Attachment Rate 'New Shooter' for Romans in Matt Winn

May 22, 2020 Kevin Kerstein,Churchill Downs Communications

With trainer Dale Romans’ highly-regarded Kentucky Derby prospect Dennis’ Moment on the sidelines, the Churchill Downs all-time leading conditioner hopes Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister’s $150,000 Matt Winn Stakes (Grade III) contender Attachment Rate will get him to the first Saturday in September.

“He’s been a later developing colt,” Romans said. “He’s run four solid races including third in the Gotham and second in the Unbridled. Really, his only bad race was in his debut at Churchill last June. We brought him back in Florida this winter and we thought we had something when he finished a fast-closing second at 50-1 in a maiden race.”

Saturday’s Matt Winn is the first race on the revised Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule and will award the Top 4 finishers points on a 50-20-10-5 scale. The Matt Winn is the featured race on Saturday’s program that has been dubbed “Stephen Foster Preview Day” and features four additional stakes events: the $100,000 Shawnee (Race 7), $100,000 Tepin (Race 8), $100,000 Blame (Race 9) and $100,000 War Chant (Race 11). First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Matt Winn is slated at 5:44 p.m.

Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez has the call on Attachment Rate from post No. 11. He is the 4-1 second choice on Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds.

The card includes a trio of Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers along with the 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot. The late Pick 5 will have a guaranteed pool of $500,000 and feature an all-stakes sequence. Free Brisnet past performances and additional handicapping information will be available at www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping.

The full field for the Matt Winn from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Mystic Guide (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Stidham, 15-1); Pneumatic (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1); Informative (John Bisono, Uriah St. Lewis, 20-1); Celtic Striker (Manny Franco, Ray Handal, 20-1); Flap Jack (Rafael Bejarano, Jack Sisterson, 20-1); Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez, Saffie Joseph Jr., 10-1); Necker Island (Tyler Gaffalione, Stanley Hough, 15-1); Crypto Cash (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek, 20-1); Shake Some Action (Javier Castellano, Brad Cox, 12-1); Maxfield (Jose Ortiz, Brendan Walsh, 5-2); Attachment Rate (Velazquez, Romans, 4-1); and Major Fed (Joel Rosario, Greg Foley, 5-1).

Trainer Mike Stidham reported Friday that Mystic Guide would scratch in favor of an allowance race.

SATURDAY’S LATE PICK 5 FEATURES $500,000 GUARENTEED POOL – The late 50-cent Pick 5 on Saturday will feature a $500,000 guaranteed pool with an all-stakes sequence in Races 7-11.

The stellar five-race sequence will kick-off at 4:08 p.m. and feature the $100,000 Shawnee presented by TwinSpires.com (Race 7), $100,000 Tepin presented by Woodford Reserve (Race 8), $100,000 Blame presented by Norton Healthcare (Race 9), $150,000 Matt Winn (Grade III) (Race 10), and $100,000 War Chant presented by TwinSpires.com (Race 11).

Free Brisnet past performances are available at www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping.

FOLEY ‘ENJOYING THE RIDE’ WITH MAJOR FED – Churchill Downs veteran horseman Greg Foley has run several horses on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby but he’s yet to have his first starter in the race. Foley is hoping that could change this year with improving 3-year-old and $150,000 Matt Winn (GIII) contender Major Fed.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life and always dreamt I would one day have a starter in the Derby,” said 62-year-old Foley. “I grew up in the sport under my father (Dravo) and now my boys (Travis and Alex) are getting involved in the game. It’s special to have a horse like this who gives us every sign he will get better with age.”

Major Fed, a 3-year-old son by Ghostzapper, is the seventh foal to hit the racetrack for his dam Bobby’s Babe. Foley has trained five of Major Fed’s siblings including stakes winner May Lilly and multiple stakes-placed Zapperini.

“(Major Fed) has shown us he has just as much, if not more, talent than his siblings,” Foley said. “They were all solid horses in their own right on the racetrack and we hope Major Fed is just a step above.”

Foley shook his head in disappointment when asked about his thoughts on Major Fed drawing post 12 for Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn presented by Woodford Reserve. Jockey Joel Rosario will have the return call in the Matt Winn.

“We drew the inside in the Louisiana Derby and we were what seemed like 20 lengths behind the second to last horse in the race,” Foley said. “To no fault of his own, he was the first horse to be loaded and completely missed the break. Now we drew the 12 hole.”

The full field for the Matt Winn from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Mystic Guide (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Stidham, 15-1); Pneumatic (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen, 4-1); Informative (John Bisono, Uriah St. Lewis, 20-1); Celtic Striker (Manny Franco, Ray Handal, 20-1); Flap Jack (Rafael Bejarano, Jack Sisterson, 20-1); Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez, Saffie Joseph Jr., 10-1); Necker Island (Tyler Gaffalione, Stanley Hough, 15-1); Crypto Cash (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek, 20-1); Shake Some Action (Javier Castellano, Brad Cox, 12-1); Maxfield (Jose Ortiz, Brendan Walsh, 5-2); Attachment Rate (Velazquez, Romans, 4-1); and Major Fed (Joel Rosario, Greg Foley, 5-1).

