Debutante Stakes

Barry King’s Flashy Lassie, winner of the Grade III Debutante Stakes here in June, will return to the main track Sunday when she faces 11 rivals in the 43^rd running of the Grade II, $150,000-added Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on the main track.

The Pocahontas and the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII), for 2-year-old colts and geldings at a mile, share the spotlight on Sunday’s “Stars of Tomorrow I” card with all races for 2-year-olds to kick off the 21-day Fall Meeting that runs through Nov. 27.

The Pocahontas will go as the 10^th race on Sunday’s 11-race program with a 5:02 p.m. EDT post time. First post time Sunday is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Garry Simms, Flashy Lassie ran second in the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies after her Debutante victory and in her most recent start ran 12^th over Polytrack at Keeneland in the Darley Alcibiades (GI). Corey Lanerie has the call Sunday on Flashy Lassie, who will break from post position two.

Two other Grade III winners are in the field: Brereton Jones’ Believe You Can and Georgie’s Angel, owned by Sheffer Racing Stable, Ronald Stocks, Betsy Wells and Kelly Weitsma.

Believe You Can, trained by Larry Jones, won the Tempted at Belmont Park in her most recent start. Gabriel Saez has the mount on Believe You Can, who will break from post position eight.

Georgie’s Angel, owned by a partnership headed by Louisville attorney Ronnie Sheffer and trained by Todd Pletcher, scored an impressive victory in her racing debut at Churchill Downs on July 4, then shipped to Saratoga to win the Schuylerville (GIII).  In her most recent start Georgie’s Angel was third behind Believe You Can in the Tempted. Javier Castellano has the riding assignment Sunday on Georgie’s Angel, who will break from post position three.

The field for the Pocahontas, from the rail out, is as follows: My Due Process (Manny Cruz, 120 pounds), Flashy Lassie (Lanerie, 123), Georgie’s Angel (Castellano, 123), On Fire Baby (Joe Johnson, 118), And Why Not (Garrett Gomez, 118), Glinda the Good (Julien Leparoux, 118), Taxi Dancer (James Graham, 118), Believe You Can (Saez, 123), Bet to Win (Rajiv Maragh, 118), Aubby K (Robby Albarado, 118), Heart of Destiny (Edgar Prado, 118) and Golden History (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118).

 GET STORMY ASSIGNED HIGH WEIGHT FOR FIRECRACKER HANDICAP – Dual Grade I winner Get Stormy has been assigned the high weight of 123 pounds by Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman for the 21^st running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (Grade II) at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Monday, July 4.

Sullimar Stable’s 5-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic captured the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland in April for his first Grade I victory and followed that triumph with a winning performance in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby Day undercard. Get Stormy finished a disappointing third at odds of 4-5 in his most recent start in Monmouth Park’s Monmouth Stakes (GIII).

Estrorace LLC’s Workin for Hops was assigned the next top weight at 120 pounds. A 4-year-old gelded son of City Zip, Workin for Hops was second to Get Stormy in the Maker’s Mark Mile prior to taking the Hanshin Cup Handicap (GIII) over the Polytrack courts at Arlington Park on May 21.

Pam and Marty Wygod’s Courageous Cat and Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, both assigned 119 pounds, are next on Huffman's Firecracker weights.

Courageous Cat, a multiple graded stakes winner with $781,300 in career earnings, won the Poker Stakes (GIII) at Belmont Park on June 10. The was his first race for the Bill Mott-trained Courageous Cat since a third-place finish to turf champion Gio Ponti in the Shadwell Turf Mile (GI) at Keeneland in October.  The 5-year-old son of Storm Cat has five wins from 10 career turf starts.

McCarthy’s General Quarters is the other multiple Grade I winner in the field and is a likely starter for next Monday’s race. A 5-year-old son of Sky Mesa, General Quarters was being pointed to a start in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) following two impressive performances during last year’s Spring Meet.  He won the  Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on turf and followed that with a third-place run behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and champion older horse Blame in Stephen Foster (GI) on the main track.

The McCarthy-trained Kentucky-bred was knocked off last year’s Breeders’ Cup trail when he injured his left front leg following a seventh-place finish in the Grade I Arlington Million. General Quarters returned from a near 10-month layoff in a runner-up finish to Maggi Moss’ Native Ruler in a seven-furlong allowance over the main track at Churchill Downs.

Horses under consideration for the Firecracker Handicap (with their trainers, weights) include Baryshnikov (Mike Maker, 117), El Caballo (Ralph Nicks, 114), Flat Out (Scooter Dickey, 114), General Quarters (McCarthy, 117), Lubash (James Ryerson, 115), Mister Marti Gras (Chris Block, 115), Strike Impact (Pat Dupuy, 117), Wise Dan (Charlie Lopresti, 115) and Yankee Injunuity (James McMullen, 115).

FLINT POINTING STONEWAY FARM DUO TO BASHFORD MANOR – Veteran trainer Bernie Flint has a long history of success with young horses and, with four 2-year-old winners so far in the 2011 Spring Meet, he finds history repeating itself this spring at Churchill Downs.

The 71-year-old New Orleans native will attempt to keep that run of success with juveniles going when he saddles the Stoneway Farm duo of Bonaparte and Exfactor in Saturday’s 110^th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (GIII).

Bonaparte, a $30,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale purchase, won at first asking by 5 ¼ lengths under Jon Court in a May 30 maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs. The son of Touch Gold breezed four furlongs in :51.80 over a sloppy track on Sunday morning in preparation for the Bashford Manor.

“They’ll have to come running to beat Bonaparte,” Flint said.

Exfactor, purchased for $27,000 as a yearling by Stoneway at the FTK October Sale, won his second career start by 4 ½ lengths under Calvin Borel. The son of Exchange Rate finished second to Klaravich Stables Inc. and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, the likely Bashford Manor favorite, in his racing debut.    Exfactor also worked beneath the Twin Spires on Sunday, completing four furlongs in :48.80.

“He (Exfactor)’s a strong, solid horse,” Flint said.

If all goes well in the six-furlong Bashford Manor, Flint expects for Exfactor to be near the lead, while Bonaparte will close from the back of the pack.

