fall meet

Anita Cauley’s homebred On Fire Baby held off a late charge from And Why Not to win the 43^rd running of the Grade II, $173,400 Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length to highlight the opening day of the 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Joe Johnson for trainer Gary Hartlage, On Fire Baby got a ground-saving trip behind a contested scramble for the lead among five horses through a first quarter-mile in :22.54. Aubby K emerged with the lead after a half-mile in :45.50 and took the field through six furlongs in 1:10.58 while under pressure from Bet to Win, Georgie’s Angel and Believe You Can.

At the three-sixteenths pole, Johnson moved On Fire Baby off the rail and to the outside of Aubby K who she passed at the sixteenth pole with enough left to hold off And Why Not, who had closed from the back of the 12-horse field. On Fire Baby ran the mile on a fast main track in 1:37.17.

The victory was worth $99,982 and increased On Fire Baby’s earnings to $127,582 with a record of 2-0-0 in three starts. On Fire Baby is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Smoke Glacken out of the Gilded Time mare Ornate and a half-sister to Grade II stakes winner High Heels.

On Fire Baby returned $20.20, $9.40 and $5.80. And Why Not, ridden by Garrett Gomez, returned $6.60 and $4.40 in finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of Glinda the Good, who rallied for third under Julien Leparoux and returned $6.60 to show.

It was a neck back to Aubby K in fourth, who was followed in order by Golden History, Believe You Can, Taxi Dancer, Flashy Lassie, Heart of Destiny, Georgie’s Angel, My Due Process and Bet to Win.

Racing resumes Wednesday with a 10-race program with first post time at 12:40 p.m. EDT.

POCAHONTAS STAKES QUOTES

Gary Hartlage, trainer of On Fire Baby (winner) – “This feels good. She’s always showed me she was a good horse from the day she stepped in the barn and that’s why I ran her in a Grade I (Darley Alcibiades) and today a Grade II. I’ve trained a lot of good horses and some graded stakes winners and she’s right up there with them. She’ll be even better next year when she really figures out what’s going on. If we run her one more time this year it would be in the Golden Rod (at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26), but we’ll see how she comes out of this race.”

Joe Johnson, jockey of On Fire Baby (winner) – “We were hoping to lay off the pace, save some ground and hope things opened up. We’ve known she’s been a good one since the day she stepped off the van. It’s nice when you work hard and things come together.”

Jimmy Baker, trainer of Heart of Destiny (ninth as 3-1 favorite) – “No more dirt. She ran OK on the dirt at Saratoga, but that was a maiden race. A maiden race and a Grade II are night and day. We might run her on the turf here later in the meet or we might freshen her up for next year. She’s a nice horse and we have a lot of options with her.”

Edgar Prado, jockey of Heart of Destiny (ninth as 3-1 favorite) – “She ran OK, but I think she’s better on the turf and synthetic.”

Brereton Jones’ homebred Mr Bowling, runaway winner of the Dover Stakes at Delaware Park in his most recent start, headlines a field of seven 2-year-olds entered Thursday for Sunday’s 30^th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Iroquois to be run at a mile on the main track Sunday.

The Iroquois will go as the eighth race on the 11-race program Sunday with a 4:05 p.m. (ET) post time.

Trained by Larry Jones, Mr. Bowling has won two of three starts, all coming at Delaware Park. Winner of the Dover by 7 ¼ lengths, Mr. Bowling will be ridden Sunday by Rajiv Maragh and break from post position seven under top impost of 120 pounds.

The only graded stakes-placed runner in the field is Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, the third-place finisher in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII). Trained by Ian Wilkes, Motor City finished eighth in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland in his most recent start. Regular rider Calvin Borel has the call Sunday on Motor City, who will break from post position four.

The field of the Iroquois, from the rail out, is as follows: Purely Determined (Greta Kuntzweiler, 118 pounds), Seven Lively Sins (Julien Leparoux, 118), Fine (Jamie Theriot, 118), Motor City (Borel, 118), Chalybeate Springs (Jon Court, 118), Hollywood Script (James Graham, 118) and Mr. Bowling (Maragh, 120).

PLETCHER SETTLES IN; SIDNEY’S CANDY WORKS ON TURF – Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled three of his six Breeders’ Cup winners at last year’s World Championships at Churchill Downs, began the process of improving on his career total Tuesday morning starting at 6 o’clock with light exercise from Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) hopefuls Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty and concluding just before 10 o’clock with a half-mile grass work from Sidney’s Candy for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI).

