Stars of Tomorrow II

Steve Asmussen has won the last five training titles at Churchill Downs and will wrap up another successful meet at the home of the Kentucky Derby when its fall racing session concludes on Sunday. Entering the final day of the 21-day Fall Meet, Asmussen had saddled 14 winners from 63 starters and trailed Mike Maker by a single victory in his bid to add another “leading trainer” title to his collection.

“We were very fortunate to get a couple of wins at the Breeders’ Cup and we’ve had some really nice 2-year-olds this meet,” Asmussen said via phone Sunday morning. “The meet was everything we could have hoped for.”

Asmussen, the fifth all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs with 426 wins, saddled two winners at the 2011 Breeders’ Cup World Championships when the event was held beneath the Twin Spires for a record eighth time on Nov. 4-5. The first came on Breeders’ Cup Friday with Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton’s unbeaten My Miss Aurelia in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I). The following day, the Asmussen-trained Regally Ready took the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) for Vinery Stables.

“The highlight of the meet was My Miss Aurelia,” Asmussen said. “She won so impressively and you couldn’t be higher on a horse than we are on her.”

Well-known for his success with young horses, Asmussen saddled six 2-year-old winners aside from My Miss Aurelia to lead all trainers with seven wins in so-called “baby races.” Eddie Kenneally has the second-highest 2-year-old victory total with four.

“We had success with 2-year-olds this meet, with Unbridled’s Note and Hierro looking like the standouts,” Asmussen said. “They physically look like the kind of horses that will appreciate more distance. The plan is to bring them to Santa Anita this winter and get them ready for next year.”

Mike McCarthy’s Unbridled’s Note was a debut winner on the undercard of the Stars of Tomorrow I program on opening day of the Fall Meet on Oct. 30. The 2-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song won by 4 ½ lengths under leading rider Julien Leparoux.

Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Hierro broke his maiden on Nov. 9 in his third career start with an eye-catching 5 ¼-length romp as am odds-on favorite. The chestnut son of Hard Spun was also ridden by Leparoux.

COURT BECOMES 17^TH RIDER TO REACH 400-WIN MILESTONE AT CD – Jockey Jon Court became the latest rider to record a career milestone at Churchill Downs when a Saturday victory aboard Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Red Jack in the sixth race made him just the 17^th rider to record 400 wins under the Louisville track’s venerable Twin Spires.

“It’s nice to get the 400^th win at Churchill Downs,” Court said. “I’ve always loved riding here. It’s been a great meet and I hope I can keep it going. I knew Churchill had that (400-win) sign. I was just hoping they wouldn’t have to use it next spring. At 51-years-old I think I can still ride with the youngest and the best and I’m very thankful to be healthy and have the opportunity to do what I do.”

Court, who has over 3,600 wins in his riding career, has won 14 stakes beneath the Twin Spires, including the 2011 Firecracker Handicap (Grade II) aboard Wise Dan, who captured the 137^th running of the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) on Friday. Other notable winners at Churchill Downs include With Anticipation in the 2001 Louisville Handicap, Belterra in the 2001 Golden Rod (GII) and Softly in the 2002 Churchill Downs Distaff Handicap (GII).

His number of Churchill Downs victories would have certainly been higher had Court not left the Kentucky-circuit in 2004 to ride in Southern California for trainer Doug O’Neill. He returned to his Midwest-roots in 2009.

“A few of the trainers gave me a hard time, saying if I hadn’t gone to California to ride I could have doubled that and beyond, but that’s fine,” Court said. “It’s all in the name of racing and that’s good.”

Court began his riding career in 1980 and recorded his first victory aboard Nevada’s Hope at the now defunct Centennial Park in Colorado. He has won riding titles at Oaklawn, Ellis Park, Hoosier Park, Turfway and Birmingham and has recorded six top-five finishes at Churchill Downs, including a trio of thirds: 1999 Fall Meet, 2001 Fall Meet and 2002 Spring Meet.

The victory aboard Red Jack was Court’s second victory of the day and 13^th of the Fall Meet. He is poised for another top-five finish in the jockey standings as he is currently in fourth behind Julien Leparoux, Corey Lanerie and Calvin Borel.

STARS OF TOMORROW II WINNERS EXIT RACES IN GOOD ORDER – WinStar Farm LLC’s Gemologist exited his 1 ¾-length victory in Saturday’s 85^th running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) in good order, according to Michael McCarthy, assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher.

“He came out of the race well,” McCarthy said. “He’ll go to WinStar Farm on Monday for a brief freshening and then make his way down to Palm Meadows.”

            A 2-year-old son of Tiznow, Gemologist improved his record to a perfect 3-for-3 and increased his earnings to $145,855 in the Kentucky Jockey Club. There are currently no plans for his next start.