“It’ll be an entertaining race and we’ll have some entertainment on the front end and entertainment in the back,” Flint said. “I think that’s how the race will go, but you never know with these baby races.”

Court, who has 19 wins at the spring meet, will ride Bonaparte in the Bashford Manor, while Borel, who has collected 25 victories, has the return call on Exfactor.

Known horses under consideration for the Bashford Manor and their trainers include Backdoor Kenny (James Divito), Bonaparte (Flint), Exfactor (Flint), Friscan (Al Stall Jr.), Green Mouse (William Denzik Jr.), Hot Speed (Ron Moquett), Lil Cherokee (Bret Calhoun), Power World (Neil Howard), Sum of the Parts (Tom Amoss) and Threanddonedan (John Salzman).

SIMMS THINKING BREEDERS CUP WITH DEBUTANTE WINNER – Barry King’s Flashy Lassie, charged down the Churchill Downs stretch Saturday to score a 17-1 upset in the 111^th running of the $109,300 Debutante GIII), came out her first stakes win well and rested in trainer Garry Simms’ barn Sunday morning.

“She came out of the race fine and licked up her feed tub,” Simms said. “We’re doing good and ready to roll.”

The Debutante was the first stakes victory beneath the Twin Spires for the veteran Simms, who hopes now to add several more to that total. One stakes target already on Simms’ long-range radar is the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) at Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 4.

“The ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup,” Simms said. “I haven’t even thought about where she will run next, but we’ll look for something in about 30 or 40 days.”

Simms, who has waged a battle with melanoma since early 2010, said Saturday’s victory by Flashy Lassie was good medicine.

“All the pain leaves!” Simms said. “There’s nothing like winning a horse race.”

Flashy Lassie, purchased by Simms for $4,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October, increased her bankroll to $77,211 with the first-place check she picked up in the Debutante.  Her stakes victory came in just the second start for the Kentucky-bred daughter of first-year sire Flashy Bull. She launched her career with a nine-length romp in a $20,000 maiden-claiming event at Churchill Downs on May 13.

BARN TALK – Churchill Downs-based trainer Steve Margolis, whose Barn 23 suffered the most severe damage in Wednesday’s tornado, won the Grade III Iowa Oaks with Little Miss Holly on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows for Al Gold’s Gold Square. “She (Little Miss Holly) was in Barn 23, but was not here for the storm,” Margolis said. “She flew up there on Wednesday morning so she just missed it.” …

Through the June 11 racing program at Churchill Downs, Corey Lanerie was leading the jockey standings with 34 wins from 145 mounts and Julien Leparoux was in third with 23 wins from 120 mounts. From that point Leparoux has been on a torrid streak and has won with 19 of his 44 mounts since June 12.  Lanerie is only 5-for-54 from the same date. …

With two more winners on Saturday, jockey Robby Albarado now holds sole position of third place in career wins at Churchill Downs. Albarado, who has 927 victories beneath the Twin Spires, was tied for third with Hall of Famer Don Brumfield entering Saturday’s action. …

Courtlandt Farms’ Machen, winner of the $200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII) at Churchill Downs on April 30, will be pointed to the Grade II Amsterdam at Saratoga on August 1 according to trainer Neil Howard. “We’ll see how it goes and then hopefully go in the King’s Bishop (Grade I at Saratoga on Aug. 27). …

Sunday’s card at Churchill Downs will feature a Pick 6 carryover of $98,241. The Pick 6 will begin with Race 5 at 2:51 p.m. EDT. …

Churchill Downs will not make up Thursday’s lost day of racing, but additional races will be added to the programs next week, which is the final week of the spring meet. Three races will be added Thursday, two races Friday, two races Saturday (July 2), and one race Sunday (July 3). No races will be added to the Monday, July 4, program. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (June 17-25) is Julian Leprous (15-for-35). Ken McGee (6-for-12) is the hottest trainer over the same period. Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (2-for-6) is the hottest owner.

WORKTAB – Columbine Stable’s O.K.’s Thunder, winner of the Grade I Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland prior to a ninth place finish in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his most recent start, worked four furlongs in :50.40 over a sloppy track on Sunday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Al Stall Jr. “We’re slowly getting him back, but he’s still a month or two away from making a start,” Stall said.

Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin, winner of the Grade I Hopeful who scratched out of the Kelly’s Landing stakes on Friday night, worked five furlongs in 1:02 Sunday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Chasing Dreams Racing 2008 LLC’s Noble’s Promise, winner of the Grade III Aristides at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 for trainer Ken McPeek.

WEATHER – Sunday: cloudy with a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 82. Monday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90. Tuesday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of thunderstorms, 89. Wednesday: mostly sunny, 87. Thursday: mostly sunny, 90. Friday: sunny and hot, 93. Saturday: mostly sunny, 93.

Barry King’s Flashy Lassie, the longest shot in a field of seven 2-year-old fillies, charged through the Churchill Downs stretch, caught Five Star Momma inside the eighth-pole and edged clear late to win Saturday’s 111^th running of the Grade III, $109,300 Debutante Stakes by a widening length.

Flashy Lassie, trained by Garry Simms and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, returned mutuels of $37.20, $14.20 and $6.80 as she scored her second victory in as many starts. Terry Allen’s Five Star Momma was second returning $5.80 and $4.40. and Stoneway Farm’s Queen Teuta rallied to finish more than eight lengths back in third and returned $4.60 to show.  Bred in Kentucky by Mr. & Mrs. Hugh G. King, Flashy Lassie completed the six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:10.89.

The victory marked the first stakes win beneath the historic Twin Spires for Simms, who has waged a battle with melanoma since early 2010.

“I’ve had two bone marrow transplants and stem cells since December, but I’m doing well now,” Simms said. When asked how this win makes him feel, Simms responded by saying, “All the pain leaves!”

Flashy Lassie collected a graded stakes victory in just her second career start and picked up a winner’s check worth $66,411 to increase her bankroll to $77,211. Her other win was a nine-length romp in a race for $20,000 claiming horses at Churchill Downs on May 13.