“I am here through the Breeders’ Cup,” said Pletcher, whose last contingent of World Championship runners arrived from New York on Monday morning.

Leading that contingent was the Repole Stable-owned duo of Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty. Uncle Mo jogged once around the main track under Hector Ramos, while Stay Thirsty galloped a mile with Fernando Zamora up.

Pletcher plans to work both colts on Sunday.

“We pre-entered 11 altogether,” Pletcher said. “Hunt Crossing (Sentient Jet Juvenile Sprint), Stopshoppingmaria (Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies), Sweet Cat (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Her Smile (Sentient Jet Filly & Mare Sprint), Super Espresso (Ladies’ Classic),Finale (Juvenile Turf), Rule (Dirt Mile), Sidney’s Candy (Mile), and Aikenite who was cross-entered in the Sentient Jet Sprint and Dirt Mile, plus Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty.”

Uncle Mo won the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) last year and Pletcher’s other winners were Pluck in the Juvenile Turf and More Than Real in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“I feel good about all my horses and it looks like the ones that came in yesterday all shipped well,” Pletcher said. “We have some important works coming up and you hold your breath (until the event is here).”

Pletcher was asked if there were any of his runners that might be flying under the radar coming into this year’s championships.

"We’ve got a few that are in that category,” Pletcher said with a laugh. “Her Smile won the Prioress (GI) and got the perfect set-up and would need something similar. Super Espresso, we are going off her work here the other day (five furlongs in 1:01.60 over a fast track Saturday). She trained here in the spring before going to Pimlico (for a victory in the GIII DuPont Distaff), so for her it is racetrack related. Aikenite runs well here.” 

WinStar Farm and Rubio B Stable’s Sidney’s Candy covered a half-mile on firm turf in :50 under exercise rider Annie Finney. Clockers got the first quarter in 27 seconds flat and a gallop-out time of 1:03.40 for five furlongs.

“It was a good work,” Pletcher said of Sidney’s Candy, who ran third in the Shadwell Turf Mile (GI) at Keeneland in his most recent start on Oct. 8. “It looked like he got over the ground well and finished strong.”

FIELDS TAKING SHAPE FOR OPENING-DAY POCAHONTAS AND IROQUOIS – A trio of Grade III winners are expected to be among the names to pass the entry box Thursday for the 43^rd running of the $150,000 Pocahontas (GII) at a mile on the main track to be run Sunday.

The Pocahontas and the 30^th running of the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII) share top billing on Sunday’s opening-day program of the 21-day Fall Meeting that runs through Nov. 27. Sunday’s card, “Stars of Tomorrow I” will feature racing exclusively for 2-year-olds.

Heading the list of probables according to Churchill Downs racing officials are Believe You Can, Flashy Lassie and Georgie’s Angel.

Brereton Jones’ Believe You Can has won her past three starts, capped by a victory in the Tempted (GIII) at Belmont Park on Oct. 2. Barry King’s Flashy Lassie won the Debutante (GIII) here in June and Georgie’s Angel, beaten favorite in the Tempted, won the Schuylerville (GIII) at Saratoga. Georgie’s Angel is owned by Sheffer Racing Stable, Ronald Stocks, Betsy Wells and Kelly Weitsma.

Other probable starters for the Pocahontas, won last year by Dancinginherdreams, include And Why Not, Aubby K, Best of Times, Glinda the Good, Heart of Destiny,Spirited Miss and Taxi Dancer.

Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, third in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII), tops the list of probables for the Iroquois. Other likely starters for the Iroquois, won last year by Astrology, include Hollywood Script, Mark Valeski, Purely Determined andSeven Lively Sins.

BARN TALK – Buff Bradley, trainer and co-owner of Groupie Doll, plans to bring the 3-year-old filly back in the Nov. 12 Mrs. Revere (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Groupie Doll finished second in last Saturday’s Lexus Raven Run (GII) at Keeneland. …

Bisnath Parboo, trainer of Breeders’ Cup hopefuls Giant Ryan and Trinniberg, plans to work both horses Wednesday morning. Trinniberg (Sentient Jet Juvenile Sprint candidate) is scheduled to work three furlongs or a half-mile out of the gate at 7:15 with Giant Ryan (Grade I Sentient Jet Sprint) slated to work a half-mile or five furlongs after the renovation break. Willie Martinez is scheduled to be in the saddle for both works.

