American Turf

Churchill Downs’ Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare, a race that shares a rich history with the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) and the Kentucky Oaks (GI), has been elevated to Grade I status by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association’s (“TOBA”) American Graded Stakes Committee (“AGSC”).

The Clark Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, was run for the first time in 1875 during the inaugural meet of Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, the Clark has been run annually and without interruption since and was accorded Grade I status for the second time when the AGSC met Dec. 2 in Lexington, Ky.

Two other Churchill Downs stakes races – the American Turf Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf, and the Pocahontas, a one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies – were raised from Grade III to Grade II status. One race was the downgraded: the Jefferson Cup, previously a Grade II race, was accorded Grade III status for 2010.

“We are very pleased that the American Graded Stakes Committee has recognized the excellence of the Clark Handicap and accorded Grade I status to one of our track’s most important races,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs. “We have long felt that the Clark ranked with America’s top races for older horses and applaud the committee’s decision. The upgrade of the Clark and accompanying elevation of the Pocahontas and American Turf to Grade II status are tributes to both the strength of our racing program and the efforts of owners and trainers who compete in our races every year. We thank the committee for its consideration and decisions, and our horsemen for their unwavering support.”

The Clark was previously accorded Grade I status for a single running in 2006, when the race was won by Premium Tap, winner of the Woodward (GI) and subsequent runner-up to “Horse of the Year” Invasor in the Dubai World Cup (GI).  The 2008 running was won by Einstein, a multiple Grade I winner on turf and, subsequently won the 2009 Santa Anita Handicap (GI) on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita. Einstein was a finalist for the Eclipse Award for America’s top older horse that went to two-time “Horse of the Year” Curlin and defeated a Clark Handicap field that included two-time Whitney Handicap (GI) winner Commentator.

The 2007 running of the Clark saw A.P. Arrow knock off Grade I winner Brass Hat; Magna Graduate edged Suave in 2006; and Saint Liam defeated Grade I winners Seek Gold and Perfect Drift in its 2005 running. The latter was the first stakes victory for Saint Liam, who would win the Breeders’ Cup Classic the following year to cap a campaign in which he earned “Horse of the Year” honors. Other notable recent Clark Handicap winners include Overbrook Farm’s Surfside, who defeated older males in 2000 on her way to earning an Eclipse Award as America’s champion 3-year-old filly; multiple Grade I winner Lido Palace, a multiple Grade I winner who gave the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel his only Clark victory; and Robert and Beverly Lewis’ 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm, who won the 1998 renewal to become the 14th Kentucky Derby winner to win both races.

The 2008 Pocahontas saw multiple Sara Louise, winner of this year’s Top Flight (GII) defeat Rachel Alexandra. The runner-up would go on to win the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and defeat males in the Preakness (GI), Haskell Invitational and the Woodward (GI), becoming the first 3-year-old filly ever to win the latter. Rachel Alexandra has not lost since her Pocahontas setback and is a leading candidate for 2009 American “Horse of the Year.” Pure Clan, who won the race in 2007, is a two-time Grade I winner on turf with wins American Oaks at Hollywood Park at 3 and this year’s Flower Bowl at Belmont Park. Stellar Jayne, the 2003 Pocahontas winner, would later score Grade I wins in the Coaching Club American Oaks, Gazelle Handicap and Ruffian Handicap.

The roster of recent winners of the American Turf, a regular fixture on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, includes Kitten’s Joy, who would defeat Prince Arch in 2004 on his way to earning an Eclipse Award that honored him as America’s turf champion. The runner-up would later win the Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup (GI) on turf. Multiple stakes winner Stream Cat won the race in 2006, but runner-up Go Between would go on to earn more than $2.9 million in a career that included victories in the Pacific Classic (GI) on synthetic Polytrack and the Virginia Derby (GII) on turf. The 2008 renewal went to Tizdejavu, over Sailor’s Cap and Nistle’s Crunch. The winner would go on to win the Jefferson Cup (GII) and American Derby (GII), while runner-up Sailor’s Cap would later win the Colonial Cup (GIII) and Poker Handicap (GIII) and Nistle’s Crunch would win the Commonwealth Turf (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Orthodox defeated Battle of Hastings to win the 2009 American Turf, with the latter going on to a strong campaign that included victories in the Colonial Turf Cup (GII) and Virginia Derby (GII).

