Robby Albarado

Anstu Stables’ Blues Street rallied from behind with a four-wide move around the final turn and kicked clear of his seven rivals in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 34th running of the $111,000 River City Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by 4 ½ lengths over longshot Allie’s Event.

Robby Albarado rode the winner for his fourth River City Handicap triumph. He also won back-to-back renewals in 2001-02 with Dr. Kashnikow and the 2005 edition aboard America Alive. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day holds the River City record with six victories (1982, ’84, ’86, ’91, ’99 and 2000).

Blues Street, a 7-year-old Street Cry gelding trained by Eddie Kenneally, clocked 1 1/8 miles over “firm” going in 1:51.72, which is the slowest River City Handicap in 23 runnings at that distance on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The stakes record is 1:47.90 established by Dr. Kashnikow in 2001.

The River City was Blues Street’s 10th victory in 30 starts and first stakes victory since capturing the Grade II Marvin Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds in March 2010.

“He handled the turf,” Kenneally said. “There was a little give in the ground, even though it was listed as firm. He relaxed nicely behind the pace and he’s got a lot of class – he’s got a lot of back class, this horse. He’s good right now and it worked out well.”

Zimmer, the largest price in the betting at 18-1, led the field of older horses for three-quarters of a mile through fractions of :24.40, :49.29 and 1:14.20. Blues Street only had Allie’s Event beat down the backstretch. As the leaders began to falter into the far turn, Blues Street loomed with a wide rally in the clear to move into contention. He grabbed the lead with a furlong to run and widened his margin in deep stretch.

Eddie gave me the best instructions,” Albarado said. “He said he loves to be on the outside of horses and it was perfect the way it set up with all of the speed in the race. It kind of stretched the race out a little bit. I was just perched on the outside and when he made the lead he kept going. He didn’t wait for anyone.”

Blues Street, the 5-2 second choice and tacking 117 pounds, paid $7.40, $5 and $3.60. Allie’s Event, ridden by Leandro Goncalves at 114, returned $8.60 and $5.80. Gleam of Hope, also 117 with Corey Lanerie up, finished third, 1 ¼ lengths behind the runner-up after being jostled between horses at the start, and paid $4.

Tajaaweed, the 9-5 favorite and 119-pound starting high weight, finished fourth and was followed by Bergerac, Cherokee Lord, Zimmer and Plutonium.

The $66,756 first prize jumped Blues Street’s earnings to $647,383 for Stuart Subotnick, who races under the nom de course Anstu Stables. The Kentucky-bred’s record is 10-7-3 in 30 races.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. EST. The card features a Pick 6 carryover of $3,311 on Races 5-10 and a Super Hi-5 carryover of $7,311 in the finale.

RIVER CITY HANDICAP QUOTES

Robby Albarado, jockey on Blues Street (winner): “(Trainer) Eddie (Kenneally) gave me the best instructions. He said he loves to be on the outside of horses and it was perfect the way it set up with all of the speed in the race. It kind of stretched the race out a little bit. I was just perched on the outside and when he made the lead he kept going. He didn’t wait for anyone.”

Eddie Kenneally, trainer of Blues Street (winner): “He handled the turf course good. He had run one time over this turf course and he didn’t run bad, and it was a Grade I race here on Derby Day a couple of years ago (a fifth-place finish behind General Quarters and Court Vision in the 2009 running of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic). He handled the turf. There was a little give in the ground, even though it was listed as firm. He relaxed nicely behind the pace and he’s go a lot of class, he’s got a lot of back class, this horse. He’s good right now and it worked out well.”

Q: He’s raced sparingly. Has he had any particular issues? “He’s a 7-year-old, he’s going to be eight.  So he doesn’t need to race very often. When we ran him opening day at Keeneland, the plan was to give him six weeks and run him back in this race. The timing is ideal – I think six weeks is perfect for a horse like him. He gives everything when he runs, so there’s no real need to run him so often. But he doesn’t really have any issues.  He’s just an older horse that needs time, and to run his best race he needs to be fresh.”

Q: Robby said you gave him great instructions and said to keep him outside of horses? “He’s a one-run kind of a horse, and in some of his previous races when he didn’t have an option to go out and the rider chose to go up the middle or the inside and he got stopped. He just doesn’t start real quick. He’s a one-run kind of horse and when he gains momentum, he doesn’t need to be stopped and you’ve got a better shot of not being stopped when you go widest of all. Robby rode him to a T.”

Mike Stidham, trainer of Gleam of Hope (third at 6-1) – “He (Gleam of Hope) ran a decent race. He got bounced around leaving the gate. (Jockey) Corey (Lanerie) said he handled the course all right.”

Dan Peitz, trainer of Tajaaweed (fourth as 9-5 favorite) – He (Tajaaweed) had a rough trip. He was covered up and every time it looked like he had a spot to run someone would run up on the outside of him. We were probably running for second money, though. The winner was pretty impressive. I think with a better trip we could have been second.”

Jesus Castanon, jockey on Tajaaweed (fourth as 9-5 favorite) – “You either get racing luck or you don’t. I had him (Tajaaweed) covered up and thought I had a good shot at the five-sixteenths pole. He gave me a little kick, but he needed to give me more.”

GIANT RYAN, TRINNIBERG TURN IN SECOND CHURCHILL DOWNS WORKS – Shivananda Parbhoo’s Giant Ryan was scheduled to work Wednesday morning about 8:30 after the renovation break, but the 5-year-old did not want to wait that long.

“He was active in his stall this morning and we didn’t want him to hurt himself,” trainer Bisnath Parboo said of the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) hopeful. “He was ready.”