WORK TAB – Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, working toward an expected start in Saturday’s Fayette (GII) at Keeneland, breezed three furlongs in :36.20 over a fast track. …

Lantern Hill Farm’s Motor City, a candidate for Sunday’s 30^th running of the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII), worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 before the renovation break under Calvin Borel. The work was the fifth fastest of 37 at the distance. …

Working six furlongs in 1:18.40 on the firm Matt Winn Turf Course was Gaillardia Racing’s Wilkinson, who was third in the Jamaica Handicap (GI) in his most recent start.

Fewer than three months after a tornado roared the stable area at historic Churchill Downs, restoration and repair work on barns damaged by the storm’s winds is complete and horses are moving into those structures to prepare for competition during the track’s Oct. 30-Nov. 27 Fall Meet.

Churchill Downs had established a target date of Sept. 15 for the completion of the barn repairs, and crews from Louisville-based Hall Contracting accomplished that task.  The project included major repairs on 6 ½ barns that were deemed uninhabitable by city safety officials following the storm that hit the track on the evening of Wednesday, June 22.  Despite the major damage inflicted by the storm, no injuries to horses or humans were attributed to the tornado and the track missed only one day of racing in its aftermath.

National Weather Service officials in Louisville said the Churchill Downs tornado packed top winds of 105 miles-per-hour as it tore through the stables and significantly damaged a group of barns constructed in the 1940’s.  The tornado was rated as an FI storm on the Fujita Scale, the official classification system for tornado damage.

The storm caused approximately $1 to $1.5 million in damage  The structures impacted the most were Barns 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 40 and 5, as well as the stable area’s chapel.

“This is a very special day for Churchill Downs, our horsemen and all who felt the impact of the tornado that hit our track on an evening that five of those storms took Kentucky and Southern Indiana by surprise,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery.  “We continue to consider the fact that no horses or humans were injured in the tornado to be miraculous, but the completion of repair work on our damaged barns during a very narrow window of time is also remarkable.

"A long list of partners headed by Louisville’s Hall Contracting, Luckett & Farley architects, our horsemen and our Churchill Downs team made major contributions to this effort and worked hard to make the goal of getting horses back into these barns by Sept. 15 a reality.  We thank those partners and every individual, public agency, and the many community and church groups that reached out to offer help to our track and support the individuals impacted by the tornado in the hours after the storm and during the following weeks and months that led to this special day.”

Flanery also thanked the Louisville Metro Police Department, Louisville Fire Department, Louisville Gas & Electric (LG & E), the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and representatives of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau for their contributions to the recovery effort in the hours following the surprise storm.

The completion of the restoration and repairs of the tornado-damaged barns allows stables and horses to return to the track and resume normal training in preparation for Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet.  The meet will be highlighted by the unprecedented eighth visit by the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to Louisville on Nov. 4-5 and the 137^th running of the $500,000-added Clark Handicap (Grade I) on Friday, Nov. 25.

The 137^th running of the Grade I, $500,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare, a race that shares its long history with the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (GI), and a pair of “Stars of Tomorrow” programs devoted exclusively to races for 2-year-olds head a schedule of 14 stakes events with total purses of more than $2.1 million that will be featured in the 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs.

The Oct. 30-Nov. 27 fall racing session includes the record eighth visit by the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to the home of the Kentucky Derby on Nov. 4-5.  The return of the Breeders’ Cup will mark the first time that the event has been held at Churchill Downs in back-to-back years and will be its second stop as at the Louisville track in its two-day format.  Last year’s Breeders’ Cup attracted record two-day total attendance of 114,353 and record total wagering.  The 2010 renewal was highlighted by a narrow victory by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s homebred Blame, the winner of Churchill Downs’ 2009 Clark Handicap, over Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss’ previously unbeaten Horse of the Year Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).

The Clark, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, will return in its traditional day-after-Thanksgiving spot on Friday, Nov. 25.  Last year’s renewal featured a stirring stretch battle between the Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak over Morton Fink’s Successful Dan, who appeared to score a narrow victory but was disqualified and placed third after stewards ruled he had interfered with another rival.  Like the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, the Clark Handicap, named to honor Churchill Downs founder Meriwether Lewis Clark, has been run annually without interruption since the first meet of the historic track, originally known as the Louisville Jockey Club, in May of 1875.