The Kentucky Jockey Club was the co-featured event on Saturday’s Stars of Tomorrow II program with the 68^th running of the Golden Rod (GII), which was won by Anita Cauley’s homebred On Fire Baby. A 2-year-old gray/roan daughter of Smoke Glacken, On Fire Baby won the Golden Rod in gate-to-wire fashion by 6 ¼ lengths.

“It was an excellent performance and she’s doing well this morning,” trainer Gary Hartlage said. “She’ll head to Oaklawn Park on Thursday morning and the goal is to be back here (at Churchill Downs) in the spring (for either the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks).”

On Fire Baby became just the seventh 2-year-old filly to sweep the Pocahontas (GII) and Golden Rod and improved her record to 3-0-0 from four career starts with earnings of $227,329.

Another impressive winner on Saturday’s card was John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock’s Indian Ambush, who won the seventh race by two lengths at the 3-2 favorite for trainer Bill Mott. A 2-year-old son of Indian Charlie, Indian Ambush was doing well Sunday morning will be sent to Florida on Monday. He will be stabled at Mott’s barn at Gulfstream Park or Payson Park.

Other winners Saturday who will be shipped to Gulfstream Park this week include Elm Tree Farm’s Callmenancy, winner of the second race on the Matt Winn Turf Course for trainer Ken McPeek, and McKee Stables Inc.’s King Kid, who took the finale by two lengths for trainer Dale Romans. Both 2-year-olds exited their races in fine order.

BARN TALK – Entering the final day of the 21-day Fall Meet, the race for leading trainer is still wide open with Mike Maker holding a 15-14 lead over Steve Asmussen. Maker, who won only training title at the Louisville track in the 2008 Fall Meet, has two horses entered Sunday: Chyhyryn (Race 1, 3-1 on morning-line) and Twinspired (Race 10, 8-1). Asmussen will be seeking his 11^th training title at Churchill Downs with his previous titles coming in 2001 Fall, 2004 Spring, 2004 Fall, 2007 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2009 Fall, 2010 Spring, 2010 Fall and 2011 Spring. He has four horses entered Sunday: Miss Chloe H. (Race 6, 9-2), Eyeseeyou (Race 8, 5-1), Hunterwood Point (Race 8, 6-1) and Joes Blazing Aaron (Race 10, 5-1). …

In the race for leading jockey, Julien Leparoux held a 32-27 advantage over Corey Lanerie heading into Sunday’s closing day program. Leparoux is seeking his ninth Churchill Downs riding title with his previous titles coming in 2006 Spring, 2007 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2008 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2010 Fall and 2011 Spring. Lanerie is seeking his first riding title at the Downs. …

Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the track’s all-time leading owners, wrapped up their record 18^th Churchill Downs title as leading owner and 10^th in the Fall, including five in a row. They enter closing day with a 12-5 lead over Billy, Donna and Justin Hays. The Ramseys’ local titles: 2000 Spring, 2000 Fall, 2001 Spring, 2001 Fall, 2002 Spring, 2002 Fall, 2003 Spring, 2003 Fall, 2004 Spring, 2005 Fall, 2006 Spring, 2007 Fall, 2008 Spring, 2008 Fall, 2009 Spring, 2009 Fall, 2010 Fall and 2011 Fall.

WORKTAB – Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables LLC’s Hamazing Destiny, second in the Sentient Jet Breeders Cup Sprint (GI) in 2010 and fifth in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint, breezed four furlongs in :48.60 on a sloppy main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Augustin Stable’s Ever So Lucky, a dazzling winner in his Churchill Downs debut, and WinStar Farm LLC’s Gemologist, perfect in two outings at Turfway Park and Churchill Downs, put their spotless racing records on the line Saturday as the promising colts head a field of 11 2-year-olds entered for Saturday’s 85^th running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II), the co-featured event on the Stars of Tomorrow II program devoted to juvenile runners at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Jockey Club, run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, shares Saturday’s Stars of Tomorrow II marquee with the $150,000-added Golden Rod (GII), a race at the same distance for fillies.  Named in honor of the holding company that operated Churchill Downs at the time of the race’s inaugural running in 1920, the Kentucky Jockey Club will be run as race 11 with a scheduled post time  5:12 p.m. (all times EST).  Post time for the day’s first race is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by steeplechase legend Jonathan Sheppard, Ever So Lucky made the much-discussed date of 11.11.11 at Churchill Downs extra memorable with an impressive 3 ¼ length romp under jockey Julien Leparoux in his 6 ½-furlong racing debut. The son of Indian Charlie, the $600,000 sale topper in May at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic auction at Maryland’s Timonium, will break from the rail post under Leparoux in the Kentucky Jockey Club.  Ever So Lucky, a supplemental entry to the race at a cost of $7,500, was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

Gemologist, a son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow trained by Todd Pletcher, reeled off strong victories in his racing debut at Turfway Park and an allowance race at the Kentucky Jockey Club distance on the Stars of Tomorrow I program that kicked off the Churchill Downs Fall Meet.  Those efforts prompted Battaglia to install Gemologist as the 3-1 second choice in the morning line and Gemologist will break from post nine under jockey Javier Castellano.