Flashy Lassie was reserved in sixth position in the early going as Gold Mark Farm LLC’s Culotte, the 8-5 post time favorite, led the strung out field through fast fractions of :21.57 and :45.16. Desormeaux began to move with the daughter of Flashy Bull at the three-eighths pole and set his filly down for the drive at the top of the stretch. Flashy Lassie closed with a furious run on the outside and caught Five Star Momma, who was more than two-lengths clear in mid-stretch, near the finish and quickly drew clear.

Priscilla Vaccarezza’s My Due Process finished fourth in the Debutante and was followed in order by Tippy Toes, Culotte and Shocktime. Defy Gravity was a late scratch.

The six-furlong Debutante is the nation’s first graded stakes event for 2-year-old fillies and has been won by such accomplished runners as champions Bewitch, Alcibiades and Silverbulletday.

Racing continues Sunday at Churchill Downs with a 10-race program highlighted by a Pick 6 carryover of $98,241 that begins with Race 5 at 2:51 p.m. EDT. First post Sunday is 12:45 p.m.

DEBUTANTE STAKES QUOTES

Garry Simms, trainer of Flashy Lassie (winner): “I have to give all the credit to (jockey) Kent (Desormeaux). They were flying up front and he just took his time. I told him not to pay any attention to that maiden 20 (thousand dollar claiming) win because, believe me, she could have won a maiden special (weight). She’s a nice filly, has a ton of heart and does everything right. She’s smart. I bought her for $4,000 so this is a blessing.”

Q: On his battle with melanoma: “I’ve had two bone marrow transplants and stem cells since December, but I’m doing well now.”

Q: Well, how does something like this make you feel? “All the pain leaves! That’s what I tell everybody, ‘There’s nothing like winning a horse race.’”

Kent Desormeaux, jockey of Flashy Lassie (winner): “For a second-time starter, she was very mature and very professional. She was very well trained and I think that’s why she won today. I asked a lot of her for her second start. I took her back and she got dirt kicked in her face for the first time. She never hopped at all; she stayed flat and level and gave me a true ride. She laid it out there. She didn’t want to catch that filly the last eighth of a mile and I had to really get into her. She was fully extended.”

Corey Lanerie, jockey of Five Star Momma (second): “I had a good trip and she sat right off (the leaders) – just perfect and in a good position. When I got to the quarter pole I was on cruise control and sat her down. Maybe just before the sixteenth pole she started to get a little late with me and that’s when the winner ran me down.”

Calvin Borel, jockey of Queen Teuta (third): “She ran good. I was very impressed. I thought she finished up a little bit but they went quick early and backed ‘em up at the half (mile pole). She ran good, though.”

Robby Albarado, jockey of My Due Process (fourth): “She broke a little tardy, but I didn’t rush her. I got a good pace in front of me and drafted as much as I could. On the turn for home, she gave me a little run but it ended up being minimal.”

Leandro Goncalves, jockey of Culotte (sixth as the 8-5 favorite): “She broke out of the gate really fast and was a little fresh today. I tried to get to relax but she had way too much speed and she had company. After that, she just didn’t finish.”

Bret Calhoun, trainer of Shocktime (seventh as 5-2 second choice): “The two favorites (Culotte and Shocktime) went out there too fast, but (jockey) Miguel (Mena) did a good job of switching out. They were still rolling, though. The pace and probably coming back in two weeks was probably too much to ask.”

MARGOLIS SEEKS FIRST CD STAKES WIN WITH COOL BULLET ON FRIDAY - To say the previous couple of days have been eventful for trainer Steve Margolis would be putting things lightly. The 47-year-old trainer returned to the Churchill Downs backstretch on Wednesday night to find his Barn 23 nearly unrecognizable after a tornado tore its way through the stable area and spent most of Thursday relocating approximately 20 displaced horses that previously called that barn home.

One of those horses, Cool Bullet, was one of the last horses to escape from his tornado-damaged barn on Wednesday night, but Margolis hopes that he will be the first to cross the line in Friday night’s feature race at the historic Louisville track: the $76,660-added Kelly’s Landing stakes for 3-year-olds and upward at seven furlongs on the main track.

“He was one of the last horses that we got out of the barn (on Wednesday),” Margolis said. “He doesn’t have a scratch on him. If he would have had a nick on him or I felt like he had a traumatic experience then I would have passed on running him tonight (Friday), but he’s totally fine.”

Cool Bullet, a 4-year-old gelded son of Red Bullet, bids for his first win of 2011 in the Kelly’s Landing.

“His numbers may show that he’s a little better on synthetic tracks, but he did win the Rumson (at Monmouth) on the dirt and he’s run well here going seven-eighths (when finishing second in the 2010 Matt Winn),” Margolis said. “Hopefully he’ll run good.”

While the Florida-bred Cool Bullet will look for his fourth career stakes victory, his trainer is seeking his first stakes victory beneath the Twin Spires. Margolis, who has 105 career wins at Churchill Downs, is winless in 40 starts in stakes races at the Louisville track.

“We’ve run a lot of big races and have had a lot of seconds and thirds and hopefully we can finally get a win,” Margolis said. “We have Manny Cruz riding for us and he’s been riding good, so that will help.”

Robert and Lawana Low and Winmore LLC’s Cool Bullet will face a tough field in the Kelly’s Landing that includes such accomplished sprinters as Captain Cherokee and Here Comes Ben. Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Captain Cherokee has run second in three Grade II sprints this year and Marianne and Brandon Chase’s Here Comes Ben is the defending Kelly’s Landing champion and winner of the Grade I Forego at Saratoga last September. 

TEXAS-INVADER SHOCKTIME FACES TOUGH TEST IN DEBUTANTE – Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s unbeaten Shocktime has left little doubt that she was much the best in the first two starts of her career as the 2-year-old daughter of Langfuhr has won those races by a combined 21 ¾ lengths.

On Saturday the Texas-bred Shocktime will step up to face tougher company in the 111^th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Debutante at Churchill Downs."She’s never done anything wrong in her life,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “I don’t know what she’s beat, but she’s done it impressively.”