So, at 6:20 with Willie Martinez aboard, the winner of six consecutive races including the Grade I Vosburgh, went to the track where he turned in a half-mile work in :48.60, seventh fastest of 25 at the distance on a track labeled fast. Giant Ryan, who was working on his own, was clocked in fractions of :12, :24, :36 and out five furlongs in 1:02.40.  “We wanted :48 and out in 1:01 or 1:02, so we got what we wanted,” Parboo said. “He’s not tired at all. We may do a little something (next week before the Breeders’ Cup) depending on how he feels. He will tell you what he wants to do. He is a very easy horse to train. If he needs a one- or two-furlong breeze, he will get it.”

Giant Ryan had worked three furlongs in :39.20 on a track labeled as wet-fast last Wednesday.

“The racetrack does not matter with him,” Parboo said. “He runs on any track.”

About an hour later, Parboo returned to the track with stablemate Trinniberg, a candidate for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint.

With Martinez up and working in company with the 4-year-old Butler Cabin out of the starting gate, Trinniberg covered three furlongs in :37.60 while maintaining a narrow edge on his workmate. Fractions for the work were :25.20 and out a half-mile in :50.40 and five furlongs in 1:03.80. The three-eighths time was the sixth fastest of 11 at the distance.

Trinniberg, who is graded stakes-placed on off-tracks, had worked a bullet half-mile in :48.20 on a sloppy track last Thursday with Martinez up.

“His work last week on the off track was good,” Martinez said. “But his work today was unbelievable. The track was cuppy and when we broke from the gate, we were carried out toward the middle of the track by some horses and we didn’t move to the rail until the gallop-out.

“That may have affected the time a bit. He did it the right way today. His last race, it was like the light went on.”

RIDERS UP – Two-time Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey Robby Albarado is scheduled to ride in five World Championships races next weekend according to his agent Lenny Pike. Albarado, who won the 2007 Classic on Curlin and the 2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf on Tapitsfly, has the call on Hamazing Destiny (Sentient Jet Sprint), Optimizer (Grey Goose Juvenile), Havelock (Turf Sprint), Animal Spirits (Juvenile Turf) and Court Vision (TVG Mile). Pike also said that Albarado has the call on Absinthe Minded in the Grade II Chilukki and Salty Strike in the Dream Supreme next Saturday.

Jerry Hissam, agent for three-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Calvin Borel, said the No. 2 all-time leading rider at Churchill Downs has the call on two Breeders’ Cup mounts. Borel, whose lone Breeders’ Cup victory came in the 2006 Juvenile here on Street Sense, is slated to ride A.U. Miner (Marathon) and Rattlesnake Bridge (Classic).

Rajiv Maragh, seeking his initial Breeders’ Cup victory, has the call in four races in the World Championships, according to his agent Richard DePass. Maragh is scheduled to ride Caleb’s Posse (Dirt Mile or Sentient Jet Sprint), Distorted Legacy (Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf), Miss Netta (Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies) and Pachattack (Ladies’ Classic).

BARN TALK – Activity on the backstretch was scheduled to pick up Wednesday with expected arrivals of Giant Oak and Cease (Breeders’ Cup Marathon), Satans Quick Chick (Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic) and Jake Mo (Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint). Scheduled for Thursday arrival are contingents from the stables of Graham Motion and Marty Wolfson, with defending Breeders’ Cup Sentient Jet Sprint winner Big Drama slated to arrive Friday.

Mort Fink’s Wise Dan stalked the pace and rallied to take over from Strike Impact in deep stretch to draw off and win the 21^st running of the Grade II, $203,000 Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE by 2 ¾ lengths over Baryshnikov on Monday to close out the 38-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Charlie Lopresti and ridden by Jon Court, Wise Dan ran the mile on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:34.59. It was Wise Dan’s fifth victory in 10 starts, but first on turf. He became the first horse to win the Firecracker without a previous race on the grass.

Wise Dan is a 4-year-old gelded homebred son of Wiseman’s Ferry out of the Wolf Power-SAf mare Lisa Danielle.

The victory was worth $119,567 and increased Wise Dan’s earnings to $323,047 with a record of 5-0-0 in 10 starts. The Firecracker was the second graded stakes victory for Wise Dan, who won the Grade III Phoenix at Keeneland last fall. That race served as a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in which he finished sixth.

Longshot Plutonium and 6-1 chance Strike Impact prompted the early pace of :23.81, :47.19 and 1:11.12 with Wise Dan just off their hips in third from the outside. Strike Impact grabbed the lead at the head of the stretch and Wise Dan was in close pursuit four-wide to his outside. With clear sailing and right handed urging by Court, Wise Dan kicked home powerfully to turn back a late run by Baryshnikov, who rallied from the back of the pack to get the place.

“Wow! He ran huge,” said Lopresti, who breezed Wise Dan a half-mile in :48.80 over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Tuesday – a move that convinced him to enter in the Firecracker. “Jon rode him perfectly and that’s what this horse has needed all along. He had him sit back and just make one big run with him. I wanted that kind of a race. I didn’t want him in a speed duel. He needed to learn how to relax and he’s grown up and matured.”

It was the second stakes win of the meet for Lopresti, who also won the $76,445 Kelly’s Landing on June 24 with Here Comes Ben. He has four stakes wins at Churchill Downs overall. Fink combined with Lopresti to win the 2009 Northern Dancer (Grade III) at Churchill Downs with Successful Dan for his only other Churchill Downs stakes win. For the 50-year-old veteran Court, it was his 12^th stakes triumph beneath the Twin Spires.

Wise Dan, carrying 115 pounds, returned $30.60, $12 and $7.40 as a 14-1 wagering choice in the field of 10 older horses. Baryshnikov, the 5-2 favorite ridden by Julien Leparoux at 117 pounds, paid $5 and $3.80 and finished a neck in front of Strike Impact, who paid $4.20 to show under Robby Albarado at 117 pounds.

Mystic, Lubash, Plutonium, 119-pound starting high weight General Quarters, Joshua Reynolds, El Caballo and Omniscient completed the order of finish. Mister Marti Gras was scratched.

