Churchill Downs Update: Multiple Grade III Winner Sultana Headlines Saturday's $250,000 Keertana

May 17, 2026

Lou Donato, Theodore Manziaris, Paul Borrelli and Lanni Bloodstock’s multiple Grade III winner Sultana headlines a field of eight fillies and mares entered in Saturday’s 13th running of the $250,000 Keertana Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 ½ miles on turf, the Keertana will go as the featured ninth race on the 11-race program with a post time of 4:56 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Kevin Attard, Sultana enters the Keertana following consecutive graded stakes scores in the Maple Leaf (GIII) at Woodbine and Orchid (GIII) at Gulfstream Park. The 5-year-old daughter of Always Dreaming will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from the rail.

Chief among her rivals is Haymarket Farms’ Ayra Stark (ARG), who finished a neck behind in the Orchid. Trained by Horacio De Paz, Ayra Stark is a six-time winner from 15 starts but is searching for her first stakes victory in North America. Prior to the Orchid, Ayra Stark finished second in the Christophe Clement (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and second in the Florence Stakes at Turfway Park. Jose Ortiz has the mount from post No. 3.

The lineup for the Keertana in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):

Sultana (Alvarado, Attard)
Awesomesauce (Irad Ortiz Jr., Joe Sharp)
Ayra Stark (ARG) (Jose Ortiz, De Paz)
Golden Sunshine (Jaime Torres, Eoin Harty)
Way to Be Marie (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally)
Virgin Colada (Tyler Gaffalione, Mike Maker)
Queens Command (IRE) (Ben Curtis, Joe Sharp)
Venencia (FR) (Vincent Cheminaud, Saffie Joseph Jr.)
After dark days Monday-Wednesday, Churchill Downs will run a five-day race week starting Thursday and continuing through Memorial Day on Monday. Daily first post is 12:45 p.m. except Twilight Thursday, which will get underway at 5 p.m.

For the latest information about the Churchill Downs Spring Meet and to purchase tickets, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

SUNDAY’S DERBY CITY 6 JACKPOT STANDS AT $108,626 – The 20-cent Derby City 6 Jackpot reached six figures Sunday with a $108,626 carryover for the nine-race card.

The Derby City 6 Jackpot has a 20-cent minimum denomination with low 15% takeout and requires bettors to have the only winning ticket to take down the jackpot. If there are multiple winning tickets, 90% of the day’s pool is paid out with 10% carrying to the next race day. If there are no winning tickets, the entire day’s pool is carried to the next race day.

Sunday’s wager covers Races 4-9, beginning at 2:13 p.m. (all times Eastern):

Race 4 (2:13 p.m.), Alw 127000n1x, 3yo and up, f&m, 1 1/16 M (seven entries)
Race 5 (2:45 p.m.), Clm 16000n2L, 3yo and up, 7 F (eight entries)
Race 6 (3:18 p.m.), Clm 50000, 4yo and up, f&m, 1 1/16 M (T) (nine entries)
Race 7 (3:50 p.m.), Mdn 120k, 3yo and up, 6 F (11 entries)
Race 8 (4:22 p.m.), OC 80000n2x, 3yo and up, f&m, 7 F (10 entries)
Race 9 (4:55 p.m.), Alw 127000n1x, 3yo and up, 5 ½ F (T) (12 entries)
DOWN THE STRETCH – Burnham Square earned a career-best 113 Brisnet Speed Rating for his dominant 4 ¾-length victory in Saturday night’s Louisville Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs. His previous best was a 101 as a 3-year-old in the Holy Bull (GIII). … Sunday’s work tab included Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) winner Bentornato, who sizzled a half-mile in :46.80. Also on the work tab was Kentucky Derby 17th-place finisher Litmus Test, who breezed a half-mile in :50.80 on turf with jockey Florent Geroux aboard. … The Twilight Thursday eight-race card begins at 5 p.m. and the evening includes $2 domestic draft beer, live music from Bourbon Straights and local food trucks Burger World, Celtic Pig, Lil Cheezers, Mr. C’s Cheesecakes and Ramiro’s Cantina. … Friday is Senior Day and guests 60 and older can enjoy lunch on Millionaires’ Row for $50. Tickets can be purchased by calling (502) 636-4450. … For the latest information on the Churchill Downs Spring Meet, visit www.churchilldowns.com.