The Debutante will be Shocktime’s first race in open company after previously racing at Lone Star Park against Texas-breds. The homebred filly that shipped in from Texas on Tuesday won the $93,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity on June 11 in her most recent start.

“We thought she was a nice filly from the beginning and the only reason she went there (Lone Star) was because she was eligible for the Texas-bred stakes,” Calhoun said. “We knew she wasn’t going to stay there.”

While Shocktime’s five furlong time of :58.61 in the TTA Sales Futurity was faster than the winning time turned in by stablemate Lil Cherokee one race earlier in the Futurity’s division for colts and geldings, Calhoun is confident the filly could have run even faster.

“I was watching TV last night and one guy said he was going to pick her, but decided not to because she ran the last eighth in 13 and change. He must not have been paying attention though because he (jockey Clifton Berry) was basically pulling her up the last sixteenth of a mile and she still won by 12.”

Shocktime will face a competitive field of eight in the Debutante, which includes Gold Mark Farm LLC’s Culotte and Stoneway Farm’s Queen Teuta, who ran 1-2 in the first race of their respective careers on May 13 at Churchill Downs.

“It’s a lot to ask her to step up and come back in two weeks, but we feel like she can handle it and that she fits in here well,” Calhoun said.

The six-furlong Debutante is the nation’s first graded stakes event for 2-year-old fillies and the featured 10^th race on the next-to-last Saturday program of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet. The field for the Debutante from the rail out with jockey and weight includes Five Star Momma (Corey Lanerie, 118), Queen Teuta (Calvin Borel, 118), Tippy Toes (Julien Leparoux, 116), My Due Process (Robby Albarado, 116), Flashy Lassie (Kent Desormeaux, 116), Shocktime (Miguel Mena, 120), Culotte (Leandro Goncalves, 118) and Defy Gravity (Wesley Ho, 118).

LEPAROUX TIES LANERIE FOR MEET LEAD WITH EIGHT RACING DAYS REMAINING – Corey Lanerie was tied atop the jockey standings with Shaun Bridgmohan through 15 days of the 38-day Spring Meet, but surged to a ten-win advantage at the completion of day 25.

At that point, Lanerie was eleven wins clear of Julien Leparoux in third, but recent days have been Leparoux’s time to surge.  The French-born star collected 12 wins last week and has now tied Lanerie for the meet lead with eight racing days remaining.

Leparoux, who has won with 14 of his last 29 mounts over the past five racing days at the Louisville track, had an easy explanation for his recent hot-streak.

“I’m drinking Red Bull and it’s giving me wings,” he said. “Seriously though, it has been an awesome week. I’ve read in a couple of places about how many I’ve won, but I’m not thinking about that too much.”

While Leparoux is tied for the most victories this meet, he is currently fourth in number of mounts with 149.  That total is 34 fewer than Lanerie.

“I’ve been away riding at other places a few days during the meet and it’s nice to still be at the top even though I’ve had less mounts than some of the others,” Leparoux said.

The 27-year-old native of Senlis, France is seeking his eighth riding title at Churchill Downs, while Lanerie is bidding his first beneath the Twin Spires.

“If I can’t win it then it would be nice for Corey (Lanerie) to win, but winning the riding title is always the goal,” Leparoux said. “I’m definitely trying to win it again.”

Lanerie and Leparoux will enter Friday’s 11-race Downs After Dark program with 37 wins each and both will be quite busy over the next three racing days. Lanerie has 26 mounts at Churchill Downs this weekend and Leparoux is scheduled to ride 25 horses.

MEET LEADERS AT A GLANCE – Through 30 days of the 38-day Spring Meet, jockeys Corey Lanerie and Julien Leparoux, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. are the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Below is a look at the leaders entering Friday night’s action:

Top Jockeys

1. Corey Lanerie (37-for-183, 20% win-percentage, $1,156,597 in earnings)

1. Julien Leparoux (37-for-149, 25%, $1,293,658)

3. Shaun Bridgmohan (26-for-152, 17%, $886,599)

4. Calvin Borel (22-for-162, 14%, $793,434)

5. Manoel Cruz (20-for-121, 17%, $789,364

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (14-for-88, 16%, $1,082,595)

2. Tom Amoss (13-for-35, 37%, $351,282)

2. Ken McPeek (13-for-50, 26%, $737,975)

4. Eddie Kenneally (10-for-39, 26%, $288,148)

5. Dale Romans (9-for-75, 12%, $795,659)

Top Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (6-for-32, 19%, $133,582)

2. Donald Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (4-for-22, 18%, $279,804)

2. Robert Baker and William Mack (4-for-16, 25%, $78,649)

2. Martin Cherry (4-for-8, 50%, $67,953)

2. Tom Ludt’s Vinery Stables LLC (4-for-10, 40%, $140,368)

2. Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel (4-for-19, 21%, $100,843)

BARN TALK – Jockey Robby Albarado, who has 923 career wins at Churchill Downs, is just two victories away from tying Don Brumfield for third all-time in wins beneath the Twin Spires. Albarado has 10 mounts Friday night (Races 2-11). …

Peachtree Stable’s Plum Pretty, winner of the 137^th running of the Grade I Kentucky Oaks in her most recent start, is entered to make her return in Saturday’s Grade II Hollywood Oaks for trainer Bob Baffert. A daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, Plum Pretty has a record of 3-0-2 from five starts with earnings of $761,200. …

Churchill Downs will not make up Thursday’s lost day of racing, but additional races will be added to the programs next week, which is the final week of the spring meet. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (June 12-19) is Julien Leparoux (14-for-29). Ken McPeek (5-for-9) is the hottest trainer over the same period. Martin Cherry (2-for-2) is the hottest owner.

WORKTAB – Maggi Moss’ Little Polka Dot, who won the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs on May 14 in her most recent start, worked four furlongs in :49.20 on a fast main track Friday morning for trainer Tom Amoss. 

W.S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally, who was second behind Glen Hill Farm’s Banned in the Grade II American Turf Presented by Ram prior to a runner-up performance in the Lone Star Derby in his most recent start, worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:01.40 for trainer Neil Howard.