WinStar Farm and Pletcher won the 2009 Kentucky Jockey Club with Super Saver, who returned to Churchill Downs the following spring to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).  The Derby victory by Super Saver was the first for both WinStar Farm and Pletcher.

Despite the star power of the favorites, the Kentucky Jockey Club is far from a two-horse race as the field includes the  promising New York invader Cyber Secret and stakes veteran Optimizer.

Another unbeaten colt,  Gary and Mary West Stables’ Cyber Secret make his stakes debut in the Kentucky Jockey Club on the heels of a 6 ½-furlong maiden win over a muddy surface on Oct. 20  at New York’s Belmont Park.  Trained by Chad Brown, the Kentucky-bred son of Broken Vow will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan in his stakes debut.  Cyber Secret drew post five and is the 6-1 third choice in Battaglia’s Kentucky Jockey Club morning line.

Bluegrass Hall LLC’s Optimizer, a 2-year-old of English Channel and the 8-1 fourth choice in the Kentucky Jockey Club, which will make his second consecutive start over the main track at Churchill Downs after competing over grass and synthetic surfaces in his first three outings. Trained by Hall of Famer and four-time Kentucky Jockey Club winner D. Wayne Lukas, Optimizer finished eighth behind unbeaten Hansen after breaking from the outside post in a field of 13 in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5.   Prior to his Breeders’ Cup run, Optimizer won his debut on the Saratoga turf and was the runner-up to State of Play over the same surface in the With Anticipation (GII).  Lukas’ colt also ran third to Dullahan in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) over Keeneland’s Polytrack.

Optimizer will break from post six under Robby Albarado, who won the 1999 renewal of the Kentucky Jockey Club with Captain Steve.

Other stakes veterans in Saturday’s race include Thomas Conway and Mike Maker’s Mr. Prankster and Silverton Hill LLC’s Fine.

Mr. Prankster, trained by co-owner Maker, was the runner-up to longshot Big Wednesday in the $150,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial over the synthetic Tapeta surface on Oct. 1 at Pennsylvania’s Presque Isle Downs.  The son of It’s No Joke, a 10-1 shot in the Kentucky Jockey Club morning line, drew post four and will have Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Edgar Prado in the saddle.

The Bret Calhoun-trained Fine was a distant runner-up to Hansen in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile and fourth to Motor City in Churchill Downs’ Iroquois (GIII).  Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride the son of Flatter, who is a 20-1 risk in the morning line and will break from post seven.

The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club, from the rail out (with trainer, jockey and morning line odds), is as follows: Ever So Lucky (Sheppard, Leparoux, 5-2), Africanist (Eddie Kenneally, Corey Lanerie, 10-1), Timely Tally (Ian Wilkes, Calvin Borel, 10-1), Mr. Prankster (Maker, Edgar Prado, 10-1), Cyber Secret (Brown, Bridgmohan, 6-1), Optimizer (Lukas, Albarado, 8-1), Fine (Calhoun, Hernandez, 20-1), Atigun (Ken McPeek, Manny Cruz, 10-1), Gemologist (Pletcher, Castellano, 3-1), Seve (Dale Romans, Mark Guidry, 20-1) and Saint Honore (Nick Zito, Jesus Castanon, 12-1).    

Wind River Stables and Five D Thoroughbreds’ Kathmanblu, a troubled third to More Than Real in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade II) in her most recent start, and Adele Dilschneider’s homebred Aide, a dazzling 19 ¾-length allowance winner here on Oct. 31, head a field of seven 2-year-old fillies entered to compete in Saturday’s 67th running of the $150,000 Golden Rod Stakes (GII).

The Golden Rod, won last year by Sassy Image, will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track and goes as the co-featured ninth event on the 12-race “Stars of Tomorrow II” card devoted exclusively to 2-year-olds. Post time for the Golden Rod is 4:42 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post time for the program that also features the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Ken McPeek, Kathmanblu debuted on the dirt in a 4 ½-furlong sprint here in June, finishing eighth. Since then, the daughter of 2006 Kentucky Derby (GI) runner-up Bluegrass Cat has found herself at home on the grass with a record of 2-1-1 in four turf races that includes a four-length victory in the Jessamine at Keeneland.

Churchill Downs handicapper Mike Battaglia has installed Kathmanblu as the narrow 8-5 favorite in his morning line odds for the Golden Rod.  Julien Leparoux, who won the Golden Rod in 2007 aboard Pure Clan, has the call on Kathmanblu, who will break from post position four.

