Bashford Manor

Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor charged down the stretch, made the lead with just over an eighth of a mile remaining and drew clear to win the 110^th running of the Grade III, $111,500 Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds by 2 ¾-lengths on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Trained by 71-year-old Bernie Flint and ridden by three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel, Exfactor covered the six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.30. It was the second win in the Bashford Manor for the Flint-Borel duo, as the pair previously teamed up to win its 2008 edition with William Carl’s Screen Your Friend.  Borel, who rode five winners on Saturday, scored his third Bashford Manor win overall as he won the race in 2000 aboard Phillips Racing Partnership’s Duality.

The 5-1 third-choice in the field of seven, Exfactor returned mutuels of $12.60, $5.20 and $3.60. Courtlandt Farms’ Power World rallied from sixth to finish second under Corey Lanerie and returned $4.80 and $3.60, while Dumbarton Stable’s Friscan, who set a rapid early pace under Shaun Bridgmohan, held for third and returned $4.60 to show. It was a neck further back to Klaravich Stables Inc. and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, the 4-5 Bashford Manor favorite who broke in the air, but rushed to challenge Friscan for the early lead before giving way in the stretch.

The victory was worth $67,748 for Exfactor and increased the bankroll for the Kentucky-bred son of Exchange Rate to $109,348.  The winner’s career record stands at 2-1-0 in three starts.

Exfactor broke last in the field of seven and stayed there as Friscan and Sum of the Parts led the field through a quick opening quarter in :21.59.  Borel asked Exfactor for his run with three-eighths of a mile remaining and began to pick off horses as he swung five-wide entering the stretch. Friscan and Sum of the Parts led the field into the stretch, but Exfactor was rolling on the outside, stuck his head in front with an eighth of a mile to go and quickly drew away.  Power World rallied from sixth and closed well in the stretch to gain the runner-up spot, but could not threaten Exfactor.

Chalybeate Springs finished fifth, and was followed past the finish by Bonaparte and Hot Speed. Lil Cherokee, Green Mouse, Tarpy’s Goal and Laurie’s Rocket were late scratches.

Racing continues beneath the historic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs on Sunday, July 3 with a 12-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. EDT.                                                                  

BASHFORD MANOR QUOTES

Bernard Flint, trainer of Exfactor (Winner)

“The game plan was (Stoneway Farm stablemate) Bonaparte was supposed to go to the front and carry the front end.  But apparently it was quite hot out there and he couldn’t get there.  But that’s OK because he was sick a couple of weeks ago and I had missed a work or two with him, so sometimes you’ve got to go with the one that’s best ready and that was Exfactor.”

Q: You were very confident before the race that Exfactor was going to run well …

“It was a question of whether I was going to hang around on the front end or go from behind (with Exfactor) and today I decided I’m going to go from behind – that’s it.  We have two horses and that’s the purpose for an entry – for one to go on and set the pace, but the other one couldn’t even set the pace.  It was vicious out there.  It was an extremely good race with good horses, and it’s a pleasure to have something like that in the barn.  I thank Mr. Stone for going out and buying these horses.”

Q: Is it more special at this time in your life and career to win a race like this with a young horse?

“This late in your life, you don’t usually get the opportunities.  Everybody forgets about the old man, but the old man don’t forget what he learned.  Mr. Stone must be congratulated for having enough faith in me to come back to me and give me a second chance.  Hey, I’m tickled.”

Q: How much potential does this horse have?

“It’s unlimited, because if I can keep him coming from behind like that we’ve got the Breeders’ Cup right here.  He’s a special horse, he’s been a special horse, but I didn’t have him ready to run the first time. … You can’t squeeze the lemon – you’ve got to be careful with what you do.

“The best 2-year-olds in the country have always come out of Churchill Downs. I don’t care what anybody says, whatever price they were or whatever it is, it’s the pinnacle of 2-year-old racing.  And I’m just tickled to death at my age to have a horse like this.  It doesn’t happen to a 71-year-old man, OK?  But Mr. Stone had enough faith in me to say ‘Let’s go out and let’s go get ‘em.’

“It’s really a joy to win at home, but it’s even a bigger joy to have a truly good 2-year-old.  No one ever commits suicide if they’ve got an untried 2-year-old, and when they’ve got a stakes-winning or graded stakes-winning 2-year-old, for sure you’re not going to commit suicide.”

Q: What do you think might be next?

“I’m going to see how he came out of this race and hopefully we’ll go on to Saratoga and we’ll wait here and lay in the woods and wait ‘til Breeders’ Cup.”

 

James Stone (Stoneway Farm), owner of Exfactor (Winner)

Q: What does this win mean for you?

“This means everything because we haven’t been here in seven or eight years.  I guess we won the Stonerside Beaumont (at Keeneland) back in ’02, ’03, along in there.  It’s that old country song, ‘If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.’  But it’s changed.  I’m back to my first trainer, Bernie.  We went through 54 trainers, but we’re back and he’s got all my horses.

“He’s got great eyes for picking just the physical horse.  Don’t show him the pedigree.  He just looks at the horse.  We hooked up about a year or year and a half ago, and he’s got 30 horses in the racing stable, all told.

“You’ve got to have someone you can communicate with.  That doesn’t mean Bernie and I always agree or he does it my way.  He does it his way, but at least we have a great rapport and I’ve been taught more by Bernie Flint than any other individual in the horse business.”

"We’re just rollin’, we’re just loving it.  We’re having fun.  Whatever comes, it’s a pleasure.”

Calvin Borel, jockey on Exfactor (winner)

“I let him drop back out of there.  I knew they’d have a little speed, :21 and :45, that’s pretty good fractions for a 2-year-old.  I just said, ‘If we’re going to teach him, teach him right.  That’s what Mr. Carl (two-time Kentucky Derby winner trainer Carl Nafzger) always told me.  I’ll tell you what, he’s a nice colt and we’re trying to form him to be a nice colt to get on down the road and do bigger things.  So I let him break and was just comfortable.   He felt real, real good coming to the (quarter) pole, so I rode him with a lot of confidence.  He showed up and gave me that punch.  At the wire he was getting a little late, but not bad.  I was very impressed.”

Q: What do you think Exfactor learned out of this race?

“A lot.  I’ve been working him a long time and he’s very versatile.  If you want him there (near the lead), he’s there, but he’ll sit back and make one run.  I like that in a horse.  Today was big plus for him.  They’ll do it in the morning sometimes by themselves, but in the afternoon will they do it?  You’ve got to check ‘em out and hope it works out if you want a good one that will fit down the road, and I think this colt can do it.”

Corey Lanerie, jockey of Power World (second): “My horse was good; he broke good today. He was maybe a little keener than I thought he would have been. But I was in a good spot and at the five-sixteenths (pole) I thought I had them. (Jockey) Calvin (Borel on Exfactor) came around me and swept by me. I kind of cut through a little bit and saved a little more ground but I just couldn’t catch him today.”

