BIG HOLIDAY WEEKEND AT CHURCHILL DOWNS
The $400,000 Clark H. (G1) leads a big Holiday weekend of racing in the Bluegrass State. Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy returned from a long break and finished a nice third at Keeneland with elders in advance of this, and the Pat Byrne trainee will be tough if he runs back to his :35 and change work most recently. The well-bred son of A.P. Indy should be in the mix from the start of this event. His foes are formidable, though.
Multiple Grade 1 hero Shackleford could use this race as his swan song for trainer Dale Romans. The son of Forestry tired late in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last out but likes this oval and can never be discounted. Juddmonte’s New York-bred Lunar Victory has been excellent since coming stateside, and trainer Bill Mott knows how to prep a horse for a big event. Super Derby (G2) romper Bourbon Courage, stakes winner Cease, defending champ Pool Play, last year’s runner-up Mission Impazible, Travers S. (G1) third Fast Falcon and surging Grade 2 winner Neck ‘n Neck, add to the fine list of entries for this event.
In the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2), the unbeaten Dewey Square, recent allowance winner Fear the Kitten, Grey S. (G3) third Indiano Jones, Grade 1-placed stakes winner Java’s War, Breeders’ Futurity (G1) upsetter Joha, as well as Uncaptured and Positively, the top pair of the Iroquois S. (G3), are expected.
Alcibiades S. (G1) runner-up Broken Spell, Pocahontas S. (G2) third Cloudy Vow, stakes vixen Danalake, Pocahontas second Gal About Town, Liberated, a recent maiden winner on this oval and David Carroll’s Silver Strike, are the top names likely for the $150,000 Golden Rod S. (G2).
The Thanksgiving feature is the $150,000 Falls City H. (G2), with Grade 2 lass Joyful Victory, 2011 champ Arena Elvira, recent Grade 3 winner Afleeting Lady and multiple stakes winner Aint’s She A Saint leading the way.
Boisterous, Guys Reward and Optimizer will top the $100,000 River City H. (G3), which is on Sunday.