KatieRich Stables' Grade 3-winning filly American Apple headlines a field of 11 turf sprinters that entered Sunday's third running of the $100,000 Pea Patch Stakes at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Ky.
The Pea Patch Stakes, run at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, will go as Race 7 of 9 with a post time of 3:50 p.m. (all times Central) First post is 11:45 a.m.
American Apple achieved the most notable win in her career last season when she won Aqueduct's Matron Stakes (G3) at odds of 47-1. Trained by Daniel Leitch, American Apple has yet to find the winner's circle in her 3-year-old stand but was a game runner-up to Dance Macabre in the Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs and was defeated two lengths by Queen Picasso in the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park. Jockey Gerardo Corrales will be back aboard from the rail.
Another stakes winner that entered the Pea Patch Stakes was Lilliesformillie. Owned in partnership by Kelly Bownes, Tom Van Meter, Randy Finegan, William Sparks, Jocelyn Morgan, Allen Nohsey Jr., Karen Arnold and Wayne and Cathy Sweezy, Lilliesformillie is 2-for-4 lifetime with a victory on New Year's Eve in the Gowell Stakes at Turfway Park. The Sarah Hamilton trainee is set to make her first start in five months in the Pea Patch Stakes with Jack Gilligan in the irons from post 10.
Here is the complete field for the Pea Patch Stakes in order of post position (with jockey and trainer):
1. American Apple (Corrales, Leitch)
2. Twice as Sweet (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh)
3. Daring Do (Walter Rodriguez, Wesley Ward)
4. Foolish (Luan Machado, Caio Caramori)
5. Erna (Rafael Bejarano, Pavel Matejka)
6. Condensation (Francisco Arrieta, Chris Hartman)
7. Isabel Alexandra (IRE) (Rey Gutierrez, Gustavo Delgado)
8. Mornin Boss (Ferrin Peterson, Rey Hernandez)
9. Twirled (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)
10. Lilliesformille (Gilligan, Hamilton)
11. Zoom Erin (Brian Hernandez Jr., Joe Sharp)
The Pea Patch Stakes is named in honor of the soybeans that grow in the infield of Ellis Park. The late James C. Ellis popularized the infield crop when he took over as the namesake of the track in 1954. According to a 1960 article published by the Park City Daily News authored by sports editor Bert Borrone, “The late Colonel Jim Ellis thoughtfully grew soybeans in the infield so the bettor can sit back and look at the color of money.”
Just how prominent was the soybean crop in 1954? According to The Owensboro Messenger, the price of a bushel of No. 2 yellow soybeans was $3.15. The current price is around $14.80.
Jim Elkins of the Sun-Democrat stated in a 1961 article, “If you don't care anything about the betting or the horses, you might be on hand to observe the fine crop of soybeans growing in the track oval. Farm lovers tell me the 60 acre field of soybeans will net $5,000, which will probably be the biggest purse of the year at the Henderson horseyard.”
If fans want to “sit back and look at the color of money” they can do so by wagering on all the action from Ellis Park on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
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