Neil Howard, trainer of Power World (second): “I thought he ran good. (Trainer) Bernie Flint’s horse (Exfactor) had been on my mind since he broke his maiden. That was a nice race first-time out. Obviously it would have been great to win it, but I love what I’m seeing with this colt for the future … you know, seven-eighths (of a mile) and the races this fall. He’s a nice colt, I think. I hope at least. This was a good group of two-year-olds.”

Leandro Goncalves, jockey of Sum of the Parts (fourth as the favorite): “He didn’t come out of the gate too good, just like during the first time when he broke a step slow. But (Bonaparte) broke out and (Hot Speed) came in and squished me a little bit. After that, he didn’t really relax for me at all. He got bumped from both horses, got mad and tried to run off the whole way. He didn’t have much finish and that’s why. I was never able to get him to relax for me and he didn’t finish strong like he had been training in the morning or like he did first time out. He’s a good horse, though. He’s just a young horse, very competitive and tried too hard. He just needs to learn to relax.”

HOWARD LOOKS FOR SECOND BASHFORD MANOR WITH POWER WORLD - With 283 career wins beneath the Twin Spires, trainer Neil Howard is no stranger to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle.  One of his most important early wins came in the 1989 running of the Bashford Manor (GII) with Dogwood Stables’ Summer Squall, and he will bid for second win in the race Monday with Courtlandt Farms’  Power World.

The 2-year-old son of Distorted Humor endured a troubled start and rallied from 11 lengths back under jockey Corey Lanerie to win his 4 1/2-furlong debut at Churchill Downs on June 11.

"So far, I’m fairly optimistic about him,” Howard said. “He ran a good race in his last after getting the heck bumped out of him at the start. Given he had such a rough beginning, I think he put in a very mature effort.”

Running in Saturday’s Bashford Manor has brought back good memories of Summer Squall, who would run second to Unbridled in the 1990 Kentucky Derby (GI) and bounce back to beat the rival in the Preakness (GI) to provide Howard with his only victory in a Triple Crown race.

“Summer Squall was very, very precocious,” Howard said. “To be that precocious and then go on to win a classic is something special.”

Summer Squall and Power World appear to have different running styles, but the 62-year-old native of Riverdale, New York believes that will help the latter’s chances on Saturday.“Summer Squall had early speed and I don’t think Power World has that much of it,” Howard said. “It’s going to be a real slugfest on the front-end though and I’m glad that I won’t be a part of it. He’ll come running.”

One of the horses that will likely be close to the early pace is Klaravich Stables Inc. and William Lawrence’s Sum of the Parts, who has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. A son of Speightstown, Sum of the Parts made an auspicious debut in a May 14 maiden race at Churchill Downs in which he defeated Stoneway Farm’s Bashford Manor contender Exfactor by 2 3/4 lengths.  The latter returned to score a 4 ½-length victory at 5 ½ furlongs in his next outing on June 9.

The six-furlong Bashford Manor is scheduled as the 12^th and featured event on a special 13-race program on the final Saturday of the historic track’s 38-day Spring Meet. Post time for the first race is 12:45 p.m. EDT and the Bashford Manor is set for a 6:23 p.m. start.

The field for the 110^th running of the Bashford Manor from the rail out with jockey and weight includes Laurie’s Rocket (Brian Hernandez Jr., 116), Lil Cherokee (Miguel Mena, 120), Power World (Lanerie, 118), Exfactor (Calvin Borel, 118), Chalybeate Springs (Jesus Castanon, 116), Bonaparte (Jon Court, 118), Sum of the Parts (Leandron Goncalves, 118), Hot Speed (Robby Albarado, 120), Tarpy’s Goal (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Green Mouse (Manoel Cruz, 118) and Friscan (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118).

BANNED SHARP IN WORK, SET FOR VIRGINIA DERBY – Glen Hill Farm’s Banned, a two-time graded stakes winner on turf, tuned up for a run in the $600,000 Virginia Derby (GII) with a sharp half-mile work on Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday.

The 3-year-old son of 2004 turf champion Kitten’s Joy, winner of American Turf Presented by Ram (GII) and the Jefferson Cup (GIII) during the Spring Meet, breezed four furlongs around the dogs over the firm going in :50.40 for trainer Tom Proctor.

"He’s a little keener than I’d like him to be at this point, but that’s okay it was still a good work,” Proctor said.

Proctor gave his rising star a bit of a breather after his Jefferson Cup win, but is now gearing Banned up for the July 16 Virginia Derby.

"I was thinking about working him Tuesday, but I wanted to give him an extra couple days because it’s the summer and hot and you don’t want to cook them,” Proctor said. “I probably could have worked him Tuesday though, because I don’t think he ran too hard in his last race.”

A big effort by Banned at Colonial Downs could convince Proctor to point him to a run in the 1 ¼-mile Secretariat (GI) at Arlington Park.

“We’ll have to see how he comes back from the Virginia Derby, but it’s a big possibility we will run in the Secretariat,” Proctor said. “I don’t know if he’s really bred to go that far and the bottom half of his pedigree says he can’t, but if you look at his action he looks like he could handle 1 ¼ miles.”

Bred in Kentucky by Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey, Banned has a career record of 4-0-1 from seven starts with earnings of $299,076.

LEPAROUX SURGES TO LEAD ATOP JOCKEY STANDINGS - Julien Leparoux will begin the closing week of Churchill Downs’ 38-day Spring Meet with 45-40 lead over Corey Lanerie in the race to be Churchill Downs’ leading rider.

Just 2 ½ weeks ago, Leparoux trailed Lanerie by 11 wins.

Through the first 25 days of the 38-day Spring Meet, Lanerie had a 34-24 lead over Shaun Bridgmohan with Leparoux in third at 23. Since June 12, Leparoux has gone on a 22-of-51 (43.1%) tear over the eight-day period, recording one five-win day (June 17), a trio of three-win days and four two-win days.

Meanwhile, Lanerie is 6-for-62 (9.7%) during than span and has been runner-up on 17 occasions. Ten of those seconds have been decided by a length or less, including five losses by a nose, head or neck. Also, Leparoux and Lanerie finished one-two five times during that period with the former on top in each occasion.

The French-born Leparoux, who will turn 28 on July 15, is seeking his eighth Churchill Downs riding title. He was leading rider at the Downs in 2006 Spring (87 wins), 2007 Spring (69 wins), 2007 Fall (27 wins), 2008 Fall (record 63 wins), 2009 Spring (62 wins), 2009 Fall (27 wins, tied with Calvin Borel) and 2010 Fall (28 wins).

Lanerie, a 36-year-old native of Lafayette, La., is pursuing his first local crown. In last year’s Spring Meet he finished second to Calvin Borel with 29 wins, which was Lanerie’s third top five finish in the Churchill Downs jockey standings. He won multiple riding titles in Texas before he moved to the Kentucky-Louisiana circuit in 2004. He was the leading rider at the 2010 Ellis Park meeting with 33 wins.

Elsewhere, Leparoux will begin Thursday’s action needing five wins to become only the 10^th jockey in Churchill Downs history to win 500 races beneath the historic Twin Spires. He took out his license to ride in 2005 and first rode at Churchill Downs during that year’s Fall Meet.