Churchill Downs’ 2011 Fall Meet schedule is nearly identical to the last year’s version in terms of races and purses.  Aside from the shuffling of positions on the schedule for some events, the only significant change in the schedule from 2010 is a $25,000 increase in the purse for the Falls City Handicap (GII), a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares ages 3 and up that will carry a value of $175,000-added for its 96th renewal on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24.  The boost to the Falls City purse will lift total purses for the meet’s 14 stakes races to $2.12 million.

The Fall Meet will open on Sunday, Oct. 30 with the first of its pair of “Stars of Tomorrow” racing programs made up exclusively of races for 2-year-olds.  “Stars of Tomorrow I” will be highlighted by the 43^rd running of the $150,000 Pocahontas Stakes (GII) for fillies and the 30^th running of $100,000 Iroquois (GIII), both of which will be run at a mile on the main track. 

The juveniles-only “Stars of Tomorrow II” card is set for Saturday, Nov. 26, the next-to-last day of the meet, and the day will be topped again by the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII) for fillies, the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII).  The 1 1/16-mile races are early preps for the 2012 renewals of Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, which will be run, respectively, on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5.  Along with earning the first-place purse, the winner of the 85^th running of the Kentucky Jockey Club will automatically be nominated to the 2012 Kentucky Derby and the $200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII).  The winner of the 68^th Golden Rod will earn automatic nominations to the 2012 renewals of the Kentucky Oaks and the $100,000-added Eight Belles (GIII), a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies that will be run on Kentucky Oaks Day.

Each of the Breeders’ Cup programs on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5 will include a pair of additional stakes races.  On the Friday Breeders’ Cup schedule are the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles and the $85,000-added Jimmy V overnight stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.  The Saturday Breeders’ Cup program will include the $150,000-added Chilukki (GII) for fillies and mares ages 3 and up at a mile and the $85,000 Dream Supreme, an overnight stakes race for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

For the second time in a week’s period, Churchill Downs Racetrack will raise overnight purses because of higher than expected all-sources wagering levels. Effective immediately (Friday, Nov. 19), overnight race purses will be increased 20 percent for the final eight days of the Fall Meet, which concludes its 21-day run on Sunday, Nov. 28.

On Nov. 12, Churchill Downs announced that overnight race purses would jump 6.3 percent for the final 10 days of the season.

Purses for the final 83 scheduled overnight races – which include allowance, maiden special weight, claiming and maiden claiming events – will rise from the announced prize money in the condition book by an approximate blended average of $6,600 per race.

The revised projection for total overnight purses awarded at the meet is $6.8 million, up from the original forecast of $6.2 million at the start of the season. The daily average purse distribution (not including the Nov. 5-6 Breeders’ Cup World Championships programs) will be approximately $459,000 per day.

“We’ve been fortunate to have good weather and full, competitive fields during our boutique, four-week Fall Meet, which has limited competition from other racetracks during the fall,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “Also, some of our high-level allowance and claiming races for our top-tier horses have not filled and were not used, which means there’s more money available to distribute. We’re thrilled that horse racing fans have responded to our product through strong all-sources wagering, and that our owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders will benefit from a 20-percent increase in prize money over the final stretch of our season.

 “As we’ve said before, these positive purse adjustments aren’t long-term solutions to the problems we continue to face in Kentucky’s signature horse racing industry. Purses remain well shy of their highest levels of recent years, and Kentucky still isn’t on a level playing field with states whose racetracks have an immense competitive advantage by having their purses fueled by slot machine and casino revenues.”

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875.  Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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Calvin Borel had twice seen Churchill Downs riding titles slip away by the slimmest of margins to Julien Leparoux, but the two-time Kentucky Derby winner turned the tables in the 2009 Fall Meet as he won four races on the meet’s final day to earn a dramatic 27-27 tie for “leading jockey” with his French-born rival as the historic track concluded the 21-day meet on Saturday.

While Borel and Leparoux shared the spotlight in their division, Steve Asmussen edged Dale Romans to collect his sixth “leading trainer” crown and Ken and Sarah Ramsey earned “leading owner” honors for a record 16th time beneath the Twin Spires.

The Fall Meet drew to a close with its “Stars of Tomorrow II” program of 12 races exclusively to 2-year-old Thoroughbreds.  Conducted under a sunny November sky with temperatures hovering near 70, the meet’s final day continued with a remarkable run of moderate weather during which only two turf races were lost to wet track conditions.