Trainer Mike Stidham reported Friday that Mystic Guide would scratch in favor of an allowance race.

Saturday’s Matt Winn is the first race on the revised Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule and will award the Top 4 finishers points on a 50-20-10-5 scale. The Matt Winn is the featured race on Saturday’s program that has been dubbed “Stephen Foster Preview Day” and features four additional stakes events: the $100,000 Shawnee (Race 7), $100,000 Tepin (Race 8), $100,000 Blame (Race 9) and $100,000 War Chant (Race 11). First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Matt Winn is slated at 5:44 p.m.

SERVIS HOPING DIAMOND KING’S SPEED HELPS IN ‘INCREDIBLY TOUGH’ $100,000 BLAME – Cash is King and LC Racing’s multiple stakes winner Diamond King will attempt to use his speed from the far outside post No. 14 in Saturday’s one-mile $100,000 Blame presented by Norton Healthcare.

Trained by John Servis, Diamond King enters the one-turn Blame with a 1 ¼-length score in the $125,000 Stymie at Aqueduct. The speedy son of Quality Road battled on the pace throughout the Stymie prior to drawing clear of fellow Blame rival American Anthem.

“Kendrick (Carmouche) is an aggressive rider,” Servis said. “I actually love his post because he’s able to use that speed. He doesn’t have to necessarily be in front but if he’s in front or just off the pace, that will be the most likely scenario.”

Diamond King is listed at 10-1 on the morning line as the six-time winner will attempt to get revenge at Churchill Downs after dropping jockey Frankie Pennington in the 2018 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII).

The Blame is carded as Race 9 on Saturday’s card with a post time of 5:12 p.m. First post is 1 p.m.

“It seems like every race in the country is coming up tough right now,” Servis said. “It’s sort of the way of the world but there are a lot of talented horses to our inside.”

The complete field for the Blame (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Long Range Toddy (Jon Court, Dallas Stewart, 20-1); Bourbon Resolution (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes, 30-1); Global Campaign (Stanley Hough, Jose Ortiz, 9-2); Alwaysmining (Manny Franco, Kelly Rubley, 20-1); Everfast (Joel Rosario, Jack Sisterson, 30-1); Backyard Heaven (Tyler Gaffalione, Mike Maker, 6-1); Silver Dust (Adam Beschizza, Bret Calhoun, 8-1); Owendale (Geroux, Cox, 3-1); Extraordinary Jerry (Javier Castellano, Dermot Magner, 12-1); Snapper Sinclair (Julien Leparoux, Steve Asmussen, 15-1); American Anthem (David Cohen, Danny Gargan, 15-1); Discreet Lover (John Bisono, St. Lewis, 30-1); Mr. Money (Saez, Calhoun, 5-1); and Diamond King (Carmouche, Servis, 10-1).

BRISNET BETTING GUIDE, ‘AMERICA’S FREE PPs’ AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP AT FEDEX OFFICE – Two new Brisnet products are now available for same-day pick up from more than 2,000 FedEx Office Print & Ship locations nationwide for only $6 via On Demand ordering at docstore.fedex.com/brisnet.

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UPCOMING STAKES – Next Saturday’s 11-race card features two Grade III events: the $100,000 Old Forester Mint Julep for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf and the $100,000 Winning Colors for fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs on the main track.

Nominations have been finalized for both of these stakes events and are available here: https://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/stakes/nominations/

The Winning Colors field is likely to include multiple Grade I winner Spiced Perfection, Grade I winner Mia Mischief and multiple stakes winner Break Even, according to their respective connections.

Trainer Chad Brown nominated four horses to the Old Forester Mint Julep: Altea (FR), Nay Lady Nay (IRE), Noor Sahara (IRE) and Tapit Today.

Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork is finalizing the probable entrants to both races and an update will come in Sunday’s news update. Entries for next Saturday’s card will be on Wednesday.

DOWN THE STRETCH – There is a $79,288 carryover in the 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot. The sequence will span Races 5-10 on Friday. Also, there is a $24,103 carryover in the Super Hi-5 in the Race 10 finale. First post for the 10-race card is 1 p.m. … Trainer Dale Romans held a seven-win margin over Steve Asmussen in the all-time leading trainer standings 737-730 wins. … Churchill Downs all-time leading owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are one win away from 500-career victories beneath the Twin Spires. They have one entry on Friday: Spelling Bee in Race 4. … “Inside Churchill Downs” will air Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. The one-hour horse racing program is hosted by Churchill Downs Racetrack’s Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein along with BetAmerica and TwinSpires.com racing analyst Scott Shapiro. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com.