There’s also a tight race for leading trainer. Nine-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen (Fall 2001, Spring 2004, Fall 2004, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010 and Fall 2010) began the week with 15 wins, one more than two-time leading conditioner Tom Amoss (Spring 2002 and Spring 2008) and 2002 Fall training champ Ken McPeek. Asmussen is pursuing his fifth straight local title. Eddie Kenneally, seeking his first local title, was fourth with 12 wins, followed by eight-time champ Dale Romans (Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2005, Fall 2005 and Spring 2006) with 11 wins and Fall 2008 leading conditioner Mike Maker with 10 victories.

Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. is looking to dethrone 17-time leading owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey (Spring 2000, Fall 2000, Spring 2001, Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003, Spring 2004, Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009 and Fall 2010). They have an 8-5 lead heading into the final week.

Below is a look at the rest of the leaders entering Thursday’s action:

Top Jockeys

1. Julien Leparoux (45-for-171, 26% win-percentage, $1,553,810 in earnings)

1. Corey Lanerie (40-for-207, 19%, $1,283,590)

3. Shaun Bridgmohan (29-for-163, 18%, $982,793)

4. Calvin Borel (25-for-181, 14%, $900,247)

5. Kent Desormeaux (21-for-110, 19%, $977,609)

Top Trainers

1. Steve Asmussen (15-for-96, 16%, $1,149,089)

2. Tom Amoss (14-for-39, 36%, $368,280)

2. Ken McPeek (14-for-57, 25%, $776,988)

4. Eddie Kenneally (12-for-45, 27%, $357,540)

5. Dale Romans (11-for-82, 13%, $884,000)

Top Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (8-for-40, 20%, $167,147)

2. Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (5-for-31, 16%, $157,163)

3. Donald Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (4-for-27, 15%, $293,602)

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

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

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

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

BARN TALK – Preston Stables LLC’s Flat Out, sixth to Pool Play in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI), will run in Saturday’s Suburban Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park. The Scooter Dickey-trained Flat Out had also been considered for Monday’s $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE (GII) on turf at Churchill Downs. …

Morton Fink’s homebred Wise Dan is now “likely” to run in the Firecracker.  Trainer Charles Lopresti worked the winner of Keeneland’s Phoenix (GIII) a half-mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :48.80 on Tuesday.  Lopresti said Wise Dan went back to the track at Keeneland on Thursday and appears ready to go.  “We drew some blood on him and if the blood work comes back good on him this (Thursday) afternoon we’re going to run,” Lopresti said.  Tuesday’s work was Wise Dan’s first experience on grass.

Horses under consideration for the 21^st running of the Firecracker Handicap (with trainer, weight) include Baryshnikov (Mike Maker, 117), El Caballo (Ralph Nicks, 114), General Quarters (McCarthy, 117), Joshua Reynolds (Ralph Nicks, 114), Lubash (James Ryerson, 115), Mister Marti Gras (Chris Block, 115), Mystic (Bill Mott, 114), Strike Impact (Pat Dupuy, 117) and Wise Dan (Lopresti, 115). …

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, winner of the Grade I Humana Distaff and Grade III Winning Colors at Churchill Downs this spring, breezed four furlongs in a “bullet” time of :46.20 over a fast main track beneath the Twin Spires on Tuesday. “She’s a fast horse,” trainer Dale Romans said. “We’re pointing her to the (Grade I) Princess Rooney (at Calder Race Course on July 9). We’ll see how she comes out of that and then maybe look at the (Grade I) Ballerina (at Saratoga on August 27). …

Joseph M. Cornacchia, co-owner of Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold (1990) and Go for Gin (1994) died Sunday in New York at the age of 78. Funeral services will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton, New York on Friday. …

Join us for the 3^rd Annual Horsemen’s Golf Scramble at Glenmary’s Country Club on Monday, August 29^th. Registration begins at 11 a.m. EDT and the cost is $100 per player with four players to a team. Lunch will also begin at 11 a.m. and the shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m. Those interested may pick up a form from The Backside Learning Center and return it by Friday, August 12. …

The Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation (“Churchill Charities”) will continue its new charitable initiative, Pony Up For Charity, this Friday, July 1, at Downs After Dark. Customers may elect to ask their server to add, or “Pony Up,” a dollar or more to their food and beverage tab, which will be designated to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program. …

The first race for Friday’s “Downs After Dark” nighttime racing celebration at Churchill Downs has been moved up one hour to 5 p.m. because it is now a special 13-race program. Two “make-up” races originally scheduled for last Thursday were added to Friday’s card after an F1 tornado hit the Louisville track’s barn area last Wednesday night and forced a cancellation of the next day’s program. Admission gates will still open on the regular night schedule at 4 p.m. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockey over the last five racing days (June 18-26) is Julien Leparoux (13-for-35). Ken McPeek (6-for-15) and Eddie Kenneally (4-for-9) are the hottest trainers over the same period. Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2-for-4) and Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (2-for-8) are the hottest owners.

WORKTAB – William S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally, who ran second to Banned in the American Turf Presented by Ram (GIII) prior to finishing second in the Lone Star Derby (GIII) on dirt in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday morning for trainer Neil Howard.

Right Time Racing LLC’s Bouquet Booth, fifth in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks and third in the Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII), breezed four furlongs on a fast main track at Churchill Downs in :49.80 for trainer Steve Margolis.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song, who ran second in the Grade III Early Times Mint Julep to Magdalena Racing’s My Baby Baby, worked a “bullet” four furlongs in :47.60 on the main track on Thursday morning for trainer Carl Bowman.

WEATHER – Thursday: sunny, 87. Friday: mostly sunny, 92. Saturday: mostly sunny and hot, 96. Sunday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 93. Monday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Tuesday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90. Wednesday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92.

 

Stonestreet Stable’s Kantharos overcame a stumble at the break to cruise to a 9 ½-length victory over Lou Brissie to win the 109th running of the $108,200 Bashford Manor Presented by Fasig-Tipton (Grade III) on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Robby Albarado, Kantharos spotted the field of six a couple of steps at the break as longshots Thewayitusedtobe and Gold for Cash led the field through the first quarter-mile in :21.81

Midway on the far turn, Albarado sent Kantharos after the leaders and quickly assumed command and was never threatened in completing the six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:09.89.  The victory was worth $66,413 and increased Kantharos’ earnings to $95,213 with two victories in two starts.

Kantharos is a Kentucky-bred son of Lion Heart out of the Southern Halo mare Contessa Halo.

It was the third Bashford Manor victory for Asmussen, who won the race in 2004 with Lunarpal and 2007 with Kodiak Kowboy. Albarado won the race for the second time, having scored in 2003 with Limehouse.

Kantharos, who won at first asking by 11 ¾ lengths on May 13, returned $3.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Lou Brissie, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $2.20 and $2.10 and finished a half-length in front of Speed Demon, who paid $2.60 to show under Jamie Theriot. It was three lengths back to Saturday Dance, who was followed by Gold for Cash and Thewayitusedtobe.