Carl Pollard’s multiple stakes winner Kiss Mine worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer David Vance. A 5-year-old daughter of Mineshaft, Kiss Mine won the $75,000 Decoration Day Handicap at Mountaineer Racetrack in her most recent start on May 30.

Double Eagle Ranch and Sue Buena’s Raise the Bridle, second in the 2010 Borderland Derby in his most recent start, worked five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Henry Dominguez on Friday morning.

WEATHER – Friday: partly sunny, 81. Saturday: mostly sunny, 84. Sunday: mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 84. Monday: partly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Tuesday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Wednesday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Thursday: mostly sunny, 90.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEBUTANTE WINNER JUST LOUISE FINE AFTER VICTORY – Eldon Farm Equine’s Just Louise was reported to be doing well Sunday morning, the day after her neck victory over Tristanme in the Debutante Stakes (GII)."She is doing good,” said Baldemar Bahena, assistant to trainer Dale Romans.

Romans indicated after the race that Just Louise would be pointed toward stakes action at Saratoga. The first 2-year-old filly stake at Saratoga is the Schuylerville (GIII) on July 23.

Bahena said the Romans horses heading to Saratoga would be leaving Churchill Downs beginning July 15.

Debutante favorite Salty Strike, who was caught in the last jump for second by Tristanme, was also doing well Sunday according to Philip Bauer, assistant to trainer Ken McPeek.

“She’s good this morning and she is tired,” Bauer said. “She ran hard, and to re-break again like she did at the quarter pole, that was pretty good.”

Bauer said the first two trucks shipping McPeek horses to Saratoga would be leave on Thursday with the possibility of Salty Strike being on board one of those trucks.

RACHEL ALEXANDRA, MINE THAT BIRD SET FOR MONDAY WORKS – There will be no racing at Churchill Downs on Monday, but there will still plenty of attention focused on the one-mile main track as 2009 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) are scheduled to work.

Rachel Alexandra, a dominant 10 ½-length winner last out in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII), is scheduled for her final work over her home track before the 4-year-old champion heads to Saratoga on Wednesday.  The Steve Asmussen trainee regularly works in trainer Steve Asmussen’s second set around 6:15-6:30 a.m. (all times EDT).

Mine That Bird continues to prep for his first race since ninth-place finish behind unbeaten Zenyatta in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) on the synthetic Pro-Ride    surface at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, is scheduled to breeze just after the maintenance break at approximately 8:30 a.m. for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.  Jockey Calvin Borel will be in the saddle for Mine That Bird’s move.

Mine That Bird could make his return to competition during the closing weekend of Churchill Downs Spring Meet.  There are two possible races for Mine That Bird: an allowance race 1 1/16-miles on the main track on Saturday, July 3, and the 4-year-old gelding is also nominated to the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at a mile on turf on Sunday, July 4.

WISE RIVER’S FIRECRACKER REQUEST: NO RAIN, PLEASE – Trainer Clark Hanna has one, simple request for the weather gods with regard to next Sunday’s 20th running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course: Keep it dry!

Hanna trains Wise River, as solid and consistent a turf performer as there is as long as the course is firm.

“He just doesn’t like yielding turf and you have to hope for the best,” said Hanna, who has been training the 7-year-old Wise River since February 2008. “He is the best horse I have had and the most consistent. I’m a little hard-headed and have run him times I probably shouldn’t have because of yielding turf.”

Under Hanna’s care, Wise River has compiled a record of 12-4-3-1 in two-turn races on firm turf. Overall, the record in such races and conditions is 22-6-6-2 with his largest margin of defeat being only seven lengths in the Grade I Kilroe Mile last year at Santa Anita.

“He shows up every time and is usually 1-2-3,” Hanna said. “I even ran him short (5 ½ furlongs) this winter at New Orleans, which he doesn’t like, because he had no other spot to run and he was third.”
Wise River, a son of Belong to Me, broke his maiden at first asking in a one-mile turf test at Ellis Park. Three races later, Wise River opened his 3-year-old campaign by running second to Barbaro in the Tropical Park Derby (GIII).

At Churchill Downs, Wise River has compiled a record of 11-2-3-2 on the Matt Winn Turf Course and owns the course record for 1 1/16 miles (1:39.83 established April 26, 2009). Wise River’s past two turf starts here have come on yielding courses with typical yielding-course results for him: eighth in this spring’s Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) and sixth in last year’s Firecracker.

Owned by Don Benge, Wise River enters the Firecracker off a victory in the Dallas Turf Cup Handicap at Lone Star Park on May 31.

“He came out of the Texas race fine and I like the space between the races,” Hanna said. “I could have run in the prep for the Firecracker (the Opening Verse on June 11), but this gave us an extra week and a half.”

A week out, everything is looking good for Hanna and Wise River, whose career bankroll is $494,567 with a record of 36-7-10-5.

“The long-term forecast looks decent,” Hanna said. “He likes this track a lot and I’d rather run him here. If he doesn’t run here, I might go to the West Coast for the race the end of next month at Del Mar (the Grade I Eddie Read at 1 1/8 miles on July 24). It stays dry out there.”

ACOMA EXPECTED STARTING HIGH WEIGHT FOR LOCUST GROVE – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma has been assigned 121 pounds by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman for Saturday’s 29th running of the Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) at a mile over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Acoma is expected to be the starting high weight in the race as Hot Cha Cha, assigned 122 pounds, is expected to bypass the Locust Grove for Modesty Handicap (GIII) at Arlington Park on July 17. Hot Cha Cha defeated Acoma by three-quarters of a length in the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) here on June 5 while carrying 120 pounds to 122 for Acoma.

Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, who finished a head in back of Acoma in the Mint Julep while carrying 120 pounds, was assigned 120 for the Locust Grove.

Other probable Locust Grove starters and their weight assignments are Alfred Nuckols Jr.’s Danzon (116), Vegso Racing Stables’ Happiness Is (114) and Magdalena Racing’s My Baby Baby (114).

Considered possible for the race is Hidden Brook’s Quiet Meadow (115).

Entries for the Locust Grove will be taken Wednesday.