Aide, the 9-5 second choice in the Golden Rod., runs for the team that took the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) with Blame.  The daughter of Arch will break from post one under Garrett Gomez, who rode Blame in the Classic for Dilschneider and trainer Al Stall Jr., Blame’s co-owner/breeder and trainer, respectively.  She broke her maiden at second asking on Polytrack at Turfway Park prior to her eye-catching Churchill Downs allowance win at the Golden Rod distance.

Also in the field are the third- and fourth-place finishers from the opening-day Pocahontas (GII), Missyoulikecrazy (7-2) and Gran Lioness (6-1), respectively. Robby Albarado, who won the 1997 Golden Rod on Love Lock, has the call on Missyoulikecrazy, who will break from post position two and Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Gran Lioness, who breaks from post position six.

The field for the Golden Rod, from the rail out (with rider and morning line odds), is as follows: Aide (Gomez, 9-5), Missyoulikecrazy (Albarado, 7-2), Missed the Point (Tony Farina, 15-1), Kathmanblu (Leparoux, 8-5), Suave Voir Faire (Sal Gonzalez Jr., 20-1), Gran Lioness (Bridgmohan, 6-1) and Sweet Deal to Win, (Jon Court, 20-1). All starters will carry 119 pounds.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image pulled away from Decelerator in mid-stretch and went on to a 3 3/4-length victory in the 66th running of the $163,200 Golden Rod Stakes (Grade II) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Robby Albarado and trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:44.51. The victory was worth $100,172 and raised Sassy Image’s career earnings to $247,689.

Vivid Colors, ridden by Calvin Borel, led the field of six through fractions of :23.30, :47.29 and 1:12.66 with Decelerator in closest pursuit and Sassy Image running fourth but within striking distance. Midway through the far turn, Terry Thompson sent Decelerator after Vivid Colors with Sassy Image on the move just to their outside.

Decelerator hit the top of the stretch with a narrow advantage, but was soon joined by Sassy Image. The two raced on even terms to the eighth pole when Sassy Image began to draw away for her third win in seven starts.

Sassy Image returned $4.60, $2.80 and $2.20 as the favorite. Decelerator paid $4.20 and $2.80 with Upperline finishing another 7 ¼ lengths back in third under E.T. Baird and paying $2.80 to show. Completing the field in order were Vivid Colors, All Due Respect and Canadian Storm.

Sassy Image, who also won the opening-day Pocahontas (GIII) here, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow.

L.T.B. Inc. and Miles Childers’ Sheer Beauty led all the way to win the $61,968 Caressing for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths over Check the Label.

Ridden by Borel for trainer Bernie Flint, Sheer Beauty completed the mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:37.01 in defeating 11 rivals to pick up her second win in three starts. Sheer Beauty increased her earnings to $56,020 with the $37,220 winner’s check.

Sheer Beauty paid $18.20, $8.60 and $6. Check the Label, ridden by Gabriel Saez, returned $5 and $3.60 with Jody Slew finishing a half-length back in third under Jon Court and paying $24.60 to show.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE GOLDEN ROD

JERRY ROMANS, owner of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “This is so exciting to win the two top graded stakes races for 2-year-old fillies. We grew up here at Churchill Downs so it’s really exciting. We’ll take it one race at a time but, of course, the Kentucky Oaks would be the master plan if she keeps moving forward, stays healthy and keeps doing what she’s doing. She’ll probably get a little time off, go to Florida and shoot for the big spring races.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “The filly (Sassy Image) is great. (Trainer) Dale (Romans) gave me some instruction to keep her a little bit closer today, so I jumped on her out of the gate. We got to settle back on the inside and save some ground. I knew when we got to the top of the stretch she was going to stay the distance. She is a long striding filly that will really improve with the longer races. This is just the type you look for next year in the big races. Dale did such a great job getting this one ready. You have to give him all the credit for this one.”

DALE ROMANS, trainer of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “I think she just improves. The further they go, the better she’s going to get. We always thought that and she’s proven it the last two races. That was a good stretch drive but she put her (Decelerator) away at the end. It was what we were wanting. I was very impressed with her and very happy with her.”
    Q: Did her experience help? “Definitely. When you go in these types of races and it gets down to the nitty gritty, the experience pays off. She’s been a very sound horse, she hasn’t missed a dance and she’s done everything we’ve asked of her. I think it really helps.”
    Q: Does this get you dreaming of the Kentucky Oaks? “Yeah. We just talked about it, (jockey) Robby (Albarado) and I. That’s got to be our big goal.”
    Q: Where does Sassy Image go from here? “We’ll probably go to Gulfstream. I don’t know where yet or what we’ll do with her. She’s had a lot of races so we may give her a little break and give her December and January off. I’ll sit down next week and figure it out.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR, second: “She ran hard and she tries every time.  I was pleased with her and thought she ran a really good race.  I think if we weren’t pressured we would have been closer, but whether we’d have beat her (Sassy Image) I don’t know.  She beat us in the Iroquois the same way.”
Q: She’ll go to Oaklawn with you? “We’ll go there with her. That’s where those people (Westrock Stables) are located, in Little Rock. Until she proves us wrong we’ll keep treating her like an Oaks filly. We’ll certainly nominate her and she’ll go through that series there, then we’ll come back here and see.  But that’s a long way off and there’s time for a lot of things to happen.”