With the elevation of the Clark Handicap, the Churchill Downs stakes schedule will include five Grade I events in 2010 (not including Breeders’ Cup World Championship races scheduled for Nov. 5-6, 2010). Along with the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and the Clark Handicap, the Stephen Foster Handicap and the Humana Distaff, which retained their AGSC status as top-level events in American racing, are on the list of Grade I events to be run beneath the historic Twin Spires in 2010.

Mr and Mrs Jerome Moss’ Zenyatta, the undefeated 5-year-old who earned a 2008 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top older filly or mare was one of three finalists for “Horse of the Year” honors, will face seven challengers Friday in the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

The 12-race card Friday, highlighted by the 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), will begin with a 10:30 a.m. ET post time. Five other stakes will be on the card, four of them graded.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta closed out a seven-for-seven campaign with a last-to-first triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, who has been aboard for Zenyatta’s past six victories, has the mount Friday in the mile and a sixteenth Louisville Distaff.

The daughter of Street Cry will carry high weight of 124 pounds and break from post position two.  She is one of two unbeaten runners in the Louisville Distaff, which is scheduled as the seventh race on the card.

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s One Caroline, who has been training at Keeneland, is perfect in five lifetime starts, including her  first two victories coming at Churchill Downs. Trained by Rusty Arnold, One Carolina enters the Louisville Distaff off a front-running 6 ½-length victory in the Grade II Rampart at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

Edgar Prado, who has been aboard One Caroline for her past two victories, has the Friday riding assignment and exits post position four.

The field for the Louisville Distaff, from the rail out, is as follows: Swift Temper (Garrett Gomez, 120 pounds), Zenyatta (Mike Smith, 124), Miss Isella (Calvin Borel, 122), One Caroline (Edgar Prado, 122), Unforgotten (Robby Albarado, 118), Modification (Corey Nakatani, 118), French Kiss (Joe Johnson, 118) and Unbridled Belle (John Velazquez, 118).

Three Grade III events are on the card, including the $150,000-added Alysheba (GIII), which serves as a prep for the $750,000 Stephen Foster (Grade I) to be run at Churchill Downs on June 13.

Macho Again, who used a victory in the Derby Trial here last April as a springboard to a runner-up finish in the Grade I Preakness and then a victory in the Grade II Jim Dandy, will tote high weight of 124 pounds and concede 2-6 to nine rivals in the Alysheba.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again enters the Alysheba off a victory in the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on March 14 at Fair Grounds. Robby Albarado will ride and break from the rail in the mile and sixteenth race that goes as the ninth on the card.

The field for the Alysheba, from the rail out, is as follows: Macho Again (Robby Albarado, 124 pounds), Ready Set (Julien Leparoux, 118), Mambo in Seattle (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Cool Coal Man (John Velazquez, 118), Bullsbay (Jeremy Rose, 118), Star Guitar (Corey Lanerie,122), Shift in Power (Jon Court, 118), Dr. Pleasure (Edgar Prado, 118), Prom Shoes (Kent Desormeaux, 122) and Informed (Garrett Gomez, 118).

Keeneland graded stakes winners Stormalory and Bittel Road will share the high weight assignments of 123 pounds for the 18th running of the American Turf for 3-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The American Turf will be the 10th race of the day.

Owned by Darley Stable, Stormalory won the Grade III Transylvania on April 3 at Keeneland in his most recent start. Julien Leparoux, who rode Stormalory to his Transylvania victory will ride for trainer Bill Mott on Friday.