“Churchill Downs was blessed with great weather for most of the Fall Meet, but our track’s team members are most thankful for the support of our fans who enjoyed our racing on-track, at simulcast centers and in their homes, and to the many horsemen who enthusiastically participated in our racing program throughout those 21 days,” said Kevin Flanery, who completed his first meet as president of Churchill Downs.  “These are challenging times for our track and Kentucky’s signature horse industry, but the enthusiasm displayed by on-track patrons and horsemen during the meet proved again that Thoroughbred racing and Churchill Downs are very special parts of life in this region and our industry’s supporters want it to thrive and grow.  We sincerely thank everyone who contributed in any way to the success of our Fall Meet, and we look forward to April 24 and the start of Kentucky Derby Week and our 2010 Spring Meet.”

The 43-year-old Borel entered the meet’s final day facing a 27-23 deficit to Leparoux, who missed the meet’s last two days for a journey to Tokyo to ride in the Japan Cup. The Louisiana-born veteran capped his memorable closing day burst with a front-running, stakes record victory aboard WinStar Farm’s Super Saver in the 83rd running of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes that deadlocked Borel and Leparoux with only one race remaining in the meet.  Borel had a chance to earn the title outright in that final race and briefly led in the stretch aboard longshot Outlaw Man, but finished second and his horse was ultimately disqualified to fourth because of an erratic stretch run.

Leparoux, a 26-year-old native of Senlis, France, earned his third Fall Meet title and sixth overall crown as he completed his second sweep of Spring and Fall Meet championships in a calendar year at Churchill Downs.  The shared title was Borel’s third, following an outright Fall Meet win in 1999 and a tie with Shaun Bridgmohan in 2006.

Bridgmohan finished third in the 2009 jockey race with 17 wins, while Leandro Goncalves compiled 16 victories and Francisco Torres finished with 15.  French-born Freddie Lenclud earned nine wins to earn honors as the meet’s leading apprentice jockey.

Asmussen, the runaway win leader among U.S. trainers in 2009, held off eight-time titlist Dale Romans 17-16 to earn his third Fall Meet “leading trainer” title and his seventh overall.  Like Leparoux, the 44-year-old Asmussen swept Churchill Downs’ 2009 Spring and Fall Meet crowns, a feat he had earlier accomplished in 2004 and 2007

Horses owned by the Ramseys earned nine victories during the meet to give the Nicholasville, Ky. couple a record eighth Fall Meet “leading owner” title and 16th overall, which is also a record.  The Ramseys’ 2009 title allowed them snap a tie with the late John Franks for the most Fall Meet “leading owner” crowns.

WinStar Farm, L.T.B., Inc., Heiligbrodt Racing and Brereton C. Jones each collected five wins and finished in a tie for the runner-up spot.

The meet’s most memorable race might have been Friday’s 135th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap (GII) in which Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame held off Misremembered, defending champion Einstein and Giant Oak in a blanket finish in which the four horses were separated by less than a length.  Jockey Jamie Theriot and trainer Al Stall, Jr. secured their first victories in the race that is as old as the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Other Fall Meet equine stars included Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, who swept the Golden Rod (GII) and Pocahontas (GIII), the track’s top fall races for 2-year-old fillies,  and Kathy and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit, the Asmussen-trained winner of the Iroquois (GIII).  The 4-year-old Acoma scored her fourth stakes victory at Churchill Downs when she rallied to win the Cardinal (GIII) on turf, Mary’s Follies won the Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies on grass and Robert Courtney’s Rahystrada scored the upset of the meet with a 56-1 shocker in River City Handicap (GIII).

John and Glen Sikrura’s Canadian invader Seranading won the 94th running of the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap and give trainer Josie Carroll her first stakes victory at Churchill Downs.  Get Stormy scored a narrow victory in the Commonwealth Turf (GIII) for 3-year-olds, while Malibu Prayer notched an upset win in the Grade II Chilukki and Amerman Racing’s Demarcation surprised in the Ack Ack (GIII).

Churchill Downs will offer racing fans new value in its daily wagering menu when the track launches an experiment with 50-cent minimum Pick 3 and trifecta wagers beginning with its racing program on Thursday, Nov. 19 and continuing through the end its Fall Meet on Saturday, Nov. 28.

The introduction of the 50-cent minimum wager on Pick 3 and trifecta wagers follows a warm reception by patrons to a 50-cent mimimum Pick 4 since the minimum for that wager was lowered from $1 at the start of the track’s 2009 Spring Meet.  The Pick 3 requires bettors to select the winners of three consecutive races and the trifecta requires the patron to select the top three finishers in a designated race in their exact order of finish.  The minimum wager on each bet had been $1.