TERRY THOMPSON, rider of DECELERATOR, second: “She gave me everything she had. I was able to sit to the top of the stretch and when I called on her, she gave me a heck of a punch.  But we just got outrun down the lane.  Everything went our way – we just got out-footed late and a nice filly beat us.”

MIKE STIDHAM, trainer of UPPERLINE, third: “Our big concern was whether she was going to handle the dirt and E.T. (Baird) said when he kind of had to set her down for the run, it was breaking away from her.  So, we’re happy that she’s Grade II-placed, but I think probably grass and synthetics are going to be more what she needs.”

E.T. BAIRD, rider of UPPERLINE, third: “She was running real comfortable and I was sitting in behind the 1-horse (Sassy Image). She looked like a tough horse and I was just more or less tracking her.  But when it came time to set her down, it (the ground) was just kind of breaking from her underneath a little bit.  She was real comfortable and when you had her in hand, but you can only go so far doing that.  So you had to drop her over and it just kind of broke from her.

Thiskyhasnolimit, winner of the Iroquois (Grade III) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1, heads a field of nine 2-year-olds entered for Saturday’s 83rd running of the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

    The Kentucky Jockey Club, which serves as the co-feature on the closing-day “Stars of Tomorrow II” card devoted exclusively to 2-year-olds, will go as the 11th race on the 12-race card with an approximate post time of 4:27 p.m. (all times ET). First post time Saturday is 11:30 a.m.

    Trained by Steve Asmussen for owners Cathy and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner, Thiskyhasnolimit broke his maiden at second asking at Churchill Downs this summer and then tackled Grade II stakes company in New York highlighted by a third-place finish in the Futurity at Belmont Park.

    Robby Albarado has the mount Saturday on Thiskyhasnolimit, who is the 2-1 favorite in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s Kentucky Jockey Club morning line odds and will break from post position three.

    Two other stakes winners are in the field for the Kentucky Jockey Club that was won last year by John C. Oxley’s Beethoven.

    The second choice at 5-2 in Battaglia’s Kentucky Jockey Club morning line is WinStar Farm’s Super Saver, a son of Maria’s Mon who finished a close fourth to Homeboykris in the $400,000 Champagne (GI) at Belmont Park.  The Todd Pletcher trainee was a seven-length maiden winner over a sloppy Belmont Park track in his previous outing and will be ridden by Calvin Borel from post two.

    A.C. and Clare Asbury’s Gleam of Hope (6-1) won the off-the-turf Cradle at River Downs for trainer Tony Reinstedler and in his first start back was fourth in the Iroquois. Corey Lanerie will ride and break from post position five.       Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s William’s Kitten (5-1) won the off-the-turf Sunday Silence at Louisiana Downs and enters the Kentucky Jockey Club off an eighth-place finish in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Santa Anita. Miguel Mena will ride and break from post position four.

    The field for the Kentucky Jockey Club, from the rail out, is as follows: King Snake (L. Goncalves, 122 pounds, 15-1), Super Saver (C. Borel, 122, 5-2), Thiskyhasnolimit (R. Albarado, 122, 2-1), William’s Kitten (M. Mena, 122, 5-1), Gleam of Hope (C. Lanerie, 122, 6-1), Mr. Saturdaynight (G. Saez, 122, 8-1), Worldly (F. Torres, 122, 12-1), Callide Valley (J. Theriot, 122. 10-1) and Activity Report (T. Thompson, 122, 20-1).

The Grand Canyon, a $60,000-added overnight stake at 1 1/16 miles on the grass, will be run as the sixth race with a 1:58 p.m. post time.  Topping the field of 10 are homebred sons of turf champion Kitten’s Joy owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey: Dean’s Kitten and Kera’s Kitten, who will each tote 122 pounds and concede six pounds to their rivals.

Dean’s Kitten ran sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in his most recent start after having won the Vision Stakes at Belmont Park and is the 5-2 morning line favorite..  Kera’s Kitten, the 4-1 second choice in the Grand Canyon, is 2-for-2 in his career and won the El Joven Stakes at Retama Park in his most recent start.

