarters went to the track shortly after the renovation break. The 5-year-old gray son of Sky Mesa worked five furlongs in 1:03.20 over a good track.

WEATHER - After a tumultuous week of rain and severe weather, the National Weather Service forecast for Louisville calls for clearing and sunny skies through Memorial Day: Friday, cloudy, 67; Saturday, partly sunny, 83; Sunday, sunny, 90; and Monday, sunny, 91.

KEERTANA HOPES TO MAKE HISTORY IN LOUISVILLE HANDICAP – Trainer Tom Proctor is confident that his mare Keertana can hold her own Saturday against males in the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap (Grade III) at 1 ½ miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

            “There’s a pretty good mare that’s won the last few Breeders’ Cup Mile races (Goldikova),” Proctor said. “If a mare is good enough then she can beat the boys. I could have shipped her and not run against the males, but I wanted to run her where I’m based; here at Churchill Downs.”

Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, a 5-year-old mare who won Keeneland’s Bewitch (GIII) last time out and finished a fast-closing third to Shared Account in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) at Churchill Downs, will take on nine male rivals. No filly or mare has won any of the previous 73 runnings of the Louisville Handicap.

Keertana’s major opposition could come from Stella Perdomo’s Musketier, a German-bred Canadian invader trained by Roger Attfield and the Louisville Handicap’s high weight at 122 pounds. Musketier, who has won the last two renewals of Keeneland’s Elkhorn Handicap (GII) for Attfield, will be ridden by Jesus Castanon.

“The Attfield horse that’s won the last two Elkhorns is going to be really tough,” Proctor said. “There are some nice horses in this field, but he (Musketier) is definitely the horse to beat.”

Other major players include Frank Mancari’s defending winner Free Fighter, who has failed to win in eight races since his 12-1 upset in the 2010 Louisville; Michael Bruder’s Guys Reward, a recent allowance winner at Churchill Downs who finished second for trainer Dale Romans at odds of 40-1 in last year’s Commonwealth Turf (GIII) won by Yankee Fourtune; and Lothenbach Stable’s Bearpath, runner-up to Free Fighter in last year’s Louisville Handicap and second to Telling in the 2010 Sword Dancer Invitational (GI) at Saratoga.

            “It’s definitely a tough race,” Proctor said. “But she’s fit and she’s ready to ready to go.”

POTENTIAL BELMONT STARTERS TRAINING AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – A handful of horses based at Churchill Downs are under consideration for the $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI), the third and final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.  

Mike Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge’s homebred Shackleford returned to the Churchill Downs backstretch Sunday morning, the day after his triumph in the $1 million Preakness (GI). Trainer Dale Romans will train Shackleford as if he is going to start in the Belmont. The 3-year-old son of Forestry is expected to ship to New York in the next couple of days and will have a workout over the Belmont track before a final decision is made.

Tom Walters’ Santiva, who is probable to start in the final jewel of the Triple Crown, is scheduled to work on the main track Friday morning. Bad weather could delay the work until Saturday. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Santiva finished sixth in his last race, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

Donald Adam’s Prime Cut worked four furlongs in :50.20 over a fast Churchill Downs main track Wednesday morning. Trainer Neil Howard lists Prime Cut as “possible” for the Belmont. “We may run, but I want to see who else is going to be in there before I make a decision,” Howard said.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Nehro, runner-up to Animal Kingdom in Kentucky Derby 137, also is under consideration.

The 143^rd running of the Belmont Stakes will take place Saturday, June 11 at Belmont Park. The Bill Mott-trained Drosselmeyer won the 2010 Belmont for WinStar Farm.

BARN TALK – Former jockey Mark Guidry has made a return to the Churchill Downs backstretch to exercise horses for trainer Dale Romans. Guidry, who retired from riding at the conclusion of the 2007 Churchill Downs Fall Meet, is 19^th all-time in career Churchill Downs victories. Guidry’s biggest win under the Twin Spires came when he rode Lemons Forever to win the Kentucky Oaks (GI) in 2006. …  

Jockey Corey Lanerie led all riders last week with eight wins. Lanerie, who has 14 wins at the meet, is second in the jockey standings behind Shaun Bridgmohan with 15 wins. …

Nominations close Saturday for the 35^th running of the $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Saturday, June 11. Hot Cha Cha won the 2010 Early Times Mint Julep.

THIS WEEK - The extended holiday weekend of racing at Churchill Downs will feature two graded stakes races, a post-race concert and happy hours, a handicapping contest and three days of Junior Jockey Club events for the kiddos. …

Racing through Monday’s special Memorial Day program will begin daily at 12:45 p.m. ET, with the exception of Friday’s twilight card that begins at 2:45 p.m. ET. …

This week’s featured performer for Friday night’s Paddock Concert Series is Dawn Landes and the Hounds. Brooklyn-based Landes, who was born in Kentucky and raised in Louisville, recently released her fourth album entitled Sweet Heart Rodeo. Her voice, as pure and ringing as any folk, country or indie-rock diva, has been compared to icons Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin. The concert will begin shortly after the final race around 8 p.m. ET. General admission will be its usual $3 until 7 p.m. but will increase to $10 thereafter. Reserved ticket packages, including a $20 ticket to the Budweiser Select Balcony, which features front-row access, a prime undercover balcony overlooking the paddock and stage, extended drink specials throughout the night and a special gift from Budweiser Select, are available for purchase online at ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets. …

Friday Happy Hours presented by Budweiser Select will take place in the paddock area from 6-8:15 p.m., with $2 Budweiser products, frozen specialty drinks and hot dogs showcased. The music of Eight Inch Elvis will entertain paddock patrons between races

            Saturday’s 11-race card is highlighted by the Grade III, $100,000-added Louisville Handicap, a 1 ½-mile turf test for older horses. It will run as Race 10 at 5:29 p.m. …

            There’ll be three days of crafts and games for children aged 3-10 at Churchill Downs’ Junior Jockey Club located near the Guest Services Booth inside Gate. 10. It’ll be open Saturday through Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Churchill Downs’ mascot Churchill Charlie will be on hand for photographs between 2-2:30 p.m. …

On Sunday, the adults can have their own fun and games in the “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest. It continues each Sunday through June 12 in the Champions Club Lounge with $4,000 in prize money and a coveted first prize package of $1,500 and a spot to compete in the Horse Player World Series each week. The entry fee is $25 (or 25,000 Twin Spires Club points). …

Monday’s special Memorial Day program will feature the Grade III, $100,000-added Winning Colors. Entries for the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares will be taken Friday.