While three Pick 4 wagers are offered during a regular 10-race program during the ongoing Fall Meet at Churchill Downs, eight Pick 3 opportunities are available during 10 races.  Trifectas are offered on each race in which at least five horses start.  Churchill Downs also offers a 10-cent minimum superfecta.  A so-called “dime superfecta” requires bettors to select the top 4 horses in their exact order of finish.

“With the experimental reduction of the minimum wager on Pick 3 and trifecta races from $1 to 50 cents, we hope to provide a little ‘economic stimulus’ for racing fans,” said Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery.  “The 50-cent minimum Pick 4 wager has been popular with our on-track patrons and simulcast players.  The lower minimum bets on the Pick 3’s and trifectas should provide fans of every skill level with a greater opportunity to win and enjoy Churchill Downs races with smiles on their faces.”

Nelson McMakin’s Hot Cha Cha, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade I) at Keeneland on Oct. 17, and Waratah Thoroughbreds’ Miss World, winner of the Garden City (GI) at Belmont Park on Sept. 12, top an overflow field of 17 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 19th running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII).

The Mrs. Revere, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race program that has a first post time of 12:40 p.m. (all times EST). Post time for the Mrs. Revere is 4:37 p.m.

Trained by Phil Sims, Hot Cha Cha took the QE II by 4 ½ lengths under James Graham, who will be aboard Saturday and break from post position seven. Prior to the Keeneland victory, Hot Cha Cha won the Grade III Pucker Up at Arlington Park.  Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia installed the daughter of Cactus Ridge was installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite for the Mrs. Revere.

Miss World, trained by Christophe Clement, finished fourth in the QE II in her first start since winning the Garden City. Rajiv Maragh has the return call on Miss World, the 4-1 second choice in the morning line who will break from position three. Both Hot Cha Cha and Miss World will carry 123 pounds and concede 4-6 pounds to their rivals.

Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, the 8-1 co-third choice and winner of the Regret (GIII) here in June, will attempt to become the first filly to win the Regret and Mrs. Revere. Trained by Tom Proctor, Keertana will break from post position 11 under 119 pounds and be ridden by Jesus Castanon.  Among the fillies Keertana defeated in the Regret was Mrs. Revere rival Hot Cha Cha, who ran a close third that day.

Also listed at 8-1 is Three Chimneys Racing, LLC’s Miss Keller (IRE), a daughter of Montjeu who just missed last time out as the runner-up to Eye of Taurus in a division of Keeneland’s Valley View (GIII).  Jockey Eurico Da Silva will return to the saddle aboard Miss Keller, an Irish import who makes her third start in North America for trainer Roger Attfield, a member of Canada’s Racing Hall of Fame.

The field for the Mrs. Revere, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight and morning line odds), is as follows: C.S. Silk (F. Torres, 117 pounds, 10-1), Kiawah Cat (S. Bridgmohan, 117, 15-1), Miss World (R. Maragh, 123, 4-1), Striking Dancer (R. Albarado, 117, 12-1), Mary’s Follies (K. Desormeaux, 117, 10-1), War Kill (J. Court, 117, 20-1), Hot Cha Cha (J. Graham, 123, 3-1), Bluegrass Princess (J. Velazquez, 117, 12-1), Romacaca (E. Baird, 117, 10-1), Miss Keller (Ire) (E. Da Silva, 117, 8-1), Keertana (J. Castanon, 119, 8-1), Redreamit (C. Borel, 117, 20-1), Obsequious (W. Martinez, 117, 30-1) and Single Solution (E. Perez, 117, 30-1). The also eligibles are Aaroness (S. Bridgmohan, 117, 30-1), Alice’s Smart (L. Goncalves, 117, 30-1) and Bum Bum (Fr) (C. Borel, 117, 30-1).

MALIBU PRAYER HELPS SALVAGE THE DAY FOR EVANS – Saturday was not a total loss for Edward Evans, who saw his Quality Road scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) when he refused to load in the starting gate.

Nearly two hours earlier, his Malibu Prayer posted her first graded-stakes victory by taking the Chilukki (GII) at Churchill Downs by a length over Copper State.

“She is doing well this morning,” said Michael Dilger, the Churchill Downs assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “She had been training well at Belmont and we thought she would run well.”