The 42-day Spring Meet comes to a conclusion Sunday with an 11-race program beginning at 12:45 p.m. (EDT). Highlighting the card is the 20th running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) that goes as the day’s 10th race (5:26 p.m. post time) and the return to the races of 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. There’s also a Pick 6 carryover $7,208 on races 6-11 with a mandatory payout.

BASHFORD MANOR QUOTES

ROBBY ALBARADO (jockey, KANTHAROS, winner): “For him stumbling and everything, he picked himself up. He’s a very athletic colt. He put himself in the race easily. At the three-eighths pole he let know me he was ready and he just sprinted home. Very, very impressive. I felt unbelievable from the eighth pole home. It was nothing for him; the sky is the limit. I don’t know how good he can be. I haven’t squeezed him yet and neither has (trainer) Steve (Asmussen). It’s scary good. Saratoga will be exciting. I always say, ‘You need one good horse to go to Saratoga with’ and this might be my one good horse. This is a special colt.”

STEVE ASMUSSEN (trainer, KANTHAROS, first): “He’s a very exciting horse. He is a very straight-forward horse. John Moynihan bought him out of the March OBS sale from Eddie Woods, and he came into the barn a professional. He’s not made a mistake and his two races so far have been exciting. Hopefully we can make some of the right moves with him because he has a tremendous amount of talent. He looked great coming down the stretch and it was such an exciting race. We’ll talk to (owner) Mr. (Jess) Jackson about his next race, but we’ll get him out of the weather and move north with him.”

COREY LANERIE (jockey, LOU BRISSIE, second): “It was a good trip. My horse laid back there and I kept him back three or four wide. I had the winner in my sight the whole time but he was just too much horse today and kicked away from me at the top of the lane.”  

Gold Mark Farm’s Backtalk charged past Flatter Than Me inside the sixteenth pole to win the 108th running of the $110,500 Bashford Manor Stakes (GIII) for 2-year-olds by a length at Churchill Downs on Friday.

            Ridden by Miguel Mena and trained by Tom Amoss, Backtalk covered the six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:11.08 in defeating seven rivals. The victory was worth $66,455 and increased Backtalk’s earnings to $90,095 for two wins in two starts.

            Soundman, ridden by Jamie Theriot, was quickest out of the gate and led the field through the first quarter-mile in :21.98 and the half-mile in :45.84 with Flatter Than Me in closest pursuit under Robby Albarado. Mena had Backtalk about five lengths off the lead racing in a pack with Grand Slam Andre and Brassy Boy.

Entering the stretch, Flatter Than Me surged past Soundman. Mena angled Backtalk out from behind Flatter Than Me and squeezed by on the inside of Grand Slam Andre for clear sailing to draw clear and give Amoss his second victory in the race to go with Lone Star Sky’s triumph in 2002.

Backtalk is a son of 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones out of the Affirmed mare Apasionata Sonata and a half-brother to graded stakes winner Bsharpsonata. With the victory, Backtalk became the first U.S. graded stakes winner for Smarty Jones.

Backtalk returned payoffs of $3.60, $2.60 and $2.20. Flatter Than Me paid $3.60 and $3.20 in finishing 1 ½ lengths ahead of Brassy Boy, who paid $4 to show under Corey Lanerie. Completing the field in order were Grand Slam Andre, Soundman, Westrock Gold, Vito Filitto and Even Wilder.

Racing resumes Saturday with an 11-race program beginning at 12:45 p.m. (all times EDT). Highlighting the card will be the 19th running of the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (Grade II) featuring defending champion Thorn Song in the eight-horse lineup. The Firecracker goes as Race 10 with a 5:29 p.m. post time.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE BASHFORD MANOR

TOM AMOSS, trainer of BACKTALK (winner)

            “I really thought that the extra distance going to six furlongs would be a benefit to him based on how he ran the first time. Around the turn, I wasn’t so sure that he was into it. A lot of that is education and the fact that it was only his second start. When he got out of tight quarters and when he was in the clear you saw him spurt and I think that’s a real positive sign for the future and more distance. We’ll see where it leads us.”

            Q: He had to overcome a lot today . . .

            “It was a rough trip. He stumbled out of the gate and he was in tight quarters and had to bull his way through down the lane. I was watching it live and . . . I hoped the trip was clean enough and that we didn’t have a problem. Fortunately, it was. Look, this was a great learning experience for him and it will help him moving forward.”

            Q: Is his large size a benefit when in tight quarters?

            “It had to. You know, to get in there and make room for himself, his size has to be a big part of it.

“You know Smarty Jones was the first Derby winner that I asked a trainer if I could come see him. I did that the day after the [2004 Kentucky] Derby. I went in the stall with him and he was much more refined than this horse. This horse is a much bigger horse than Smarty Jones was. But that’s about the only thing they got in common.

“Smarty Jones needed a good horse and hopefully this is it.”

Q: What’s next?

“Oh, I don’t know. We’ll sit down together as a team and make some decisions together.”

MIGUEL MENA, jockey of BACKTALK (winner)

            “My horse stumbled out of the gate, but luckily he got on his feet. I was kind of worried because he was running so green between horses. He has so much talent and when I asked him to run he really gave it to me and responded very well. He is such a great horse. He is going to keep learning and have a bright future.”

MERRILL SCHERER, trainer of FLATTER THAN ME (runner-up)

“He ran good, but the winner is an unbeaten horse – you never know what he is.”

Q: What will you do with Flatter Than Me?

“I’ll take him to Saratoga and try ‘em.  You might as well get beat by the best.  He deserves a chance against those horses.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey on FLATTER THAN ME (runner-up)

“He ran a great race.  He’s got a lot of potential to be a very nice horse.  He’s fast enough and he rates kindly.  He’s got all the keys to be a good one.”

Q: Were you surprised that he rated so well – he showed so much speed in his earlier races?

“He’s a deceptive horse for as big as he is.  If he can harness some of that speed I think he’ll go a lot further and be a better horse.”

Q: Did you think Flatter Than Me was a winner in upper stretch?

“Oh yeah, no doubt – when I kicked for home I thought he was a winner.  That’s taking nothing away from the winner – he’s a very nice horse.  He’s a very nice Smarty Jones colt – and Smarty Jones liked this track.”

HAL WIGGINS, trainer of BRASSY BOY (third)

“I think he’s going to be OK.  He might be a step below these.  I thought (Tom) Amoss’ horse (Backtalk) ran a big, big race, and Merrill (Scherer)’s horse (Flatter Than Me) run a big race – he broke bad last time and I thought he would run good.  Amoss’ horse finished very, very strong –- he’s gonna be the horse that comes out of this bunch, I believe.”

Q: What will you do with Brassy Boy now?

“I don’t know – we might give him a little break.  I’ll kind of look around and see.  The little colt tried.  He was closer earlier than I thought he’d be, but Corey (Lanerie) said he’s kind of learning.  He doesn’t know what to do quite yet and he put himself into it a little early, but he’s going to be all right.  We’ll have some fun with him.”

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN, jockey on GRAND SLAM ANDRE (fourth)

“When he broke he made a left-hand turn, but once he straightened up he was good.”