The field for the Grand Canyon, from the hedge out, is as follows: Lost Aptitude (J. Court, 116 pounds, 5-1), Romans Reward (R. Albarado, 116, 8-1), Thunder Perfect (C. Borel, 116, 20-1), Cat Park (G. Saez, 116, 5-1), Kera’s Kitten (M. Mena, 122, 4-1), Letsgetitonmon (I. Ocampo, 116, 15-1), Mint Chip (C. Lanerie, 116, 10-1), Silenced (T. Thompson, 116, 15-1), Dean’s Kitten (E. Baird, 122, 5-2) and Our Douglas (J. Castanon, 116, 8-1).

DELIGHTFUL KISS, ANDERSON SEEK BETTER LUCK AT CHURCHILL IN 134TH CLARK HANDICAP - The big gray was back at his old Kentucky home: Tom Proctor's side of Barn 22 on the Churchill Downs backstretch. But this was his first late fall appearance and for horse and trainer, and a new experience for both.[asset|height=12|width=100]

            "We're not used to this, either one of us," said Pete Anderson as a steady rain fell on a chilly November Tuesday as he held the shank on Hobeau Farm's Delightful Kiss. "But, I'll tell you one thing. The whole key is to keep your horses happy and he is one happy dude right now. He likes the mud."

            Delightful Kiss got some mud to play in Tuesday morning when he breezed a half-mile in :50 over a track labeled "sloppy" with Calvin Borel up.

"I got him galloping out three-quarters in 1:14," Anderson said. "Calvin handled the work perfectly."

            Friday's forecast, however, calls for partly sunny skies with a high near 43 - ideal conditions for the 134^th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II).

            The Clark would mark the third Churchill Downs start for Delightful Kiss, who used Louisville as his base last spring before going on to victories in the Ohio Derby (GII) at Thistledown and Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, and again this summer after he ran in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) won by reigning Horse of the Year Curlin.

            Anderson first brought Delightful Kiss here in April 2007 after a fourth-place finish to Curlin in the Arkansas Derby (GII). Delightful Kiss had finished a length out of second and the added graded-stakes money from the runner-up spot would have earned the son of Kissin Kris a spot in the Kentucky Derby 133 (GI) starting gate.

            Delightful Kiss was entered in Derby 133, but was excluded from the field of 20 because of insufficient graded stakes money.  Instead, Anderson saddled Delightful Kiss on the eve of the Derby in the Crown Royal American Turf (GIII), where he finished ninth, before the colt launched his run of Midwest Derbies.

            The only horse in Anderson's care finished seventh in this spring's Stephen Foster, beaten 12 lengths by Curlin in a race that lacked a rapid pace.  But speed is an ingredient that should be present for the Clark with the presence of Tracy Farmer's speedy dual Grade I winner Commentator.

            For the Clark, Delightful Kiss returns to traditional dirt after three consecutive starts on synthetic surfaces that included two Grade III stakes wins and a fourth-place finish in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Marathon over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface.

            "He is doing great and I don't think he could be any better," Anderson said. "He has just gotten better as the year went on and I know he doesn't mind the Polytrack. I know he really likes the Tapeta at Golden Gate."

            The return to the dirt is the only worry Anderson has coming into the Clark in which Delightful Kiss will carry 116 pounds and be ridden by Calvin Borel.

            "That's my only concern. I just don't know how well horses do when they go to dirt from synthetic," Anderson said.

WAYZATA BAY GETTING BETTER WITH AGE FOR HICKLIN - Wayzata Bay has occupied a spot in trainer Judi Hicklin's barn for four years, racing 36 times at eight tracks. On Friday in the Clark Handicap, Wayzata Bay will add Churchill Downs to his travel dossier.

            "We have traveled a lot of miles together," Hicklin said after she cooled out Wayzata Bay after his morning exercise. "On this trip, I'm the van driver and groom."

            The trips in 2008 have been profitable for Hicklin as Wayzata Bay, a 6-year-old son of Roar, has compiled a record of 3-3-1 in eight races with earnings of $341,950. The highlight of the year was a victory in the Grade II Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows at the Clark distance of 1 1/8 miles.

            "There are not many horses that get good at 6 and not many that get their first graded stakes win at 6," Hicklin said. "And there aren't a lot of owners that would wait that long."

            Wayzata Bay is owned by Isaac Phelps' World Thoroughbreds Racing Inc.

            Wayzata Bay enters the Clark off his worst performance of the year in the Fayette (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 25.  He was beaten more than 40 lengths in that 10^th-place finish behind Ball Four.  But the poor effort over Polytrack was par for the synthetic track course for Wayzata Bay, who has never been better than fourth in six starts on Polytrack.

            "I don't think he would have been a $5,000 claimer on Polytrack," Hicklin said.

            Since the Fayette, Wayzata Bay has had one work at Hawthorne, but Hicklin thinks he is ready for a good effort under jockey Israel Ocampo, who has ridden the horse in his past six starts.

            "He has been doing two-minute licks at Hawthorne and he gets a lot out of his gallops," Hicklin said. "He will come with his run."