Bittel Road, owned by James Scatuorchio and John Iracane, won the Grade III Bourbon at Keeneland last fall. Runner-up in the Grade III Generous at Hollywood Park on Nov. 29 in his most recent turf start, Bittel Road is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

The field for the American Turf, from the hedge out, is as follows: Stormalory (Julien Leparoux, 123 pounds), Jack Spratt (Eibar Coa, 121), Battle of Hastings (GB) (Tyler Baze, 121), Bruce N Autumn (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Skipadate (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Bittel Road (Garrett Gomez, 123), Turfiste (Jamie Theriot, 117), Bunker Hill (Mike Smith, 117), Orthodox (Jon Court, 117) and Pointing Home (Calvin Borel, 117).

Chamberlain Bridge, owned by Carl Moore Management, LLC, will tote high weight of 121 pounds in the 15th running of the $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint at five furlongs. The race goes as the sixth on the card.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Chamberlain Bridge is two-for-two over the Matt Winn Turf Course and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez on Friday. Gomez partnered Chamberlain Bridge to a third-place finish in the Grade III Shakertown at Keeneland on April 11 in his most recent start.

The field for the Aegon Turf Sprint, from the hedge out, is as follows: Chitoz (Tyler Baze, 118 pounds), Smart Enough (Jeremy Rose, 118), Hewitts (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Captivating Cat (John Velazquez, 118), Due Date (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Chamberlain Bridge (Garrett Gomez, 121), Cannonball (Elvis Trujillo, 118), Accredit (Julien Leparoux, 118) and Jazz Nation (Robby Albarado, 118).

Laragh, winner of last fall’s Jessamine at Keeneland and third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will carry top weight of 121 pounds and concede 4 pounds to her 11 rivals in the 25th running of the $100,000-added Edgewood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Trained by John Terranova for owners IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin, Andrew Cohen and Pegasus Holdings Group, Laragh    ran fifth in her 2009 debut in the Grade II Comely on the main track at Aqueduct on April 11. Edgar Prado has the mount.

The field for the Edgewood, from the hedge out, is as follows: Excelente (IRE) (Rafael Bejarano, 117 pounds), Fleet Streak (Corey Lanerie, 117), Banker’s Choice (Calvin Borel, 117), Abbott Hall (Robby Albarado, 117), Walloon (Hector Rosario Jr., 117), Complicity (Joe Talamo, 117), Magical Affair (Julien Leparoux, 117), More of the Best (Jesus Castanon, 117), Mein Fraulein (Jon Court, 117), Laragh (Edgar Prado, 121), Diamond Tags (Mike Smith, 117) and Kiss Mine (Eibar Coa, 117).

George Krikorian’s Street Car worked five furlongs in 1:01 over a “sloppy” track Monday morning in preparation for an expected start in Saturday’s 85th running of the $100,000-added Derby Trial (Grade III), the opening-day feature of the 52-day spring meet that runs through July 5.

    In addition to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, 12 stakes will be run over the course of the first seven days of the meet and fields for those races are taking shape according to Donnie Richardson, Senior Vice President, Racing.

    In addition to Street Car, other probables for the Derby Trial include Starlight Partners’ Checklist, Barry Butzow and Westrock Stables’ Hamazing Destiny, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Gary Barber and Team Valor International’s Hull, Jerry Hollendorfer, George Todaro and Team Green’s Rendezvous and Clarence Scharbauer Jr.’s Silver City.

    Entries will be drawn Wednesday for the Derby Trial.

    The first graded stakes of the year for 2-year-olds, the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III), will be run on Thursday, April 30. Probables for the five-furlong sprint are Steven Michael Bell’s Aegean, Robert Abrams, Mitch Dutko and Wesley Ward’s Jealous Again, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Kinsolving and Midst, Elizabeth and Patrick Everard’s Kitty in the Bag and J. Kirk Robison’s Western Smoke.