Leparoux won his eighth Churchill Downs riding title (fourth at the Spring Meet) with 53 victories with Corey Lanerie in second with 47 triumphs. Steve Asmussen held off late charges by Ken McPeek and Eddie Kenneally to win his 10^th training title and fifth straight which began with the 2009 Spring Meet crown. Asmussen had 18 wins, one more than McPeek and Kenneally. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. was the leading owner with eight wins, two ahead of Jay Em Ess Stable and 17-time champs Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Racing returns to Churchill Downs on Sunday, Oct. 30 for the 122^nd Fall Meet, a 21-day stand that will be highlighted by the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to the track on Nov. 4 and 5.

FIRECRACKER HANDICAP QUOTES

Charlie Lopresti, trainer of Wise Dan (winner): Q. Immediate reaction after the race: “Wow! He ran huge. (Jockey) Jon (Court) rode him perfectly and that’s what this horse has needed all along. He had him sit back and just make one big run with him. I wanted that kind of a race. I didn’t want him in a speed duel. He needed to learn how to relax and he’s grown up and matured.

"Things have been tough on him. He had to come back off long layoffs and run against good horses. At Keeneland, I was a little disappointed in him in the Commonwealth (when he finished fourth) and then we threw him to the wolves in the Alysheba (finished eighth), but he really didn’t run a bad race and only got beat a few lengths and then he just lost by a couple of lengths. I told Mr. (Morton) Fink that he’s getting better every race and some horses it just takes a few races.”

Q. What went into the decision to try him on the turf? “Mr. Fink and I were talking about it and decided that since he was nominated we would go up and work him on the grass just to see what he would do. They had him coming home (in the workout) in 23 (seconds) and everyone was telling me he worked phenomenal and Jon (Court) told us he could have gone around the track again.”

Q. What’s the next spot for Wise Dan? “Turallure (also trained by Lopresti) was going to run in the Fourstardave (at Saratoga) and we might think of running him (Wise Dan) there, but I don’t know…we’ll want to try and keep the two apart. I don’t think there are any mile races up there and I don’t want to run him (Wise Dan) any further. We’ll look at the fall and the big races and the Breeders’ Cup (Mile), but he’s earned a little vacation so we’ll see how he comes out of this and then decide where to go.”

Mort Fink, owner of Wise Dan (winner): “This is one of the most exciting things that’s happened to me. This makes up a little bit for getting disqualified from the (2010) Clark (with Successful Dan). He’s a super horse.”

Jon Court, jockey of Wise Dan (winner): “I didn’t want to go with the leaders. The strategy was to get him to rate and he actually settled and we were able to wait for the punch down the lane. When we hit the top of the stretch, I had a bridle full of horse. I wanted to pull away as fast as I could and beat them to the wire and he did that. As the owner (Fink) said, it’s great when a plan comes together.”

Mike Maker, trainer of Baryshnikov (runner-up): “Not winning the race is the only thing I’d change. We’ll just take it race-by-race from here. Obviously he’s stepping up every time. There’s a big race run here in the fall and it would be nice to get back to that one.”

Jockey Julien Leparoux, rider of Baryshnikov (runner-up): “He ran good. He broke OK, but not as fast as the other ones. But they set a nice pace for us and he relaxed good and put me in the race on the backside, then he made his run and he ran big.

“In my mind I knew there was a lot of pace and the main thing was the start. He broke good, but not as fast. But I was comfortable there. He was nice and relaxed and I got a clean run after that. I was just second-best today.”

Q: Baryshnikov keeps stepping up … “He’s a nice horse and he keeps trying.”

Robby Albarado, jockey on Strike Impact (third): “Ideally, I would have liked to have been in the back a little bit more, but he was just a little keen. Having said that, I don’t think it compromised him because he ran to the wire. They just went awfully fast for him. When I turned for home, I loved where I was sitting, and he exploded, too. The horse was going really good.”

Tom McCarthy, trainer of General Quarters (seventh as the favorite): “He appeared to come back just fine.  He (jockey Jamie Theriot) said he was going just fine and he asked him to go at the quarter pole and he just came up empty, that’s all. Maybe he just bounced (from his first race of the year), I don’t know.”

STEP ONE OF MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, CASSE AIMS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC WITH FOSTER WINNER POOL PLAY – Mark Casse’s decision to run William Farish Jr.’s Pool Play in Saturday’s 30^th running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (Grade I) was not a wild stab or a whim, as racing fans across the country discovered when the 6-year-old son of Silver Deputy stormed through the stretch to edge Mission Impazible by a neck at 36-1 odds.

A three-time winner of the Sovereign Award that annually honors Canada’s top trainer, Casse sent Pool Play to the Foster with a specific mission: to determine if the distance-loving horse, after 27 races on synthetic and turf courses, would fare on a dirt course.  If he ran as well over the Churchill Downs dirt as Casse hoped, step two would be a bid for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at the Louisville track on Nov. 5.

Pool Play handled Saturday’s initial test with aplomb when he posted the third-largest upset in the three-decade history of the Stephen Foster.  On Sunday, Casse was working up a plan to get him to the next step.

“It’s nice when things work, when you have a plan and it works,” Casse said on the morning after his most important win at Churchill Downs.  “I understood him being that big a price.  Here’s a horse running against some of the best older horses and they all had proven form on the dirt.  Well, here we had a horse who had never ran on it, so could understand.”

Along with watching Pool Play blossom from an unknown factor to Breeders’ Cup Classic contender in the Foster, the Stephen Fsoter upset was special to Casse for personal reasons.  The Indianapolis native spent his early years as a trainer beneath the historic Twin Spires, and has a 1988 Spring Meet training title so show for it.

"It was a real proud moment for a lot of reasons,” Casse said. “One is when you do something that’s a little unorthodox, that’s always nice.  And Churchill is where I started.  Churchill is special and always has been.  To win a race like that at Churchill Downs means a lot.”

