Churchill Downs Update and Stakes Advance: Scotland Returns to Defend Title in Closing Day's $250,000 Cherokee Mile

Nov 23, 2025

LNJ Foxwoods’ Scotland will return to Churchill Downs and defend his title when he takes on nine rivals entered in next Sunday’s second running of the $250,000 Cherokee Mile, the featured race on closing day of the 2025 Fall Meet.

Sunday’s 12-race program will get underway at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) with the Cherokee Mile field to go as Race 11 at 5:54 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Scotland scored a 2 ¼-length victory in last year’s race under Junior Alvarado. Following that start, the son of Good Magic went to the sidelines for more than seven months and then finished second to one of the nation’s fastest sprinters, Book’ em Danno, in the Forego (GI) at Saratoga. He subsequently finished third in both the Vosburgh (GIII) and Forty Niner (GIII) during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Alvarado will have the return call in the Cherokee Mile and exit post No. 8.

Chief amongst his rivals in the race appears to be Willis Horton Racing and Whisper Hill Farm’s Hanshin Stakes (Listed) winner Will Take It. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Will Take It was given the summer off following his Hanshin victory on closing day of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet. He returned in the Sept. 27 Ack Ack (GIII) where he finished sixth after a poor start. Stewart and his ownership group sent Will Take It to Del Mar for the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile (GI) on Nov. 1 where he was defeated 14 ¼ lengths to Nysos. Overall, Will Take It has won five of his 19 starts while banking $556,754 in purse earnings. He’ll be ridden in Sunday’s race by Brian Hernandez Jr. out of post 6.

The Cherokee Mile field also includes Juddmonte’s multiple Grade III-winning homebred Dragoon Guard; BBN Racing’s 2023 Clark (GII) winner Trademark; and Town and Country Racing’s graded stakes-placed Moonlight.

The lineup for the Cherokee Mile from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Track Mate (Luis Saez, Rusty Arnold II)
Implementation (Tyler Gaffalione, Mike Maker)
Moonlight (Jose Ortiz, Chris Block)
Trademark (Fernando De La Cruz, Vicki Oliver)
This Is Uscar (Jaime Torres, Jordan Blair)
Will Take It (Hernandez, Stewart)
Secret Chat (Mario Gutierrez, Bobby Barnett)
Scotland (Alvarado, Mott)
Multitask (Axel Concepcion, Eoin Harty)
Banjo Chris (Luan Machado, Glenn Wismer)
Dragoon Guard (Irad Ortiz Jr., Brad Cox)
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on www.twinspires.com, the official wagering platform of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

DERBY CITY 6 JACKPOT STANDS AT $189,873 FOR SUNDAY’S CARD – There were multiple winning tickets in Saturday’s Derby City 6 Jackpot, which meant Sunday’s carryover stood at $189,873 for the 10-race card.

The Derby City 6 Jackpot, which challenges bettors to have the only winning combination to take down the jackpot, has a 20-cent denomination with a low 15 percent takeout. If there are multiple winning combinations, 90 percent of the daily pool will be paid out with the remaining 10 percent going to the carryover.

Sunday’s sequence: (with scratches as of 10 a.m. ET)

Race 5 (2:57 p.m.): Clm 12500, 3&up, 6 F (12 runners)
Race 6 (3:26 p.m.): Alw 127000n1x, f&m, 1 M (T) (12 runners)
Race 7 (3:55 p.m.): MC 50000, 3&up, 6 F (10 runners)
Race 8 (4:25 p.m.): OC 80000n2x, 3&up, 1 M (eight runners)
Race 9 (4:55 p.m.): Alw 127000n1x, 3&up, 1 1/16 M (T) (12 runners)
Race 10 (5:25 p.m.): Mdn 120k, 2yo, 6 ½ F (12 runners)
The main track was listed as fast on Sunday and the turf was firm.

DOWN THE STRETCH – Trainer Greg Foley was one win away from 500 victories at Churchill Downs. He had two entries on Sunday’s program in Races 8 and 10. … Trainer Brad Cox needs six wins to reach 500 victories at Churchill Downs. He had entries in Races 1, 2, 6 and 10 on Sunday. … Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and the lone Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager will run Thursday-Sunday. The field for each wager will be announced Monday. … After Sunday, only five days or 58 races remain in 2025 at Churchill Downs. For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.