Dilger was not sure if Malibu Prayer would come back in three weeks to run in the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII) on Nov. 26.

“I don’t know if Todd would want to run her back that quick,” Dilger said. “We have Unbridled Belle pointed to the Falls City and that will be the last race for her.”

The Chilukki victory improved Malibu Prayer’s record to 9-4-3-2 with the three runner-up finishes coming in graded stakes.

“We had her at Delaware Park this summer and she only needed to improve a little bit to be a good filly,” Dilger said. “She has always been well thought of and she has progressed well through the year.”

One Caroline, the Chilukki favorite who finished third in her first start in more than six months, was headed back to her home base at Keeneland on Sunday.

"She ran hard yesterday,” said Jack Bohannan, assistant to trainer Rusty Arnold. “It is tough to sustain those fractions (:22.47 and :44.87) after being off so long. We were disappointed she didn’t win.”

A return in the Falls City is possible for One Caroline.

“If Rusty feels she is all right, I am sure he will entertain that thought,” Bohannan said. “Rusty and (owner) Mr. (G. Watts) Humphrey (Jr.) will talk it over.”
    
SHE’S OUR ANNIE COMES BACK STRONG IN DREAM SUPREME – Trainer Jinks Fires was all smiles Sunday morning after the performance of Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie in Saturday’s $60,000 Dream Supreme overnight stakes.

Idle since being taken out of training in the spring, She’s Our Annie came off the 7 ½-month layoff by going wire-to-wire under Jon Court to win by 2 ½ lengths. The 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro covered the six furlongs in 1:10.31.

“She had been training that way, so we thought she would run that way,” Fires said. “She’s doing well this morning. We are going to take it one step at a time and see what’s out there, but we are not going to push her.”

Now a winner of four of five starts, She’s Our Annie developed the start of a slab fracture this spring at Oaklawn Park and Fires gave her 90 days off before starting her back. Prior to the Dream Supreme, She’s Our Annie had recorded two bullet six-furlong works here.

WIGGINS’ HORSE OF THE YEAR VOTE … JUST SAY HE’S PARTIAL – “I bet I know what you are going to ask me,” trainer Hal Wiggins said with a big grin. “Who do I think should be Horse of the Year?”

Well, now that you mention it after Zenyatta’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI), who should be Horse of the Year, Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra?

“I think it will be a photo finish,” Wiggins said. “You can’t gripe if it goes either way. But then, you know I may be a little prejudiced.”

Wiggins trained the 3-year-old Rachel Alexandra to the first four of her eight victories in a perfect 2009 campaign. Zenyatta finished a 5-for-5 year with the Classic victory that ran the 5-year-old mare’s career record to a perfect 14-for-14.

"“The only knock I have on Zenyatta is that all of her wins were on synthetic tracks,” Wiggins said. “Rachel Alexandra won on seven tracks, three times in the mud and was a 3-year-old filly beating older horses in a Grade I race. That just doesn’t happen.

“But then for Zenyatta to do what she did (yesterday in the Classic), that doesn’t happen often either.”

CARDINAL HANDICAP ATTRACTS 27 NOMINATIONS – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma, a two-time graded-stakes winner over the Matt Winn Turf Course, tops a list of 27 fillies and mares nominated to the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) to be run 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Trained by David Carroll, Acoma won the Mrs. Revere (GII) here last fall and came back in June to win the Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) over Pure Clan, runner-up in Friday’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) at Santa Anita.

Two Cardinal nominees posted Grade III turf wins in their most recent starts.

Ronchalon Stable’s Belle Allure (Ire) took the Athenia at Belmont Park on Oct. 21 and Dell Ridge Farm’s Bluegrass Princess won a division of the Valley View on Oct. 23 at Keeneland.

Weights for the Cardinal will be announced on Saturday and entries will be taken on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

 Indescribable won last year’s Cardinal.

BARN TALK – Trainer Dale Romans said that his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly would be back in his barn at Churchill Downs on Sunday afternoon. Romans said that Tapitsfly, owned and bred by Frank Jones Jr., was “probably done for the year.” … Julien Leparoux, who rode three winners in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, was the winner of the seventh annual Bill Shoemaker Award given to the top jockey at the event. Leparoux’s winners were Informed Decision (Filly & Mare Sprint) and She Be Wild (Juvenile Fillies) on Friday and Furthest Land (Dirt Mile) on Saturday.