Casse believed that the Breeders’ Cup Classic’s 1 ¼-mile distance fits Pool Play perfectly, but the horse’s dirt prowess was a question mark.  If Pool Play would handle any dirt course, Casse felt it would be the one-mile main track at Churchill Downs. Casse believes the course is extraordinarily kind to horses that run well on turf and synthetic courses.  While Pool Play’s home base at Toronto’s Woodbine is a synthetic Polytrack surface, Casse sees difference in Woodbine’s manufactured footing and Mother Nature’s dirt at Churchill.

“I was out there (on the Churchill dirt) this morning watching horses train and you can see they get into the ground only about two inches, at most,” Casse said.  “If you walk across Churchill Downs and you walk across Woodbine’s racetrack, that’s how much they penetrate the surface.  It’s almost identical.”

It’s Casse’s opinion that the clay that is an important part of the make-up of Churchill Downs’ sandy loam surface is the key ingredient that makes the Louisville surface is comfortable to horses that do their best running on synthetic or turf courses, or possess pedigrees that point toward those surfaces.

Whatever the case, Casse’s plan worked well for Pool Play in the Stephen Foster.  Now he’s looking to formulate a plant over the coming weeks that will get his veteran back to Churchill Downs and ready to offer his best effort against an expected international field the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We’ve been planning to go to Saratoga with a string, so what I think I’ll do is take him to Saratoga and see how he trains over the dirt,” Casse said.  “Just because you like the dirt at Churchill Downs doesn’t mean you’re going to like it at Saratoga.  We’ll train him there and if he trains all right we’ll think about the Whitney (GI on Aug. 6 at Saratoga).  Our number one goal will be the Breeders’ Cup.  How we get there is kind of secondary, really.  So everything we do from now on will be that kind of plan.  I wouldn’t even be shocked if he ran on the grass again.”

The $327,127 winner’s share of the Stephen Foster purse boosted Pool Play’s career earnings to $909,556 with a record of 6-6-5 from 28 starts.  His only other graded stakes win came in the 2009 Durham Cup (GIII) on Polytrack at Woodbine. In his previous start, Pool Play finished second on turf in the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland, where he was beaten by 1 ¼ lengths by Musketier-GER.

So Pool Play’s victory is clearly the high point of the career of his racing career to date, but all that could change on Nov. 5 when, if all has gone well, Casse’s horse gets a chance to shine again on the Churchill Downs dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“What I’m trying to do is get there with a happy horse in the fall,” Casse said.  “He showed what we needed him to show yesterday, and that is that he belongs.  I’ve said all the along the mile and a quarter will be right up his alley.  So he may go to Toronto and run on the grass, he may run in the Whitney – I’m not sure yet.  Obviously you always like to win, but our number one goal is to be the best he can be on Breeders’ Cup Day.”

STEPHEN FOSTER DAY UNDERCARD WINNERS EXIT RACES IN GOOD ORDER – Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi was highlighted by the Grade I Stephen Foster, but also featured four other exciting graded stakes races, including the first Arabian horserace in the history of Churchill Downs. The winners of the three undercard stakes for Thoroughbreds all came out of their respective races in good order and their connections are looking forward to the rest of their 2011 campaigns.

Glen Hill Farm’s Banned captured the Grade III Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi to complete the American Turf – Jefferson Cup double and improve his record to 4-0-1 from seven starts with earnings of $299,076. “He came out of the race good and we’re ready to rock and roll,” trainer Tom Proctor said. “We’re going to the Virginia Derby (Grade II at Colonial Downs on July 16).”

The two other graded stakes races for Thoroughbreds were won by horses from the Ken McPeek barn; giving the 48-year-old trainer wins in five consecutive graded stakes races he has entered at Churchill Downs. Peter Callahan’s Scotus notched McPeek’s first graded stakes winner of the afternoon in the Grade III Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation. A 3-year-old son of Successful Appeal made a successful stakes debut in the Matt Winn and improved his record to 2-1-2 from five starts with earnings of $121,054.

“He (Scotus) is doing fine,” assistant trainer Philip Bauer said. “He ate all his feed and walked well this morning. We aren’t sure where we will go with him from here. There are a lot of different options and, at this time, no decision has been made.”

The other graded stakes winner for McPeek came with Catesby Clay’s Bizzy Caroline in the Grade III Regret Presented by Etihad Airways. The victory, which gave Bizzy Caroline, a 3-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex, her third win in a row and first stakes triumph, improved her record to 3-0-1 from six starts with earnings of $148,497.

“No decision has been made for Bizzy Caroline either,” Bauer said. “She came out of the race well. She shipped back to Keeneland with Sassy’s Dream and she’ll be trained there for her next start.”

Livin the Dream Racing 2009, LLC’s Sassy’s Dream, a 3-year-old daughter of Flower Alley, won the fourth race Saturday for McPeek under Alan Garcia.

MCPEEK’S CHURCHILL STAKES STREAK CONTINUES, BUT DONE FOR SPRING – While Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi was notable for the upset by 36-1 shot Pool Play in the day’s main event; the win by T M Fred Texas in the first race for Arabians in the 137-year history of Churchill Downs and another dazzling run by Glen Hill Farm’s rising 3-year-old turf star Banned, the big day cannot be discussed seriously without the mention of the continuation of trainer Ken McPeek’s remarkable stakes streak.

The Lexington native secured two stakes wins to extend his streak of graded stakes wins at the historic track to five.  Numbers four and five in the streak were wins by Peter J. Callahan’s Scotus in the Matt Winn (GIII) for 3-year-olds and Catesby W. Clay’s Bizzy Caroline in the Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

Previous winners in the streak were Noble’s Promise in the Aristides (GIII) for older horses at six furlongs, Salty Strike in the Dogwood (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile, and My Baby Baby in last week’s Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for older fillies and mares on turf.