BARN TALK – Trainer Bret Calhoun was all smiles Sunday morning after the 4 ½-length victory by Chamberlain Bridge in Saturday’s Arlington Sprint Handicap at 5 ½ furlongs. The race was a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) to be held here Nov. 6. “That’s the long-term goal. Now we figure out the best way to get here,” Calhoun said. “There is a race the end of July at Penn National (the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governors Cup Handicap at five furlongs) and then the Turf Monster ($250,000 on Sept. 6 at five furlongs) that he won last year at Philadelphia Park.” Options in October include the Woodford at Keeneland, a race Chamberlain Bridge won in 2008. …  

Another happy trainer Sunday was Dallas Stewart after his Seeking the Title won the Iowa Oaks (GIII) on Saturday night at Prairie Meadows by a half-length. Seeking the Title had been excluded from the Kentucky Oaks (GI) because of insufficient graded stakes earnings and then lost rider Kent Desormeaux in the Black-Eyed Susan (GII) at Pimlico when she tried to avoid a fallen horse. “We finally got a race without somebody falling down,” Stewart said with a chuckle of Seeking the Title, who had run sixth in the Acorn (GI) in her previous start. “She will go to Saratoga and may run in the Coaching Club of American Oaks (GI) on July 24 if it is not too quick. That’s a mile and an eighth and the further the better for her. She needs more ground and almost didn’t have enough last night.” Stewart also said multiple stakes winner Macho Again was on track to return to Saratoga with the Aug. 7 Whitney Handicap (GI) as his objective. …

Trainer Tom Proctor said that debut maiden winner Well Connected will be heading to Saratoga after his 1 ¾-length victory on Saturday after breaking from post position 12 in the five-furlong sprint. “I think I will look for an allowance race for him around seven furlongs because I don’t want to run him short again at this time,” Proctor said. “The mare (Indy Groove) was precocious and she won from five-eighths to a mile and an eighth.” Well Connected is the first starter for Indy Groove, who ran sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) here for Proctor in 2004.

WORK TAB – Northern Dancer (GIII) winner Colizeo worked a half-mile over a fast track in :48.40. … Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) winner General Quarters worked a half-mile in :49. … Dogwood (GIII) runner-up Tap Tap Tapping worked a half-mile in :50.20 and Jefferson Cup (GIII) winner Gleam of Hope worked a half-mile in :52. Eighth-place Kentucky Derby (GI) finisher Stately Victor work five furlongs at the Trackside Training Center in 1:00 over a fast track.

KUNTZWEILER REVELS IN RETURN TO RACES – It was a walk she had not made in more than 4 ½ years … heading into the paddock to ride at Churchill Downs.

"I was nervous. It felt like the first time,” Greta Kuntzweiler said of her emotions before climbing aboard 70-1 shot Clear Conscience in Thursday’s fifth race.

Then came the post parade beneath the Twin Spires.

“It was just awesome. I forgot how much fun it was,” said Kuntzweiler, whose riding career was put on hold because of legal issues. “I saw a lot of familiar faces and there were people calling my name. It was great.”

Clear Conscience finished last, but Kuntzweiler came back in the next race to ride 54-1 shot Foxy Valley Girl to a fourth-place finish and then just missing in the day’s feature race on Broken Dreams for trainer Tom Proctor.

“I really wish I could have won that one,” Kuntzweiler, 34, said. “It was great that he (Proctor) would put me on a horse like that. Everyone has been very supportive.”

Kuntzweiler is named on one mount Friday and one Saturday. She will ride the remainder of the meet that ends July 4 and then ride at Ellis Park this summer.

FINAL WEEKEND STAKES FIELDS TAKING SHAPE – Kentucky Juvenile (GIII) winner Lou Brissie, owned by Dogwood Stable, is expected to be the headliner next Saturday for the 109th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

Other colts considered as probable for the race by Churchill Downs officials are Stonestreet Stables’ Kantharos, an 11 3/4-length debut winner on May 13 in the slop, Let’s Go Stable’s Razmataz, a winner here on June 11 in his second start, Carl Moore Management’s Speed Demon, a maiden winner here April 28, Butterfly Stable’s Gold for Cash, a maiden winner here on June 11 in his third start, and Thewayitusedtobe, winner of an Illinois-bred maiden race at Arlington Park on June 4 owned by Jose Gonzalez.

Possible for the race is Dale Wessels’ Vouch for Victory, a first-out maiden winner at Arlington Park on May 20. Entries for the Bashford Manor, won last year by Backtalk, will be taken Wednesday.

ng top billing on July 3 with the Bashford Manor will be the 29th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares three-years-old and up going a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Heading the list of probables are the 2-3 finishers from the June 5 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII): Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma and Barbara Hunter’s Keertana. Other probables include Magdalena Racing’s My Baby Baby, Vegso Racing Stables’ Happiness Is and Alfred Nuckols Jr.’s Danzon.
 Weights for the Locust Grove will be announced Saturday and entries taken Wednesday.

Nine horses are considered as probable for the 20th running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course on July 4, the closing day of the 42-day Spring Meet.

Topping the probables is Don Benge’s Wise River, winner of the Dallas Turf Cup Handicap in his most recent start on May 31. Trained by Clark Hanna, Wise River ran sixth in last year’s Firecracker behind Mr. Sidney in a race contested on yielding turf.

Other probables for the Firecracker include Silverton Hill’s Driving Snow (GB), Marilyn and Jim Helzer’s Euroears, Farnsworth Stables’ Jet Propulsion, Jessica Coudelaria’s Negro Da Gaita (BRZ), Peter Karahalios’ Public Speaker, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Skipadate, Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu and Mike McCarty’s Unbridle’s Dream.

Possible for the Firecracker is Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Inca King, a six-time winner on the Matt Winn Turf Course and runner-up in last year’s Firecracker.

Weights for the Firecracker are set for Sunday release and entries will be taken Thursday.
        
