Churchill Downs Update: Bauer Confident Two Sharp Set for Sharp Return in Monday's Grade III, $250,000 Winning Colors

May 23, 2025

Rigney Racing’s speedy 4-year-old filly Two Sharp is set for her seasonal debut Monday in the $250,000 Winning Colors (Grade III) at Churchill Downs, and trainer Phil Bauer remains confident in her preparation.

“She’s a very talented filly and we’ve been looking forward to getting her back to the races,” Bauer said. “It’s a tough spot on Monday but she’s been training well in the mornings and I think she got a perfect draw.”

A dominant 5 ¾-length winner of the Chilukki Stakes (GIII) to close her 3-year-old campaign on Nov. 23, Two Sharp will break from the outside post in the field of nine fillies and mares with Junior Alvarado in the saddle.

Two Sharp enters the six-furlong race with five published workouts, including a bullet half-mile in :46 on April 27 and a six-furlong drill in 1:12.40 on May 11.

She was made the 8-5 second choice on the morning line behind Cicero Farms’ Hope Road (7-5), who finished second to Kopion in the Derby City Distaff (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day.

“It’s a good race, and this is a really nice filly,” said Florent Geroux, who picks up the mount on Hope Road for the first time. “Kopion proved herself to be the top of the division but Hope Road has run well against her in her last three starts.”

Monday’s nine-race Memorial Day program begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). The six-furlong Winning Colors goes as Race 8 at 4:22 p.m.

The field for the Winning Colors from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

Brightwork (John Velazquez, John Ortiz, 8-1)
Into Champagne (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes, 30-1)
Benedetta (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen, 20-1)
Easy Red (Ben Curtis, Eddie Kenneally, 20-1)
Harbor Springs (Edgar Morales, Greg Foley, 10-1)
Miss Arlington (Abel Cedillo, Brian Williamson, 30-1)
Hope Road (Geroux, Bob Baffert, 7-5)
Mink’s Palace (Jose Ortiz, Eddie Kenneally, 8-1)
Two Sharp (Alvarado, Bauer, 8-5)
FRIDAY WORK TAB FEATURES SEVERAL TOP RUNNERS FROM COX BARN – The Friday work tab at Churchill Downs featured 115 published workouts, including several top contenders from trainer Brad Cox’s barn, led by Immersive, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), and multiple graded stakes-placed Just a Touch.

Godolphin’s undefeated filly Immersive, who has been sidelined since Nov. 1, recorded an easy half-mile breeze in :48.60, her fourth work since resuming training this spring.

Minutes earlier, Just a Touch, owned by Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 under jockey Florent Geroux.

Other Cox trainees on the work tab included recent allowance winners Gunmetal (five furlongs, 1:01) and Patch Adams (five furlongs, 1:00.40), along with multiple graded stakes winner Tarifa (five furlongs, 1:01.20).

DOWN THE STRETCH – Racing continued Friday at Churchill Downs with a 12:45 p.m. start time. The nine-race program had a $17,949 carryover in the 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot, starting in Race 4, and two Pick 5s starting in Races 1 and 5. … Monday is Military Appreciation Day and all active-duty military and veterans can receive free general admission with a valid military ID. A discounted rate of $45 for Millionaires’ Row tickets is available for military members by calling (502) 636-4450. … “Inside Churchill Downs” will air Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN Louisville and feature a recap of the Preakness Stakes plus a look ahead at the weekend cards at Churchill Downs. Catch the one-hour show locally on ESPN 680/105.7 or worldwide at www.espnlouisville.com. … For the latest information about the Churchill Downs Spring Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.