“I’m proud of it, but we’re not going to dwell on it,” McPeek by telephone from Lexington when asked about the streak on Sunday.  “We’re going to keep going.”

McPeek clearly appreciates the unusual string of good fortune in stakes competition and is quick to credit his team for its work in getting those horses into the winner’s circle in those races.   But McPeek also believes it was past time for his stable to enjoy a good run.

"The truth is that we were very due,” McPeek said.  “Over the last year or year and a half, we had a rash of seconds and thirds in so many nice races – Breeders’ Cup races and Derby preps.  It just seemed like every time we were second, third, second, third.  We were hitting, numbers wise, in our normal percentages in-the-money, but we weren’t winning.  We were just due, and they came in a flourish.”

After his latest win by Bizzy Caroline, McPeek’s Churchill Downs stakes run appears to have ended until the Oct. 30-Nov. 27 Fall Meet.  He has no candidates for the three races that close out the Spring Meet stakes schedule: the $100,000 Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds, the $100,000 Debutante (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies and the $175,000 Firecracker (GII) for older horses at a mile on turf.

As special as a string of five consecutive stakes wins with horses hailing from five different divisions of competition is, McPeek takes and extra measure of satisfaction in the fact that all of those winners are pure products of his operation.

“What I’m most proud of is that we developed them all from scratch,” McPeek said. “They all started in our system as yearlings – every one of them.  That’s what I do.”

BARN TALK – Jockey Robby Albarado, who has 922 career wins at Churchill Downs, is just three victories away from tying Hall of Famer Don Brumfield for third all-time in wins beneath the Twin Spires. Albarado has six mounts Sunday (Races 4-7, 9-10). …

With two wins on Saturday’s Stephen Foster Day Presented by Abu Dhabi card and 11 wins in the last week, jockey Julien Leparoux, who has won seven riding titles beneath the Twin Spires, is quickly closing the gap between him and leading rider Corey Lanerie. Leparoux will enter Sunday’s 10-race program with 34 victories, three behind Lanerie. …

Nominations for the final two graded stakes races of the 39-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs closed Saturday. The nominations for the Grade III, $100,000-added Bashford Manor to be run July 2 and the Grade II, $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap to be run July 4 will be announced Sunday. …

Sunday’s 10-race program will feature a Pick 6 carryover of $19,254 and a Super High 5 carryover of $13,407. The Pick 6 will begin with Race 5 at 2:51 p.m. EDT and the Super High 5 will take place on Race 10 at 5:25 p.m. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (June 11-18) are Julien Leparoux (11-for-22) and Manny Cruz (9-for-34). Ken McPeek (4-for-9) and Tom Amoss (3-for-8) are the hottest trainers over the same period. No owner has won more than one race during the past week.

WORKTAB – Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on a fast main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in preparation for his return to competition in the $76,600-added Kelly’s Landing overnight stakes on Friday’s “Downs After Dark” program.   Dublin, a 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex who won Saratoga’s Hopeful (GI) at two, has not raced since a fifth-place finish in the 2010 Preakness (GI).

Dublin drew the rail in a strong field of eight for the seven furlong race that also attracted Forego (GI) winner and defending Kelly’s Landing winner Here Comes Ben; Captain Cherokee, the runner-up in the Portero Grande (GII), San Carlos (GII) and Palos Verde GII) at Santa Anita; and Cool Bullet, runner-up to Churchill Downs (GII) winner Aikenite in Keeneland’s Commonwealth (GII).

WEATHER – Sunday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 86. Monday: partly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95. Tuesday: mostly sunny and hot with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95. Wednesday: mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88. Thursday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 84. Friday: partly sunny, 83. Saturday: mostly sunny, 85.    

Alex G Campbell Jr’s homebred The Underling took the lead at the three-eighths pole and increased his advantage throughout the stretch to win Sunday’s $51,065 feature at Churchill Downs by four lengths.

            Trained by Rusty Arnold and ridden by Robby Albarado, The Underling rated in second off fractions of :21.36, :44.53 and :56.47 set by Simple Words, the 6-5 favorite who faded to last in a field a field of seven fillies and mares ages 3 and up. The Underling covered six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:09.46.

            The 4-year-old Underling broke from post five as the second choice and returned mutuels of $11.60, $6 and $5.40. Honchis’n Ponchis rallied for second and paid $5.40 and $3.20, with Elusive Jozi another neck back in third returning $5.20.

            The victory was worth $32,100 and increased The Underling’s bankroll to $104,554 with a career record of 3-1-0 in seven races. The 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, who broke her maiden beneath the Twin Spires last June, was making her first start in more than seven months. The Underling made her career debut at Churchill Downs in June 2009 where she finished second behind Beautician and ahead of Sassy Image, the latter a three-time stakes winner at Churchill Downs who won the 2011Grade I Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day.

             Sassy Image is the 7-5 morning line favorite for the eighth running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Winning Colors, the featured event on Monday’s special 10-race Memorial Day program at Churchill Downs. The first race will be 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Winning Colors will go as Race 9 at approximately 4:59 p.m.

CLARK WINNER GIANT OAK HEADING TO FLORIDA ON SUNDAY – Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block, was all smiles Saturday morning a day after Giant Oak brought the month of November to a successful close for the barn.

“I’m on Cloud Nine,” Coontz said. “It’s like winning the (Kentucky) Oaks and (Kentucky) Derby.”

Giant Oak’s victory in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) via disqualification of Successful Dan came on the heels of a victory the day before in the Falls City Handicap (GII) by the Block-trained Dundalk Dust.

“He is doing great this morning and he will leave for Ocala tomorrow morning for some time off,” Coontz said of Giant Oak, who gave the Illinois-based Block stable its third stakes victory of the meet. Askbut I Won’ttell had won the Cardinal (GIII) on Nov. 7.

“When I came here with Giant Oak (in early November before the Breeders’ Cup), I had two horses waiting for me,” Coontz said. “One was Askbut I Won’ttell and the other horse (Wulfgar) ran on the Friday night (Nov. 19) program and got claimed.”