            Wayzata Bay will mark Hicklin's second starter at Churchill Downs. Let It Rock, who ran third in a Nov. 12 allowance race and is set to run back Friday on the Clark card, was her first.

            "It got to me walking over with him and seeing the Twin Spires," Hicklin said. "I was thinking ‘Wow, what's a girl from Iowa doing here?'"

McPEEK RIDES BONANZA OF 2-YEAR-OLDS - When Gessler Racing's Redreamit romped in her debut by 3 ¾ lengths on Sunday, she gave trainer Ken McPeek his meet-leading eighth 2-year-old winner of the meet.

            "We've got a great group of horses," McPeek said. "The stars are starting to align."

            That success has occurred before the appearance of Dream Empress, who is arguably the most talented youngster in McPeek's barn.  That talented filly will not run until Saturday's "Stars of Tomorrow II" card that offers 12 races filled with 2-year-olds.

            "I've got her and Striking Dancer for the Golden Rod," McPeek said.

            Dream Empress, owned by Livin the Dream Racing, won the Darley Alcibiades (GI) at Keeneland before a runner-up effort to Stardom Bound in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). Dream Empress had her third Churchill Downs work since the Breeders' Cup on Monday, going a half-mile in :50.80 over a sloppy track.

            McPeek is confident that his barn will reach double figures for juvenile winners by the time the curtain drops on the meet Saturday.

"I've got 14 I'm going to enter for Saturday alone," said McPeek, who won the training title in the 2002 Fall Meet.

As for Redreamit, who joined Silver Wing Stable's Free Country and Lansdon Robbins III's Danger to Society as a debut winner, she is headed to Florida with the Grade III Old Hat at six furlongs on Jan. 4 as her immediate target according to McPeek.

BARN TALK - Julien Leparoux, who entered Wednesday's card with 50 victories this meet and six away from breaking Pat Day's 23-year-old Fall Meet record, will be riding this winter at Gulfstream Park. "The bulk of our clients are going to Florida, but a lot are going to the Fair Grounds, too," Leparoux's agent Steve Bass said. "It was a hard decision, but it worked out better with his schedule. Fair Grounds is already running and Julien is going to take a couple of weeks off after the meet ends Saturday." ... Da' Tara, winner of this year's Belmont Stakes (GI), is entered in Friday's ninth race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming event. Owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, Da' Tara ran fifth in this spring's Derby Trial. Da' Tara has not run since finishing sixth in the Grade II Jerome Handicap at Belmont Park on Oct. 5. Da' Tara will face seven rivals in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.  He will be the first Belmont Stakes winner to run at Churchill Downs since 1999 winner Lemon Drop Kid finished fifth to Tiznow in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic (GI).  Victory Gallop, the 1998 Belmont Stakes winner, won the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs the following year.... The victory in the first race Sunday by Choctaw Racing Stable's Jump Enuf gave trainer Lynn Whiting his 297^th win at Churchill Downs. Whiting, who saddled Lil E. Tee to win the 1992 Kentucky Derby, notched his first Churchill Downs victory in the Spring Meet of 1979. ... A happy 50^th birthday today to trainer Rob O'Connor.

WORK TAB - There was only one recorded work Wednesday morning over a frozen track. ... The juveniles spiced up Tuesday's work tab over a sloppy track. Prepping for possible runs in Saturday's Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), were Winchell Thoroughbreds' Zion (half-mile in :50) and Zayat Stables' Star of David (:52.20), both for trainer Steve Asmussen. Working toward Saturday's Golden Rod (GII) were the 1-2 finishers in the Grade III Iroquois: Eldon Farm's Sara Louise (five furlongs in 1:03.40 for trainer Dale Romans) and Dolphus Morrison's Rachel Alexandra (a best-of-34 half-mile in :48 for trainer Hal Wiggins). Asmussen also worked Ron Winchell's War Echo, a half-sister to Pyro, a half-mile in :51 for the Golden Rod. ... Among the works Monday on a sloppy track was West Point Thoroughbreds' Jim Dandy (GII) winner Macho Again (1:02.60 for five furlongs) for trainer Dallas Stewart, Domino Stud of Lexington, Inc.'s Miss Isella (:50 for a half-mile) prepping for Thursday's Falls City (GII) for trainer Ian Wilkes and Dogwood Stable's Coal Baron (:48.40) prepping for a probable start in the Kentucky Jockey Club for trainer David Carroll. 