Q: He ran well after that – did you ever think you had a chance after that start?

“Down the backside I got him to the outside and he grabbed the bridle a little bit and was starting to do things the right way.  Even in the middle of the turn, I still had horse and I was sitting on him, but for a young horse it was a lot to overcome.”

-30-

Gold Mark Farm’s Backtalk, an impressive debut winner, and Millsap Stables’ homebred Brassy Boy, unbeaten in two career starts, head a field of nine 2-year-olds entered for  Friday’s 108th running of the Bashford Manor (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

    The six-furlong test on the main track will be the 10th race on Friday’s 11-race card that opens with a 2:45 p.m. (all times EDT) first post time. Post time for the Bashford Manor is 7:24 p.m.

    A $250,000 purchase as a yearling, Backtalk rallied wide from off the pace to win at first asking by 2 ¾ lengths over nine rivals in a five-furlong race on June 11. Backtalk is from the second crop of foals by 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones and a half-brother to graded stakes winner Bsharpsonata.

    Tom Amoss, who trained 2002 Bashford Manor winner Lone Star Sky, trains Backtalk, who tuned up for the Bashford Manor with a half-mile work in :50 on Tuesday over a fast track. Miguel Mena will ride Backtalk and break from post position five.

    Brassy Boy broke his maiden for a $30,000 claiming tag going 4 ½ furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 29.  He then won a five-furlong allowance test on June 11 over a strong field that included Bashford Manor rivals Soundman and Flatter Than Me.

    Trained by Hal Wiggins, Brassy Boy is an Arkansas-bred by Storm and a Half out of the Dixie Brass mare Brass Doll. Brassy Boy, who worked three furlongs in :36.80 on Tuesday morning, is the fifth foal of Brass Doll and a full brother to stakes winners Brassie Prince and Doll and a Half.

    Corey Lanerie, who won the 2007 Bashford Manor aboard Kodiak Kowboy, has the call on Brassy Boy, who will break from post three under top weight of 120 pounds.

    Soundman, who has a record of 1-1-1 in three races, is one of two Bashford Manor contenders trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Fame trainer who has won the Bashford Manor a record five times.  Lukas will also saddle Westrock Gold.

    Two other trainers with multiple Bashford Manor wins, Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher, will shoot for their third victories in the race. Asmussen sends out Grand Slam Andre and Pletcher will be represented by Mission Impazible.

    The field for the Bashford Manor, from the rail out, is as follows: Grand Slam Andre (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118 pounds), Westrock Gold (Julien Leparoux, 118), Brassy Boy (Corey Lanerie, 120), Mission Impazible (John Velazquez, 118), Backtalk (Miguel Mena, 118), Even Wilder (Jon Court, 116), Soundman (Jamie Theriot, 118), Vito Filitto (Calvin Borel, 116) and Flatter Than Me (Robby Albarado, 118).

THERIOT EAGER TO RETURN TO THE RACES ON MONDAY – Jockey Jamie Theriot will resume riding on Monday at Indiana Downs following the conclusion of a 30-day suspension stemming from a May 23 incident at Arlington Park.

    “The only time I have been idle longer is when I have been hurt,” said Theriot. “I have never been out this long for a suspension.”

    The 30-year-old Theriot is scheduled to ride three races on Monday night and six on Tuesday night at Indiana Downs and then ride the final four days of the Churchill Downs meet that closes Sunday, July 5.

    Saturday morning was a typical one for Theriot during his suspension.

    “I worked 11 horses this morning and I have been averaging between seven and 10 to 11 a day,” Theriot said. “Fitness-wise, I am ready.”

BASHFORD MANOR FIELD TAKING SHAPE – Six 2-year-old colts are considered as probable starters for Friday’s 108th running of the Bashford Manor Stakes (Grade III) at six furlongs on the main track.

    Of the six, three faced off in a five-furlong allowance race on June 11 won by the Millsap Stables’ unbeaten homebred Brassy Boy. Trained by Hal Wiggins, Brassy Boy won his debut outing in a $30,000 claiming race  4 ½ furlongs on May 29 before coming back to defeat the likes of probable Bashford Manor starters Soundman, who finished third, and Flatter Than Me, who ran fourth.

    Other probable starters include the undefeated Backtalk, a half-brother to graded stakes winner Bsharpsonata, who broke his maiden in his first start on June 11, Westrock Gold, a maiden winner on June 20, and Mission Impazible, a maiden winner at Keeneland who ran third in the Grade III Kentucky Juvenile on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

    Entries will be taken Tuesday.
    
JOHN KELLY DOES JOHN KELLY WARREN PROUD – Trainer David Carroll closed out the second edition of “Downs After Dark” Friday night in grand style when he sent out John Kelly to a 2 ¼-length maiden score in the 11th race.

    So, the question Saturday morning was, “Who is John Kelly?”

    “He is named for Mr. Warren’s son, John Kelly Warren,” Carroll said, referring to the colt’s owner William K. Warren Jr.

    The 3-year-old son of Seattle Fitz was purchased at the 2008 Barretts March Sale for $600,000 and has been in Carroll’s barn since last year. However, John Kelly did not make his racing debut until last month.

    “He has just had some growing pains,” Carroll said. “But he does have talent and he’ll probably go to Saratoga.”

    In 2008, Carroll trained Denis of Cork for Warren with the colt finishing third in the Kentucky Derby (Grade I) and second in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I). Warren named the colt after Father Denis Casey, a priest from County Cork, Ireland.

    The Carroll barn will be trying to strike out of town next weekend when Helen Alexander’s Selva runs in the $300,000 Prioress (Grade I) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park on Saturday.

    “She leaves Tuesday for Belmont Park,” Carroll said of Selva, a three-time stakes winner who has compiled a record of 6-4-2-0. Selva’s most recent race was the Beaumont (Grade II) at Keeneland on April 8 in which she finished second.

MISSION IMPAZIBLE PLETCHER’S HOPE FOR THIRD BASHFORD MANOR – The Spring Meet has been iceberg cold for the Todd Pletcher barn, but that does mean it is “Mission Impossible” for a strong finish after a 1-for-36 start.

Make that Mission Impazible.

Owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stable, Mission Impazible should be one of the favorites in Friday’s Bashford Manor Stakes for Pletcher, who won the race in 2003 with Limestone and in 2006 with Circular Quay.

A son of Unbridled’s Song, Mission Impazible turned in his final work for the Bashford Manor with a half-mile work in :47.80 over a fast track Saturday morning, the fourth best of 67 at the distance. Mission Impazible has not run since finishing third in the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III) on April 30.

“He has been doing extremely well since his last race,” said Mike McCarthy, who runs Pletcher’s Churchill Downs string. “We did the same thing with Garden District last year and this race was the goal all along.”
Garden District ran second to males in the Kentucky Juvenile and came back eight weeks later to win the Debutante, defeating a group of fillies that included runner-up Rachel Alexandra, who is now among the frontrunners for “Horse of the Year” honors after her 20 ¼-length win in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and her historic win over Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Mine That Bird and other males in the Preakness (GI).
One horse in the Pletcher barn on the comeback trail is Team Valor International’s King of the Roxy. A two-time Grade II stakes winner, King of the Roxy has not run since April 2008 and rejoined the barn last month.