BARN TALK – With seven racing days left in the 42-day Sprint Meet, one track record has been established. That was courtesy of Silver Timber in winning the five-furlong Churchill Downs Turf Sprint (GIII) on April 30. Silver Timber was timed in :55.45, erasing the course mark of :55.54 established by Unbridled Sidney in 2005. …
    One of the more intriguing notes of the meet, the highest Pick 6 payoff occurred on Stephen Foster Handicap Day, June 12. The payoff was $209,853.60 and the first leg of the sequence included a virtual free square: Rachel Alexandra at 1-10 in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII).

Calvin Borel, in quest of his first Spring Meet riding title at Churchill Downs, has had the best single day performance of the meet with five victories on April 24. Borel also had a four-win day on June 12 as did Corey Lanerie on May 15.

WORK TAB – Winning Colors (GIII) winner Dubai Majesty worked a half-mile on a fast track in :49. … Firecracker Handicap (GII) probable Euroears worked a half-mile in :51.60. … Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) probable Danzon worked five furlongs in 1:02. … At the Trackside Training Center, Firecracker possible starter Inca King worked five furlongs in 1:02.

Eldon Farm Equine’s Just Louise and Craig Singer’s Salty Strike, impressive debut maiden winners in May at Churchill Downs, head a field of seven 2-year-old fillies entered for Saturday’s 110th running of the $100,000 Debutante (GIII) at six furlongs.

The Debutante will be the 10th race on Saturday’s 11-race card with an approximate post time of 5:29 p.m. (all times EDT). First post time Saturday is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Just Louise scored a 3 ¼-length victory going five furlongs on May 28. Robby Albarado, seeking his third Debutante victory, was aboard for the maiden score and will ride Saturday. Just Louise will break from post position six.

Ken McPeek trains Salty Strike, who scored by 4 ¼ lengths going five furlongs on May 14. Calvin Borel, who won the 2002 Debutante on Awesome Humor, has the call on Salty Strike, who will break from post position one.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, who has saddled the Debutante winner four times, will be represented in this year’s renewal by the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Tristanme, a maiden winner at Woodbine on June 5. Shaun Bridgmohan has the riding assignment on Tristanme, who breaks from post position five.

William Dorminy’s Internet Café, the only two-time winner in the field, will carry top weight of 120 pounds and break from post position seven under apprentice Oriani Rossi.

The field for the Debutante, from the rail out, is as follows: Salty Strike (Borel, 118 pounds), Bach Hamilton (Francisco Torres, 116), Tater Taunter (Corey Nakatani, 118), Big Sweets (Alex Solis, 118), Tristanme (Bridgmohan, 118), Just Louise (Albarado, 118) and Internet Café (Rossi, 120).

READY’S ROCKET ENTERS EXCLUSIVE TERRITORY WITH CHURCHILL DOWNS VICTORY – Lost in all the hoopla of Blame’s thrilling Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) victory and the tour de force of Rachel Alexandra in the Fleur de Lis (GII) on Saturday was the triumph in the day’s first race by Ready’s Rocket.

The victory in the $10,000 starter allowance test was the eighth at Churchill Downs for the 7-year-old Ready’s Rocket, making him the seventh horse to achieve that many victories beneath the Twin Spires since 1976, which is the first year detailed information was gathered by Equibase.

No horse has won nine races here and trainer Tim Glyshaw is hoping Ready’s Rocket, now owned by Tampa Metro Stable, will get the chance.

There are a couple of starter races before the end of the meet,” Glyshaw said. “He is still eligible for a non-winners of two other/than, but that is going five furlongs on the turf. He is bred for the turf, but he is 0-for-3 on it. I will check with Calvin and see if he thinks he can do it, but I don’t really want to change anything.”

Calvin” is jockey Calvin Borel, who has ridden Ready’s Rocket to seven of his eight Churchill Downs victories.

"He obviously loves the surface here (with a record of 19-8-2-2), but the biggest difference between here and other tracks is he responds to Calvin for whatever reason,” said Glyshaw, who has saddled Ready’s Rocket to 11 of his 15 career victories.

Ready’s Rocket has won his past five starts at Churchill Downs, and is the only three-time winner of the 30-day-old meet. He returned the Glyshaw barn after a brief sojourn to Penn National.
“After he ran at Keeneland last fall, the owners wanted to run at Penn National because of the bigger pots,” Glyshaw said. “The opportunity arose to claim him back when he was in for $4,000 and we did and that race made him starter eligible again.”

Back in Kentucky after three off-the-board efforts in Pennsylvania, Ready’s Rocket was jogged on a farm until the Glyshaw stable returned from New Orleans. Glyshaw was not sure what he had when the current meet started.

“I was a little worried when he worked in 1:04 and 3 at the end of April,” Glyshaw said. “But Calvin said he was the same horse. He said those boys at Penn National just didn’t know how to ride him.”

At age seven, Ready’s Rocket “has his quirks,” Glyshaw said. “He is not overly friendly or a ‘lovey-dovey’ type. But he usually comes back and doesn’t pout after he gets beat.”

The most distinguished member of the eight-win club is Bet On Sunshine, who ran here from 1995-2002 and at age nine in 2001 won the Aristides (GIII) to become the oldest graded-stakes winner in track history

Other eight-time winners at Churchill Downs and the years they raced here are Canela (2005-08), Ahenium (1991-94), Crown Lease (1991-95), Lord Rusty (1993-2000) and Maxxed (1995-98). Canela is still in training and ran second on Sunday in a $4,000 claiming race at River Downs for trainer Joe Woodard.

DEBUTANTE ATTRACTS 18 NOMINATIONS – William Dorminy’s Internet Café and Butterfly Stable’s Iones Folly, who finished a nose apart in a May 31 allowance race here, head a list of 18 nominations to the 110th running of the $100,000-added Debutante Stakes (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs to be run June 26.

Internet Café is trained by John Hancock, who could have a second Debutante entrant in Bach Hamilton, a three-length maiden winner here on May 30. Bach Hamilton is owned by Dorminy.

One other intriguing nominee is Eldon Farm Equine’s Just Louise, a 3 ½-length debut maiden winner here on May 28. Just Louise is a half-sister to Sara Louise, winner of the Pocahontas (GIII) here in the fall of 2008 and runner-up to Rachel Alexandra in the 2008 Golden Rod (GII).