The only Block runner that shipped in for a stake and did not take home a major check was Mister Marti Gras, who finished fifth in the Commonwealth Turf (GIII) on Nov. 13.

The Block runners shared the west end of Barn 48 with trainer Tony Reinstedler’s stable.

This was the spot to be in,” Coontz said. “We did great and Tony had four winners and two seconds from six starters. This was the right barn.”

While Coontz and Company were floating on Cloud Nine, a few barns away trainer David Fawkes was getting ready to drive Duke of Mischief back to South Florida after the colt was elevated to fifth on the disqualification of Demarcation.

Duke of Mischief pressed the pressed from the outside No. 11 post position and was with the leaders until things got tight in the upper stretch.

“I thought he was maybe a little too close early, but then I saw :49 (:48.92) for the half-mile and I thought we might be all right,” Fawkes said. “But then he got in tight in the stretch and he just doesn’t like to be in a spot like that.”

Fawkes said Duke of Mischief came out of the race fine and would get some time off before possibly pointing to the Sunshine Millions at the end of January or possibly a return to the grass.

Finishing right behind Duke of Mischief was Brass Hat, who was trying to become the fifth 9-year-old to win a Grade I race.

“That was just a tough field yesterday,” trainer Buff Bradley said. “He had a safe trip and came back fine. He will take a couple of months off for a vacation and if he stays healthy we would look at the Elkhorn at Keeneland in late April to start him back.”

Meanwhile, trainer Paul McGee was wondering what might have after seeing both Demarcation and Dubious Miss with the leaders in upper stretch only to have the roof cave in when Demarcation caused the inference that led to his being placed last by the stewards.

“I really don’t know what they were doing playing bumper cars at the three-sixteenths pole,” McGee said.

Jockey) Robby (Albarado) said he felt Dubious Miss was getting ready to explode and he was getting ready to set him down and then he gets walloped … walloped by the home team.”

McGee said both horses came out of the race in good order.

“I might give Demarcation some time off in Ocala,” McGee said, “but he will eventually go to the Fair Grounds, where Dubious Miss will be.”

TODAY’S POTENTIAL STARS FOLLOWING IN SOME FANCY FOOTSTEPS -- Today’s sixth annual “Stars of Tomorrow II” program is entirely devoted to rising 2-year-old stars who have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks

In just five years of existence, Stars of Tomorrow has been the launching pad for 17 Grade I winners, including Super Saver ($1,899,766), who would use a win in last year’s Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club as a springboard to Kentucky Derby 136 glory, plus millionaires Rachel Alexandra ($3,506,730), Lawyer Ron ($2,790,008), Court Vision ($2,591,521), Pure Clan ($1,987,498), Macho Again ($1,825,767), Swift Temper ($1,296,688) and Any Given Saturday ($1,083,533).

In addition to Super Saver, last year’s “Stars of Tomorrow” program featured future stars Fly Down ($1,167,070) and First Dude ($860,160), who finished one-two in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race; Stately Victor ($613,612), who would go on to win the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass; Thiskyhasnolimit ($547,532), the runner-up in the Iowa (GIII) and Indiana (GII) Derbies; and No Such Word ($503,213), who has won five of her nine 2010 starts going into today’s Gazelle (GI at Aqueduct), including the Monmouth Oaks (GIII).

MINE THAT BIRD TO GET CHURCHILL DOWNS SENDOFF SUNDAY – Sunday will be a day of celebration as Churchill Downs will honor 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Mine That Bird, who will be leaving on Monday on a journey home to New Mexico.

Owned by the Double Eagle Ranch of Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach’s Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird will walk over with horses for Sunday’s seventh race (post time 3:41 p.m. ET). The 4-year-old gelding will remain in the paddock during the race and then walk to the winner’s circle for his farewell ceremony before returning to Barn 44.

Before Mine That Bird makes his walk to the paddock wearing a winner’s blanket with the Kentucky Derby 135 logo, there will be other festivities.

Following the second race (1:08 p.m. post time) in the winner’s circle, Allen and Dr. Blach will be interviewed in the winner’s circle by Churchill Downs Vice President of Communications John Asher. After the third race (1:38 p.m. post time) Asher will interview former trainer Chip Woolley.

There will be a table in the paddock with a farewell poster for guests to sign along with 1,000 Mine That Bird buttons that will be handed out.

Mine That Bird, who paid $103.20 for the second-highest Kentucky Derby payoff in the race’s 136 years, was retired from racing following a 10th-place finish in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. He completed his racing career with a record of 5-2-2 in 18 races with earnings of $2,228,637.

BARN TALK – Not so fast on handing the Fall Meet’s leading rider title to Julien Leparoux. Robby Albarado rode three winners on Friday to move within two victories of Leparoux with two racing days left in the meet. Leparoux’s margin stands at 25-23 with Leparoux slated to ride 11 races and Albarado all 12. Both riders have 10 mounts Sunday. Also moving into contention with three wins Friday was Shaun Bridgmohan, who now has 20 victories. He has nine mounts today and seven on Sunday. …

Steve Asmussen maintains a comfortable five-victory lead in his bid for a fourth consecutive leading trainer title. This would be Asmussen’s fifth Fall Meet title and ninth overall. …

Ken and Sarah Ramsey also maintain a nice cushion as they pursue their fourth consecutive Fall Meet leading owner title. The Ramseys have sent out six winners, three more than closest pursuer Penny Lauer. The Ramseys have won 16 leading owner titles (eight fall, eight spring) with 15 of them being outright crowns.

WORK TAB – Due Date, sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII), worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 for trainer Steve Margolis.

The Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust’s Distinctive Dixie, winner of the Chilukki (Grade II) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6, will carry top weight of 120 pounds and concede 2-6 pounds to her five rivals in the 95th running of the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Thanksgiving Day.