“He is going to work Sunday,” McCarthy said of the 5-year-old who has had three works since coming back. “He is about a month away from running and he could possibly go to Saratoga.”
    
BARN TALK – Calvin Borel was blanked on the Friday night card and remained three wins (56-53) behind Julien Leparoux in the battle for leading rider of the Spring Meet.  Leparoux missed Friday’s “Downs After Dark” program to ride in stakes races at Prairie Meadows. Borel will be in New York on Saturday to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Mother Goose (Grade I) while Leparoux returns to Churchill Downs and has nine mounts on the 11-race card. Both riders will be here Sunday with Leparoux named on eight mounts and Borel seven.

Belmont Stakes (Grade I) winner Summer Bird will make a brief return to Churchill Downs on Thursday. Trainer Tim Ice is vanning Summer Bird from his home base at Louisiana Downs to Monmouth Park for the Aug. 2 Haskell Invitational (Grade I).

“We are going to stop over there for about 10 hours and then get back on the road that night,” said Ice, who expects to arrive at Churchill Downs around 10 o’clock Thursday morning and be housed in the Stakes Barn (Barn 17). “He had his first work since the Belmont this morning and he went nice and easy (five furlongs in 1:04.42). He’s a happy horse right now and we want to keep him that way.”

Summer Bird finished sixth to Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby, but turned the tables on that rival in the Belmont.

    Weights for the 19th running of the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (Grade II) will be released Saturday with the race scheduled to headline the Fourth of July holiday card.

    Weights for the 28th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (Grade III) for fillies and mares will be released Sunday. The Locust Grove serves as the feature on Sunday, July 5, closing day of the 45-day Spring Meet.

WORK TAB – Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) winner Macho Again worked a half-mile in :50.80 over a fast track. The fastest half-mile works of 67 came from the Eddie Kenneally duo of Keep the Peace and Custom for Carlos, who covered the distance in :47.20. Also working a half-mile was Flying Private, who covered the distance in :53.40 in his second work since finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes.

LIFELONG RACETRACKER FOLEY ON CUSP OF CHURCHILL MILESTONE – The question brought a chuckle from trainer Greg Foley.

“The first time my dad brought me to the race track? I guess I was 3 or 4,” the 51-year-old Foley said. “When I was 5 or 6, I was walking hots.”

The son of trainer Dravo Foley, Greg Foley enters Thursday’s card with 299 career victories beneath the Twin Spires and he has two horses entered on Thursday’s card in his bid to become the 12th trainer to achieve 300 victories at Churchill Downs.

Foley was 23 when he won his first race at Churchill Downs during the 1981 Spring Meet and he won his only training title here in the 1991 Spring Meet when he saddled 17 winners. All of his early hands-on experience was learned in his father’s barn.    “Take care of the horse first. He drilled that in me from the word ‘go,’ ” Foley said of the best advice he received from his father. “There are no shortcuts when it comes to taking care of horses. Have them fit before they run and keep them happy.”

The best horse Foley had was Champali, who accounted for three of the four stakes Foley has accrued at Churchill Downs. Champali won the 2002 Iroquois (Grade III), 2003 Northern Dancer and the 2004 Aristides (GIII), the latter in a 4-year-old campaign that took Foley to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) at Lone Star Park.  Champali finished seventh in that race.

In his barn today, Foley cares for six offspring of Champali.

“I have three 2-year-olds and three 3-year-olds by Champali.” Foley said. “They are all sound horses and I have won some races with them. He was like that and a very easy horse to train.”

Foley’s first shot at 300 will come in the fifth race with Izzy Ali, a 3-year-old son of Champali. He also will send out Lil’ Moor Dixie in the seventh.

“I hadn’t really thought much about it (300 wins), but not a lot of guys have done that and it would be pretty neat,” Foley said. “This has been our home track, so it would be special.”

Foley could become the fourth trainer to reach the 300-win milestone this meet, joining Tom Amoss, Lynn Whiting and David Vance.

DEFENDING CHAMPION THORN SONG TOPS LIST OF FIRECRACKER NOMINATIONS – Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song, winner of the 2008 Firecracker Handicap (Grade II), headlines a list of 43 nominees for the 19th running of the $150,000-added one-mile test scheduled for July 4 over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

    Trained by Dale Romans, who also won the Firecracker in 2005 with Kitten’s Joy, Thorn Song showed a return to top form by getting his second Grade I victory in his most recent start, the Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on May 25. In addition to the Firecracker, Thorn Song also won the Shadwell Turf Mile (Grade I) last fall at Keeneland.

    Thorn Song worked five furlongs on the firm turf Thursday morning in 1:01.40 around the “dogs.”
The only other Grade I winner among the nominees is Circle E Racing’s Mr. Sidney, who captured the Maker’s Mark Mile this spring at Keeneland for trainer Bill Mott.

    Also included among the nominees are three horses who have enjoyed considerable success over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

    Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Inca King has won three stakes on the grass here, the Opening Verse in 2008, the Commonwealth Turf and the Grade II Jefferson Cup in 2007; Chrysalis Stables’ Silverfoot, a three-time Louisville Handicap (Grade III) winner who is 5-for-7 over the Matt Winn Turf Course; and, Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu, 3-for-3 on the course including victories in the American Turf (Grade III) and Jefferson Cup in 2008.

    Weights for the Firecracker will be released on Saturday.

CLOSING-DAY LOCUST GROVE ATTRACTS 33 NOMINATIONS – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma, winner of the Early Times Mint Julep (Grade III) on June 6, tops a list of 33 nominations for the 28th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (Grade III).

    The Locust Grove, for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course, serves as the centerpiece of the closing-day program on July 5.

    Trained by David Carroll, Acoma added the Mint Julep score to her victory in last fall’s Grade II Mrs. Revere on the turf. Acoma is 4-for-4 overall at Churchill Downs and undefeated in six starts in the state of Kentucky.

    Two of the fillies who chased Acoma in the Mint Julep are included in the Locust Grove nominees.
 Darley Stable’s Tizaqueena finished third to Acoma, but earlier in the meet won the Grade II Distaff Turf Mile here. Glen Hill Farm’s Closeout was fifth in the Mint Julep in her 2009 debut off a nearly eight-month layoff.

James Barry’s Genuine Devotion (IRE) won the 2008 Locust Grove in the first running of the race at the mile distance on the turf.

Weights for the Locust Grove will be announced Sunday.

TWENTY 2-YEAR-OLDS NOMINATED TO BASHFORD MANOR – Fillies have won the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (Grade III) three times and two 2-year-old fillies have been nominated to this year’s edition, which will be run on July 3.

    Fiesty Ex and Kinsolving, both from the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, are among the four nominees for trainer Steve Asmussen to the six-furlong event at on the main track. Asmussen, who has won the Bashford Manor twice, also nominated Grand Slam Andre and Western Smoke, both owned by J. Kirk Robison.