Other fillies under consideration for the race according to Churchill Downs officials are Gatewood Bell and Wesley Ward’s Nina Fever, a maiden winner at Keeneland who ran fifth against the boys in the Kentucky Juvenile (GIII) on April 30, and Perry Harrison’s Tater Taunter, a maiden winner here at first asking on June

Decelerator won last year’s Debutante to give trainer D. Wayne Lukas a record seventh victory in the race.  

Silverbulletday in 1998 is the most recent Debutante winner to return the following spring to win the Kentucky Oaks (GI). Rachel Alexandra ran was the Debutante runner-up in 2008.

Entries for the Debutante will be taken Wednesday.

BARN TALK – Nominations close Saturday for the final three stakes of the Spring Meet scheduled to be run July 3 and 4. Scheduled for July 3 are the 109th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII) for 2-year-olds going six furlongs and the 29th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going a mile on the turf.  Backtalk won the Bashford Manor last year and Closeout took the Locust Grove. The 20th running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course is the closing day feature on July 4. Mr. Sidney won the 2009 Firecracker.

WORK TAB – Cash Refund, third in the Aristides (GIII) in his most recent start, worked five furlongs on the main track in :59, the fastest of 11 works at the distance. … Also working five furlongs was Kentucky Juvenile (GIII) winner Lou Brissie in 1:01, fourth fastest at the distance, in preparation for the Bashford Manor. …Works of note over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course (dogs up) were 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly (half-mile in :53.20), multiple stakes winner Chamberlain Bridge (half-mile in :50.40) and Driving Snow, prepping for the Firecracker, worked five furlongs in 1:05.60.

Westrock Stables’ Decelerator prevailed by a neck over Wild Forest Cat to win Saturday’s 109th running of the $111,300 Debutante Stakes (Grade III) for 2-year-old fillies and give trainer Hall of Fame trainer  D. Wayne Lukas his record seventh victory in the race.

    Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Decelerator raced in fourth place in the run down the backstretch as Brown Eyed Baby led the field of nine through the first quarter-mile in :21.66 with Wild Forest Cat and Our Tekela Rose in closest pursuit. At the head of the stretch after a half-mile in :45.39, Wild Forest Cat under Brian Hernandez Jr. took control with Decelerator right on her flank.

The two battled as a team through the lane, exchanging a few bumps, before Decelerator drew clear to complete the six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:11.28. Hernandez claimed foul against Decelerator, but the claim was disallowed.

The victory was worth $66,246 for the 2-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Dehere who was a $250,000 February purchase at Ocala. Decelerator, now 2-for-2, boosted her career earnings to $95,671.

    Lukas first won the Debutante with Burnished Bright in 1986 and his most recent triumph before Saturday’s victory by Decelerator came in 2004 with Classic Elegance.  

    Saturday’s victory by Decelerator was Lukas first graded stakes win since Firey Pursuit won the Grade II Louisville Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2007.  It was the 72nd stakes victory at Churchill Downs for the 73-year-old native of Antigo, Wis., just two victories behind all-time leader and fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott.  Lukas’ stakes total includes four victories in the Kentucky Derby (GI) and four in the Kentucky Oaks.  

    Sent off as the favorite, Decelerator returned mutuels of $4.60, $3 and $2.40. Wild Forest Cat returned $3.80 and $3.20. Kinsolving rallied to finish third another 3 ¾ lengths back under Shaun Bridgmohan and paid $3.60 to show. Both the second and third-place finishers are trained by Steve Asmussen.  Completing the field in order were Tidal Pool, Phone Marybe, Send Rose Thecheck, Brown Eyed Baby, Henry’s Posse and Our Tekela Rose.

    Racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race program that begins with a 12:45 p.m. EDT first post time. There will be a $66,217 carryover to the Z-5 Super Hi-5 wager, and that pool will carry over to the sixth race at Calder on Sunday afternoon.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE DEBUTANTE (GIII)

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR (winner)
    “You always get a little nervous when they throw the inquiry sign up like that. But I thought that the other horse (Wild Forest Cat) maybe came out as much as anything, but we don’t have the view that the other guys got.
    “She’s a gutsy filly. You know, she hadn’t run since May and I didn’t do a lot with her, as you could see by the works. If she was short, she’d be short; I wanted to save a little something for that little place in northern New York (Saratoga). We’ll come back in about 30 days and go in the Schuylerville (Saratoga’s Grade III, $100,000-added Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Wednesday, July 29).
    “These people, the Fords (Joe and Scott Ford), have been wonderful, wonderful people to train for. They’re going to be in this thing for a long time; they both have a passion for it. I’m just lucky to have made the association. They’ve really been something else. We’ve got about 13 horses together. We better get another one because I don’t like sitting on that number! I don’t miss a trick, do I?”

JULIEN LEPAROUX, rider of DECELERATOR (winner)
“It feels great to win a stakes for Mr. Lukas, especially a baby race. When we swung for home I didn’t really want to go that wide, but I didn’t want to get stuck behind Corey Lanerie (Our Tekela Rose) so I took the chance and went around outside and she finished up great for me. She is a really good filly.”

JOCKEY BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR., rider of WILD FOREST CAT (runner-up)
“She ran hard.  But just late she was wanting to drift and drift, and both of ‘em were tired and they kind of came together and it cost us pretty good.  We were in front of her the whole way and the minute they kind of brushed each other mine kind of threw in the towel for good.  It was a tough race.
    “I think we’ve run second in every major stakes race of the meet.
    “I think we had a great chance today.  It just didn’t work out for us.”

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN, rider of KINSOLVING (third)
“She ran pretty good.  She stumbled pretty bad leaving there and I had to reach up and let her gather herself up, but she made a nice little run in there.”

JON COURT, rider of TIDAL POOL (fourth)
“She broke just enough to be in a little trouble – you know, a 2-year-old.  She overcome quite a bit and she just rallied up.  She couldn’t save the ground I wanted to, but she rallied up for fourth, so you’ve got to give her a lot of credit.  She took a lot of dirt in the face and showed a very competitive finish.  I think with a little cleaner break she would have been a little more competitive on the front end, but a fourth-place finish is better than fifth.”