The Falls City will go as the 11th race on Thursday’s holiday program with a 4:24 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time as the centerpiece of the 12-race holiday program. First post time Thursday is 11:30 a.m.

Trained by Wally Dollase, Distinctive Dixie earned her first graded stakes victory in the one-mile Chilukki. Robby Albarado, who was aboard the 5-year-old daughter of 2000 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Fusaichi Pegasus  for that triumph, has the call again Thursday on Distinctive Dixie, who will break from post position four.

Returning to challenge Distinctive Dixie is Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Chilukki runner-up Third Dawn, who has failed to win in three 2010 starts.  Now trained by Jeff Thornbury, the 4-year-old Sky Mesa filly finished 1 ½ lengths behind Distinctive Dixie in the Chilukki.  She will break from post position two under jockey Kent Desormeaux and will carry 118 pounds.  Third Dawn’s career highlights thus far have been a nose defeat to champion Stardom Bound in the 2009 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) and a victory in Del Mar’s $100,000 Torrey Pines for 3-year-old fillies later that year.

The only other graded stakes winner in the field is Stevestan Stables’ Striking Dancer. Trained by Ken McPeek, Striking Dancer won the Grade II La Canada on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface in February. Julien Leparoux, who rode Serenading to victory in last year’s Falls City, has the call on Striking Dancer, who will break from post position three under 117 pounds.

Striking Dancer, a 4-year-old daughter of Smart Strike, won her only start over the main track at Churchill Downs.  That victory came in an optional claiming allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 3 in which she defeated Falls City rivals High Quail and Ravi’s Song.

The Falls City field, from the inside out, is as follows: Dundalk Dust (Shaun Bridgmohan, 114 pounds), Third Dawn (Desormeaux, 118), Striking Dancer (Leparoux, 117), Distinctive Dixie (Albarado, 120), High Quail (Jesus Castanon, 115) and Ravi’s Song (Miguel Mena, 114).

DIALED IN HAS ZITO LOOKING FOR BIG THINGS – When Robert LaPenta’s Dialed In broke his maiden at first asking on Friday afternoon, trainer Nick Zito was presented with a trophy signifying success in the third annual American Farm Mortgage Classic.

“I told ‘Stace’ (assistant Stacy Pryor) to leave it in the tack room and let’s hope next spring we can get the real hardware,” Zito said.

That’s real hardware as in Kentucky Derby-type hardware, something Zito has collected twice before in his Hall of Fame career.

"He is a horse that’s got a future,” Zito said. “I was very happy with him yesterday. He will go to Florida and we will do right by the horse and hope he gets enough points (graded-stakes earnings) for the first Saturday in May.”

Dialed In had shown a steady stream of works dating to July at Belmont Park and had had one local work before his debut.

“He is so big and he was not ready to run (earlier),” Zito said. “He’s a Mineshaft and you’ve got to give them time. We have had a lot of success with the Mineshafts; Cool Coal Man, Coal Play, Miner’s Reserve and don’t forget Fly Down, who broke his maiden here last fall.”

Fly Down, third to Blame and Zenyatta in last week’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), won the Dwyer (GII) and was runner-up in the Travers (GI) and Belmont Stakes (GI) this year.

Dialed In overcame a bad start that left him last in the field of 12 in the 6 ½-furlong sprint and was rank in the run down the backstretch in which he was 11 ½ lengths behind the leader. Turning for home, jockey Julien Leparoux angled Dialed In out five wide for clear running and the colt got up in time to win by a half-length despite lugging in.

“If he is good enough, he will get his chances,” Zito said of running in major preps for the Kentucky Derby, a race he won in 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin.

Zito started three horses in last Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup races and earned healthy checks from all three with Fly Down running third in the $5 million Classic and Morning Line and Cool Coal Man finishing 2-4 in the $1 million Dirt Mile.

The latter two horses are nominated to the $500,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) to be run Nov. 26, but Zito said it was doubtful either would come back in less than three weeks. Zito did say that Our Dark Knight, also owned by LaPenta is a possibility for the Clark.

SIGN OF THE TIMES: ALBARADO GETS 900TH CD VICTORY – For the second time in two years, jockey Robby Albarado collected some signage signifying a milestone mark in his 21-year riding career.

On Friday, it was for career victory No. 900 at Churchill Downs. In June 2009, Albarado rode his 4,000th career winner here, with the milestone duly noted in a winner’s circle ceremony.

So, how many milestone reminders do you have at the house?

“None. I leave the signs in the (jocks’) room,” Albarado said. “I like to put Grade I’s in the house.”

Albarado is off to a fast start with 14 winners over the first nine days and a five-win lead in the race for leading rider. It marks a turnaround from the Spring Meet when Albarado led all riders with runner-up finishes with 56 and finished third in wins with 35.

“I am just riding the right horses at the right time,” Albarado said. “My agent, Lenny Pike, has been putting me on good horses and I just have to go out and execute. But the bottom line is that you have to have the horse.”
    Albarado added another winner to his total Friday after hitting No. 900 with Strike Impact in the sixth race. The 37-year-old Louisiana native ranks fifth all time at Churchill Downs in victories and is closing in on Larry Melancon (914) and Don Brumfield (925).

Only Pat Day (2,482) and Calvin Borel (1,030) are in the 1,000-victory club. And when would Albarado like to join that club and collect more signage?

“Hopefully next fall or the following spring,” said Albarado, who is second to Day all time in stakes wins with 66. “The next two or three meets.”