    Fiesty Ex broke her maiden at first asking on April 30 and Kinsolving finished sixth the same day in the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III) after winning her April 17 debut at Keeneland.  Kinsolving is entered in Saturday’s Debutante (Grade III) for fillies.

Western Smoke was fourth in the Kentucky Juvenile and recently finished second to fellow Bashford Manor nominee Brassy Boy in a June 11 allowance race here. Grand Slam Andre broke his maiden in his second try in winning by 7 ¾ lengths on June 4.

    Other first-time maiden special weight winners nominated to the Bashford Manor are Gold Mark Farm’s Backtalk, a half-brother to graded stakes winner Bsharpsonata, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Satisfied Mind, who is trained by Wesley Ward.

Ward saddled the 1-2 finishers, Aegean and Jealous Again, in the Kentucky Juvenile. He took those fillies to England last week and each scored victories in stakes races at the famed Royal Ascot meet.
    Fillies to win the Bashford Manor are Miss Patience (1933), Royal Pam (1938) and Miss Ra He Ra (1993). The race was open to fillies from 1932-38 and reopened to both sexes in 1989.

BARN TALK – Woodford Racing LLC’s Manners became the first offspring of Rock Hard Ten to reach the races when the 2-year-old filly ran 10th in Sunday’s eighth race. Rock Hard Ten, who retired from racing in 2005 with a record of 11-7-1-1 with earnings of $1,870,380, did not have enough graded stakes earnings to make the 2004 Kentucky Derby, a race won by Smarty Jones. Rock Hard Ten ran second to Smarty Jones in the Preakness and concluded his career with five graded stakes victories including Grade I scores in the Malibu and Santa Anita Handicap.

    Entering the final eight days of the meet, Julien Leparoux has a 55-51 advantage on Calvin Borel in the chase for leading rider. Leparoux has five mounts and Borel six on Thursday’s card. Leparoux has won four riding titles at Churchill Downs and Borel two. Both riders will be out of town for part of the weekend and miss one program: Leparoux rides Friday night at Prairie Meadows on Nursery Rhyme in the Saylorville Stakes and Moonport in the Iowa Derby, both for trainer Ian Wilkes. Borel, who is named on 10 mounts Friday night, will be at Belmont Park on Saturday to ride Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and Preakness (Grade I) winner Rachel Alexandra in the Grade I Mother Goose. Other Churchill Downs regulars riding Friday night at Prairie Meadows are Robby Albarado, Miguel Mena and Shaun Bridgmohan. Leparoux and Albarado will return to Iowa on Saturday night for stakes engagements after riding at Churchill Downs that afternoon.

MILESTONE WATCH – Churchill Downs-based trainer William Connelly moved closer to the 1,000-victory plateau on Monday night when Just Memories gave him win No. 999. Just Memories, a 3-year-old filly, broke her maiden in a five-furlong turf sprint in the second race at Indiana Downs. Connelly can hit the milestone on Thursday’s card when he sends out Hungry Tigress in the eighth race.

Trainer Steve Asmussen will be gunning for back-to-back victories in Churchill Downs’ $150,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (Grade III) when he sends out two of the eight horses entered in Saturday’s 107th running of the six-furlong test for 2-year-olds on the main track.

Representing the Asmussen stable in the Bashford Manor will be Padua Stables’ Segal, who will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and breaks from post position five, and J. Kirk Robison’s Lyin’ Heart, who will have Corey Lanerie in the saddle and will start from post seven.

Asmussen teamed with Lanerie to win last year’s Bashford Manor with Vinery Stables’ Kodiak Kowboy, who would eventually be named Canada’s 2-year-old champion and would finish third to Eclipse Award champion War Pass and Asmussen-trained stablemate Pyro in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Monmouth Park. Asmussen had earlier won the Bashford Manor in 2004 with Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Lunarpal and endured near-misses in the race with eventual Grade I winner Cuvee, a troubled third in 2003, and future Grade II winner Posse, the runner-up in 2002.

Lyin’ Heart, a son of 2004 Kentucky Derby runner-up Lion Heart, is the only multiple winner in the field. Lyin’ Heart broke his maiden at Lone Star Park going five furlongs on May 23 and followed up that score 15 days later by winning the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star. Segal broke his maiden at first asking on May 7 at Churchill Downs going 4 ½ furlongs. He followed that victory with a third-place finish in the Victoria Stakes over Woodbine’s Polytrack surface on June 15.

A victory by Segal would give Padua Stable sole possession of the record for Bashford Manor wins by an owner. Padua took three consecutive Bashford Manor runnings from 1998-2000 with Time Bandit, Dance Master and Duality to tie Milky Way Farm (1936, ’37 and ’41) and T. Alie Grissom (1957, ’61 and ’69) for that record.

The field for the 107th Bashford Manor, from the rail out, is as follows: William Carl’s Screen Your Friend (Calvin Borel, 118 pounds); Kevin Chessen and Wesley Ward’s Silver Bayer (Jesus Castanon, 118); Samotowka Stables and Magdalena Racing’s Theregoesjojo (Robby Albarado, 118); Richard Ravin and Larry Rivelli’s My Dominick James (Tim Thornton, 118); Segal (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118); Thomas McCarthy’s General Quarters (Bill Troilo, 116); Lyin’ Heart (Corey Lanerie, 120); and, Paul Giacopelli and Donnie Kelly’s Medaglia D’Onore (Mick Ruis, 118).

With co-owner Lewis Lakin looking on, three-time Churchill Downs graded stakes winner Pure Clan

worked five furlongs on “firm” turf Thursday morning in 1:03.40 with jockey Julien Leparoux up in preparation for the July 5 $750,000 American Oaks Invitational (GI) at Hollywood Park.

The move was the third fastest of eight at the distance with the rail out 22 feet from the hedge and the “dogs” up.

“She worked in what I told him to work and that was good,” trainer Bob Holthus said. “She will walk in the morning and then gallop the next two days before leaving Monday morning. When she gets out there, she will walk on Tuesday, gallop Wednesday and Thursday and then work three-eighths in 40 on Friday.”

Pure Clan, who is also owned in partnership by IEAH Stable and Pegasus Holding Group Stables, added the Grade III Regret on June 14 on the Matt Winn Turf Course to victories last fall on the dirt in the Pocahontas (GIII) and Golden Rod (GII).

Pure Clan will be one of two Churchill Downs-based fillies going to the American Oaks. The other is My Baby Baby, owned by Sue McPeek and trained by her husband Ken.

EINSTEIN “PROBABLE” FOR FIRECRACKER RUN FOR PITTS – Trainer Helen Pitts sent three-time turf Grade I winner Einstein out for a gallop over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday morning with a shot at the July 4 Firecracker (GII) squarely in the horse’s sights.

“I will probably run him in the Firecracker,” Pitts said of Einstein, who ran second to 2007 “Horse of the Year” Curlin in the June 14 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on the main track. “I know the mile is not his best distance, but I want to get a race in him and point for the big one.”