DERBY TICKET DRAWINGS CONTINUE - Over the final four days of the 2008 Fall Meet, Churchill Downs will continue its public daily drawings for guests to purchase two seats to the 135^th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 2. More than 400 names (100 each day) will be drawn between Wednesday and Saturday. Guests age 18 and up may enter each drawing by filling out an entry form at Guest Services stations located inside Gate 17 or outside of Gate 10 in the clubhouse before 1:35 p.m. ET. A new drawing will be held each day. Winners need not be present to win and payment for invoiced tickets will be due Jan. 30. The drawings began Saturday and, all told, 500 pairs of tickets, or 1,000 in total, will be made available. The seats available include a variety of clubhouse and grandstand seats, ranging from grandstand bleacher seats to clubhouse boxes. The ticket prices per seat range from $88 to $207 ($176 to $414 per pair).

CURLIN TO BE PARADED ON CLOSING DAY - Curlin, North America's reigning Horse of the Year and the continent's richest racehorse of all time with earnings of $10,501,800, will be paraded one final time at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The brilliant winner of seven Grade I events including Churchill Downs' $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap in June, is scheduled to be paraded on the main track between the fifth and sixth races. A special salute in the paddock and/or winner's circle will follow. The fifth race is scheduled for 1:28 p.m. (all times Eastern), and the first of 12 races will be at 11:30 a.m.

THIS WEEK'S GUEST ANNOUNCER: MARK JOHNSON - England's Mark Johnson will describe the closing week's racing action (Wednesday, Nov. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 29) as Churchill Downs concludes its search to replace the late Luke Kruytbosch as the next "Voice of the Kentucky Derby". There was a different track announcer each week during the five-week Fall Meet. Calder's Bobby Neuman, Louisiana Downs' Travis Stone, Golden Gate's Michael Wrona and Gulfstream Park and Monmouth Park's Larry Collmus already made their guest appearances. Churchill Downs officials are seeking input from customers and encouraging comment via email at announcer@kyderby.com.

SPECIAL CLOSING WEEK POST TIMES - Churchill Downs will run its usual 10-race program at 12:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday (admission gates open at 11 a.m. ET), but the final three days of the meet will have special start times. Twelve-race holiday cards on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), Friday (Clark Handicap Day) and Saturday (Closing Day/Stars of Tomorrow II) will begin early at 11:30 a.m. ET and grandstand admission gates will open at 10 a.m. ET.

SPECIAL Z-5 (SUPER HI-5) SCHEDULE FOR CLOSING WEEK - The Z-5 (Super Hi-5), which requires bettors to correctly select the top five finishers in a race in exact order, will have a new schedule for the final three days of Churchill Downs' 2008 Fall Meet. From Thursday to Saturday, the payout-pumping wager that zigzags between Churchill and its sister racetrack Calder Race Course will involve Race 5 at Churchill Downs (1:27 p.m.), Race 10 at Calder (4:35 p.m.) and Race 12 at Churchill Downs (4:53 p.m.). If no one picks all five winners, the pool would carryover to the next available Z-5 (Super Hi-5) race - the first interstate jackpot of its kind in horse racing. The pool for the final race at Churchill Downs on Saturday must be paid.

ADDITIONAL PICK 4s ON FINAL THREE DAYS - Churchill Downs will offer additional Pick 4s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday's special 12-race programs. Pick 4s, which require bettors to pick the winners of four consecutive races, will link Races 1-4, 5-8 and 9-12 over the final three days of the meet.

JUNIOR JOCKEY CLUB WEEKEND ACTIVITIES - Christmas crafts, a Friday puppet show and a special tour of the paddock on Saturday highlight the closing week activities at Churchill Downs' Junior Jockey Club located near the Guest Services Booth inside Gate. 10. Coloring books, crayons, individual games and reading material are available as well, and Churchill Downs' mascot Churchill Charlie will be on hand both Friday and Saturday for photographs between 1-1:30 p.m. Also, Santa Claus will make a special appearance at Gate 17 on both days at approximately 2 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY SPECIALS AT THE DOWNS - Packages to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at Churchill Downs are nearly sold out, but specials on Friday and Saturday's closing day card can still be had. For $50, customers can dine and watch the races from a reserved seat in the Triple Crown room, the largest and most opulent of the Jockey Club Suites facilities. Entrees on the menu include a giant Reuben sandwich, cheeseburger station, chicken tenders, chicken wings, hot dogs and bratwurst. Plus, a Bloody Mar bar will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch and an official program is included in the admission price. To reserve a spot, call (502) 636-4400.

STARK'S THE CHAMP - Todd Stark of Hazard, Ky. and Rudy Hardin Jr. of Louisville finished one-two in Sunday's "Who's the Champ?" Handicapping Contest for the 2008 Fall Meet at Churchill Downs. The two banked $1,400 and $800, respectively, and will represent Churchill Downs at the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship X in Las Vegas on Jan. 23-24. A total of 134 contestants earned berths to compete in Churchill Downs' qualifier last Sunday (only 125 actually participated). Participants were required to place mythical $2 Win and Place wagers on two different horses in Races 3-8. Stark finished first with a $57.20 final bankroll. Hardin was second with $48.00.