BARN TALK – Jockey Julien Leparoux will be headed to Hong Kong the week after the meet closes on Sunday, Nov. 28 for the Hong Kong Jockey Challenge in which he will represent the United States. Agent Steve Bass said that after the Challenge, which takes place Dec. 8, Leparoux will head to Florida for the winter on Dec. 15. Other riders scheduled to participate in the Challenge are Christophe Lemaire (France), Christophe Soumillon (Belgium), John Murtagh (Ireland), Ryan Moore (Britain), Anton Marcus (South Africa), Nash Rawiller (Australia), Hiroyuki Uchida (Japan), Joao Moreira (Singapore) and Douglas Whyte (Hong Kong). Leparoux, who has six victories so far this meet, is a couple of good days away from moving up two spots on the all-time rider standings at Churchill Downs.  Leparoux, who has 428 victories here, stands 14th all time. Willie Martinez is 12th with 434 victories and Keith Allen is 13th with 431 wins. …
Few bettors have warmed to jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr., but those that have have been rewarded with an average win payoff of $19.90 on Homeister’s seven winners. That payoff figure dwarfs the next highest average ($10.50) for Garrett Gomez’s eight winners among riders with five or more victories through the first nine days of the meet. …

Joining the riding colony for the final two weeks of the meet will be William Antongeorgi. The 23-year-old, who began his career in California and for the past couple of years has ridden in the Mid-Atlantic region, rode last month at Keeneland and plans to ride at Turfway Park when the meet closes and then go to Oaklawn Park for the winter.

WORK TAB – Two fillies nominated to Thanksgiving Day’s Falls City Handicap (GII), turned in Saturday morning works over a fast track. Quiet Temper worked five furlongs in 1:01, third fastest of 34 at the distance, for trainer Dale Romans and Ravi’s Song worked the same distance in 1:01.60 (12th best of 34) for trainer Carl Bowman.

Jockey Robby Albarado became the fifth rider in Churchill Downs history to reach 900 victories beneath the Twin Spires when he guided Strike Impact to a front-running triumph in Friday’s sixth race.

 A 37-year-old native of Lafayette, La., Albarado has been riding for 21 years and been a regular at Churchill Downs since 1996. He has won one leading rider title (Spring 2008) and has a sizable margin in his bid for an initial Fall title with 14 victories through the first nine days of the 21-day meet that runs through Nov. 28.

 Pat Day is the all-time win leader at Churchill Downs with 2,482 and is followed by Calvin Borel (1,030), Don Brumfield (925) and Larry Melancon (914). Albarado has won 66 stakes at Churchill Downs, second only to Day’s 156.

   In Friday afternoon’s feature race, Steve Mongerson’s Mahindar posted a wire-to-wire victory in the $55,440 five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, defeating odds-on favorite West Ocean by 1 ¾ lengths.

 Trained by Tom Amoss and ridden by Borel, Mahindar covered the distance on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :56.81. The victory was worth $33,600 for the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) who improved her record to 13-7-1-1 with earnings of $136,375.

 Mahindar returned $12.40, $4.60 and $3.60. West Ocean, ridden by Michael Baze, returned $2.40 and $2.10 with Go for Jan finishing a neck back in third under Julien Leparoux and paying $3.40 to show.

 Racing continues Saturday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern). Highlighting the card is the seventh running of the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. The Commonwealth Turf will be run as Saturday’s ninth race with a 4:37 p.m. post time.

- END -

The Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust’s Distinctive Dixie, coming off a four-month layoff, cruised to a 1 ½-length victory over Third Dawn to win the 25th running of the $171,900 Chilukki (GII) for fillies and mares on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, who won the Chilukki for a record-equaling fourth time, Distinctive Dixie stalked the pace set by Double Espresso through fractions of :23.21 and :46.47 down the backstretch straightway.

Leaving the far turn, Albarado swung Distinctive Dixie three wide and collared new leader Third Dawn at the head of the stretch and drew off for the victory. Distinctive Dixie covered the mile on a fast main track in 1:36.67.

Trained by Wally Dollase, Distinctive Dixie is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus out of the Dixieland Band mare A Lady From Dixie. The victory was worth $100,183 and increased Distinctive Dixie’s bankroll to $383,154 with a career record of 5-6-3 in 18 starts.  She has a record of 3-1-0 in six races at Churchill Downs.

Distinctive Dixie returned $16.40, $7.20 and $4.60. Third Dawn, ridden by Calvin Borel, returned $9.80 and $4.80 in finishing 1 3/4 lengths in front of favored Always a Princess, who paid $3 to show under Martin Garcia. Completing the field in order were Bronx City Girl, Double Espresso, First Passage, Emmy Darling, Direct Line, Devil by Design, Be Fair and Taste’s Sis.

In the race preceding the Chilukki, Steven Michael Bell’s Aegean won the $88,300 Dream Supreme overnight stake for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length over Rapport.

    Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Joel Rosario, Aegean ran her record to 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs having taken the Kentucky Juvenile (GIII) in April 2009 against males.

    Aegean covered the six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:09.56. The victory was worth $52,558 and increased the winner’s career earnings to $217,283 with four victories in 11 starts.

Aegean returned $16.60, $7 and $4.60. Rapport, ridden by Martin Garcia, returned $5.20 and $3.60 with Happy Week rallying for third a neck back of Rapport under John Velazquez and paying $4 to show.

    Racing resumes Sunday at 12:40 p.m. (all times Eastern) with an 11-race program highlighted by the 37th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Post time for the Cardinal is 5:15 p.m.

POST RACE QUOTES

WALLACE DOLLASE (Trainer, Distinctive Dixie, winner) –  “We have known for a long time she is so special. She likes this track and trained good over this track before the race. We felt like she was going to run a big race and she did. We are very pleased and very excited about this race. Robby (Albarado) rode a solid race and did a great job. It took us a little bit to get over a couple minor issues and she proved today she is in top form. She is a beautiful filly. It is a big thrill to win this race and we are excited to win on Breeders’ Cup day.”

Robby Albarado (jockey, Distinctive Dixie, winner): “I had a great trip. For a second there I got scared going into the turn, I got squeezed back and had to shuffle to the outside and once she got there so content and she came home nice. This is great. I love Churchill Downs and it’s nice to do well here.”