    G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s undefeated One Caroline tops a list of nine probables for the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II). Unbeaten in five starts, One Caroline is expected to face the likes of Town and Country Farm’s Bear Now, Dawn and Ike Thrash’s Dawn After Dawn, Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella, Nancy Cole and Charles Kidder’s Stealin’ Kisses, William Deburgh’s Sugar Mint (IRE), Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, Team Valor International’s Unbridled Belle and Robert Adams’ Unforgotten.  Reigning older filly and mare champion Zenyatta is also nominated to the race.
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, winner of the New Orleans Handicap (Grade II) in March and runner-up in last year’s Preakness (Grade I), tops a list of seven probables for the Alysheba (Grade III) to be run at a mile and a sixteenth on May 1.

    Other probables include William Bennett and Carl Bowling’s Acting Zippy, John Oxley’s Dr. Pleasure, Millard Seldin Revocable Trust’s Golden Yank, Lanni Family Trust and Joel Barish’s Limestone Edge, Brittlyn Stable, Inc.’s Star Guitar and Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune.

    The 18th running of the $150,000-added American Turf (Grade III) has five probables, headed by Darley Stable’s Stormalory, winner of the Grade III Transylvania at Keeneland on April 3. Others under consideration for the mile and a sixteenth event for 3-year-olds are Werthheimer and Frere’s Affirmatif, Michael House’s Battle of Hastings (GB), James Scatuorchio and John Iracane’s Bittel Road and Jack Spratt, owned in partnership by Sand Dollar Stable, Skychai Racing, Golden Goose Stable, Thomas Conway and Mike Maker.

Five horses are considered as probable for the Aegon Turf Sprint (Grade III) at five furlongs. They are Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Accredit, Balkrisna Sukharan’s Castles in the Sky, Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Due Date, Westrock Stables’ Jazz Nation and Thomas Van Meter and Phillip Maloof’s Silver Edition.

    The only non-graded Oaks Day stake is the $100,000-added Edgewood for 3-year-old fillies going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Probables include Dolphus Morrison’s Abbott Hall, A. Stevens Miles Jr.’s Banker’s Choice and Marylou Whitney Stable’s Stone Legacy.

    Highlighting the Kentucky Derby Day undercard is the 23rd running of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at a mile and one-eighth. Einstein (BRZ), winner of the 2008 renewal, is expected to seek a repeat win in the race against the likes of Court Vision, owned by IEAH Stables and WinStar Farm, Robert and Janet McNair’s Cowboy Cal and Juddmonte Farms’ Zambesi Sun (GB).

    Derby Day’s other Grade 1 race, the 23rd running of the $300,000-added Humana Distaff at seven furlongs, is expected to attract Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s champion Indian Blessing. Other probables include Zabeel Racing International’s Game Face, Augustin Stable’s Informed Decision, Richard Hills and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy, Darley Stable’s Seventh Street and William Wahl’s Tiz to Dream.

    The 75th running of the $250,000-added Churchill Downs (Grade II) has nine probables: Brian Prichard’s How’s Your Halo, Valene Farms’ Ide Like a Double, Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Kodiak Kowboy, B. Wayne Hughes’ My Pal Charlie, Jerry Hollendorfer and George Todaro’s Paul’s Hope, Zayat Stables’ Riley Tucker, Savorthetime Stables’ Sok Sok, Robert Yagos’ Spotsgone and Michael Tabor’s The Roundhouse.

    A trio of West Coast invaders tops the probables for the 24th running of the $200,000-added Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II). They are Ron Beegle’s Lemon Chiffon, William Deburgh’s Sugar Mint (IRE) and the David Lanzman Racing Stable’s Sweeter Still (IRE). Also “probable” is Mrs. Paul Shanahan’s Rustic Flame (IRE).

    Eight 3-year-old fillies are considered probable for the $100,000-added Eight Belles (Grade III) at 7 ½ furlongs. Topping the probables are the Larry Jones-trained duo of Just Jenda, owned by his wife Cindy, and Russell Welch’s Warrior Maid. Other likely starters are William Pacella, George Bonomo and Fred Barbara’s C.S. Silk, David Rippey’s Dave’s Revenge, D. and E. Racing’s Diamond Tags, Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Luster, Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie and Marylou Whitney Stable’s Tweeter.