Breeders’ Cup Berth On The Line In Kentucky Turf Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

A cool $15.6 million in prize money is up for grabs Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Downs, as a 12-race program features no fewer than five graded events each worth at least $2 million at distances from 6 1/2 to 12 furlongs.

The GII Kentucky Turf Cup wraps up the main events on the afternoon, and a field of 11 will head to the post for a circuit of the undulating turf course, with a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on the line.

Fort Washington (War Front) is arguably the 'form' horse of the race with three victories from his last four starts, all with Classic-winning jockey Junior Alvarado at the controls. Winner of the GIII Canadian Turf Stakes and GIII Dinner Party Stakes, the 6-year-old entire was too late when dead-heating for fourth in the GII Wise Dan Stakes June 28, but successfully stretched out to 10 furlongs to narrowly defeat Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Arlington Million last time. On pedigree he's a candidate to see this out, but will need a trip from an awkward gate.

Grand Sonata returned 15-1 to those who believed here last year, but is winless in eight tries since, including a second consecutive runner-up effort in the GII United Nations Stakes prior to his effort at Colonial last time.

If it's a class-dropper you're after, perhaps Utah Beach (English Channel) is your animal. Victorious in the GIII Elkhorn Stakes and GIII Louisville Stakes, both over this trip, the gray exits an even fourth to El Cordobes (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the GI Sword Dancer Stakes Aug. 9. Also coming in from the Sword Dancer are the fifth-placed El Rezeen (English Channel) and Vote No (Divisidero), seventh after uncustomarily making the running at Saratoga.

The $2.5-million GIII Mint Millions Invitational has attracted its defending champ as well, with Goliad (War Front) making the trek in from California for Richard Mandella. The veteran made every pole a winning one beneath Flavien Prat to return a crisp $20 bill to his backers last September, but he's been shut out in his three appearances since.

Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) never truly factored in the Arlington Million a few weeks ago, but he was a cracking third when last seen over the mile in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, the traditional opener of the Royal Ascot meeting on June 16. Yes, he was 100-1 that day, but he encounters nothing the quality of Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) or Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in this bunch.

Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}) would be an auto-include at anything near his 8-1 morning line and arguably even at half that price. Winner of last year's valuable and age-restricted Gun Runner Stakes at this meeting, the Klein runner is two-for-four this term, including a defeat of the reliable Lagynos (Kantharos) in the May 1 Opening Verse Stakes and a last-out success in the Wise Dan.

Sophomore males and fillies run for $2-million pots in the GI Franklin-Simpson Stakes and GII Music City Stakes, respectively.

The former features Round 2 of the head-to-head battle between Juddmonte's Spiced Up (Quality Road) and Governor Sam (Improbable), after the Bill Mott trainee flashed home to defeat Governor Sam on the square in the GIII Mahony Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 10. 'TDN Rising Star' Shisospicy (Mitole) is the 3-1 pick in the Music City as she looks to bounce back from a down-the-field finish when pitched in against the boys in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 20. Tabiti (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was third in the 25-runner Sandringham Handicap at the Royal Meeting on June 20 and came out of that to share the spoils in the G3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood July 30. Kilwin (Twirling Candy) heads back to the grass after winning the June 8 Leslie's Lady Stakes and GI Test Stakes on the main track.

Also on the program is the GIII Ladies' Marathon Stakes over the not-so-marathon distance of one mile, 2 1/2 furlongs.

Baffert Fields Trio In Search Of a Dozen Debutantes

Where it comes to 2-year-old racing, it's perennially an embarrassment of richest for trainer Bob Baffert, who will field three of the seven runners in Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante,a race he's already won on 11 occasions since Batroyale in 1995.

Baoma Corp's Himika (Curlin) really has no business being this effective at abbreviated trips, but the $900,000 OBS April purchase became a 'TDN Rising Star' when galloping by six on five-furlong debut June 12 and she barely broke a sweat when sailing home by better than four lengths in the GIII Sorrento Stakes going three-quarters of a mile Aug. 10.

Juan Hernandez rode Himika in those two starts, but opts for fellow 'Rising Star' Explora (Blame) in the Debutante. The $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer also has a pedigree that screams the farther, the better, but she was electric in graudating by 4 3/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs here on Aug. 17. The quick-ish back-up might feel like a negative, but she won the debut with a minimum of fuss and has worked twice since.

Richard Mandella won this two years ago with Beholder (Henny Hughes)'s 'Rising Star' daughter Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and gives it another go with the same stallion's Bourbon and Ginger, who carried Mirco Demuro and the Spendthrift silks to a half-length debut score over Grandma Mary (Bolt d'Oro) going 5 1/2 panels here on Aug. 2.

In the afternoon's other graded event at Del Mar, Medoro (Honor Code) , who returned from a December layoff to win the July 20 Osunitas Stakes, looks very tough to go past in the GII John C. Mabee Stakes, though Graham Motion's East Coast shipper Gimme A Nother (SAf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}) is in with a puncher's chance.

World Beater Ships Into Colonial

World Beater (Oscar Performance) helped make for a very successful Saratoga meeting for Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud, and having given last weekend's GIII Nashville Derby a miss, looms the one to beat in Saturday's GIII Old Dominion Derby. The nine-furlong contest takes the place on the calendar previously occupied by the Virginia Derby, which was relocated to this track's March meeting as a Kentucky Derby points race.

A $105,000 Keeneland September graduate, World Beater has amassed a record of 3-2-1 from six starts on the turf, including the May 31 Audubon Stakes at Churchill and the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational either side of a runner-up effort to Nashville Derby fourth Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Belmont Derby.

The appropriately named Thirteen Colonies (Hit It a Bomb) merits a small look off a second in Saratoga allowance company behind Simulate (Kitten's Joy), who returned to complete the exacta in the GII Secretariat Stakes here Aug. 9.

The afternoon's ninth and final graded stakes is the GIII Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine.

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