The “big one” would be the Arlington Million (GI) at a mile and a quarter at Arlington Park on Aug. 9. Einstein is owned by Patricia Cunningham and Melissa Green, Lessee.

Einstein won the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week and took the Gulfstream Park Turf (GI) earlier in the year. He also finished second to NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) winner Kip Deville in Keeneland’s Maker’s Mark Mile (GI) at the Firecracker distance of one-mile.

LUKAS MULLS BASHFORD MANOR AS FIRST START FOR FAST DRAW – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has high hopes for a 2-year-old Gone West colt named Fast Draw, who is a full brother to two-time Grade I winner Grand Slam. He was eager for the colt’s debut in Wednesday’s fifth race, but Fast Draw was scratched at the gate after sustaining a cut on his leg.

“He just nicked it a little bit. He may have hit a capillary,” Lukas said. “I think he might be a little better horse at this age than Grand Slam.”

Grand Slam went on to win the Futurity and Champagne at Belmont to highlight his 2-year-old season and then won the Peter Pan at 3.

Fast Draw, who is owned by Robert Baker and William Mack, was back on the track Thursday morning and worked a “bullet” five furlongs in :58.60. Fast Draw is nominated to the $150,000-added Bashford Manor on July 5 and Lukas said he could show up there.

“Maybe,” Lukas said of the possibility of a Bashford Manor run. “I know there are some other maiden races coming up, or I could wait for Saratoga.”

If Fast Draw makes his racing debut in the Bashford Manor, it would not be the first time the Hall of Fame trainer has made that ambitious move. Two years ago he saddled first-time starter Pegasus Wind for a fifth-place finish behind Circular Quay in the Bashford Manor. That son of 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus would later finish third to Scat Daddy in the Champagne (GI) at Belmont Park.

The Lukas-trained Timber Country was a maiden making his second career start when he finished sixth to Hyroglyphic in the 1994 Bashford Manor. The son of Woodman would later win the Champagne (GI) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) to sew up honors as that year’s champion 2-year-old. He would later finish third to stablemate Thunder Gulch in the 1995 Kentucky Derby and won the Preakness (GI) in his final career start.

SPRINGER RETURNS TO THE RACES ON FRIDAY – The long wait for jockey Jordan Springer ends Friday afternoon when she rides three horses on the 11-race card.

Springer was injured in a training mishap last November at Churchill Downs while galloping a horse for trainer Frank Brothers.

“It has been a long time, more than seven months,” said Springer, who was the leading female rider at Churchill Downs during the 2005 Spring and Fall meets. “I shattered a bone in my upper back and when it first happened, I didn’t think I would be back.”

Springer, 30, is named to ride Carsons Regal Lady for trainer John Fahey III in the fifth and Geri’s Kid and Genius Govenor in the eighth and ninth races for trainer Roger Anderson. She is scheduled to ride Trade Water Lady for trainer Buff Bradley in Saturday’s 11th race.

NARA GRAD STRAIGHT TO RIDE FRIDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Matthew Straight, a recent graduate of the North American Racing Academy (NARA) in Lexington, Ky., will compete in his first pari-mutuel races Friday at Churchill Downs.

Straight, 22, is the second NARA graduate to make his riding debut this month. He will ride two horses for owner-trainer Bernard Girdley, Bali Warrior in the eighth and Miss Sara K. in the 11th.

Jessica Oldham Stith, daughter of former jockeys John Oldham and Suzie Picou Oldham, was the first NARA grad to race, finishing fifth at River Downs on June 17.

Straight came to Kentucky from East Greenbush, N.Y., in September 2006 to complete courses at NARA under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. Before graduating, he worked for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher through an internship.

MELANCON, LANERIE TO BE FEATURED AT “JOCKEY TALK” – Jockeys Larry Melancon and Corey Lanerie will be the featured guests during this Saturday’s “Jockey Talk” – a new program at Churchill Downs that allows horse racing fans to mingle with their favorite race riders.

Each Saturday through the remainder of the Spring Meet fans will get a chance to meet, visit, receive autographs and take pictures with select Churchill Downs jockeys from 11:30 a.m. to noon (all times EDT) in the paddock area.

Melancon , a 52-year-old native of Breaux Bridge, La., is the third-leading rider all-time at Churchill Downs with 901 victories under the Twin Spires.

Lanerie, a 33-year-old native of Lafayette, La., entered Thursday’s nine-race program with 17 victories on the meet, good for eighth place in the rider standings.

BARN TALK – Trainer Todd Pletcher received an early birthday present on Wednesday when Starlight Partners’ Bullion Cache broke his maiden in his second start by taking the fifth race. The 2-year-old son of Seeking the Gold covered the five furlongs in :58.07. “Where is he going next? That’s a good question,” said Pletcher’s Churchill Downs assistant Mike McCarthy. “I would say probably Saratoga after we pull out of here or maybe Arlington.” Pletcher, who turns 41 today, is represented by one horse at Churchill Downs today, Ikigai in the sixth for owner Edmund Gann. … Bullion Cache’s victory was the second of three on the day for Robby Albarado, who boosted his total to the meet to 56. He entered the Thursday card with a six-win advantage on Miguel Mena in the race for leading rider.

WORK TAB – Chrysalis Stables’ three-time Louisville Handicap (GIII) winner Silverfoot worked a half-mile on the main track in :49.40 for trainer Dallas Stewart, the 13th fastest of 37 at the distance. … B. Wayne Hughes’ Ketchikan, runner-up in the 2007 Louisiana Derby (GII), worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 – 11th fastest of 31 – for trainer Al Stall Jr. … Turning in half-mile turf works were Silverton Hill Farm’s 2007 Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner Dominican in :50.80 for trainer Darrin Miller, and Starlight Stable and Donald Lucarelli’s Sam P., eighth in the Stephen Foster in his most recent start, covered the distance in :51.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through Wednesday, June 25

 

Jockeys Starts 1-2-3

Robby Albarado 216 56-29-27

Miguel Mena 291 50-45-42

Julien Leparoux 259 45-49-44

Jamie Theriot 224 43-32-29

Calvin Borel 246 40-34-36

Shaun Bridgmohan 187 38-33-25

Jesus Castanon 218 26-22-26

Corey Lanerie 184 17-23-21

Brian Hernandez Jr. 164 15-25-15

John McKee 128 10-21-20

Elvis Trujillo 77 10-10-19

Trainers

Tom Amoss 65 26-11-12

Ken McPeek 67 25-12-5

Steve Asmussen 112 24-18-17

Mike Maker 52 15-11-7

Dale Romans 119 14-25-20

Ian Wilkes 42 13-9-5

Eddie Kenneally 55 12-9-8

Cody Autrey 50 9-9-10

Greg Foley 58 9-9-8

Bret Calhoun 21 9-1-3

Paul J. McGee 41 8-7-3

Nick Zito 20 8-5-1

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey 50 15-8-11

Maggi Moss 27 12-6-4

Zayat Stables, LLC 46 8-10-10

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein 33 7-7-5

Heflin & Driver Racing 24 5-5-5

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable 14 5-1-0

Six (6) owners tied at four (4) wins