Arklow (Arch) and Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) each make their third appearances in the $1-million Kentucky Turf Cup going a full circuit of the track at Kentucky Downs, with the former looking to add to his victory in the race in 2018 and Zulu Alpha trying to cement his status as this country’s best hope for the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf in trying to annex the Turf Cup back-to-back.
Zulu Alpha is in career form at age seven and is a neck away from being unbeaten in four starts this term. After defeating the globetrotting Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf in January, he beat future GI United Nations S. hero Admission Office (Giant’s Causeway) by a length in the GII Mac Diarmida S. the following month before just missing in the GII Pan American S. Mar. 28. He overcame a very slow pace to best Postulation (Harlan’s Holiday) by 3/4 of a length in Keeneland’s GIII Elkhorn S. July 12 and is strictly the one they’ll be gunning for.
Arklow was beaten soundly into second last year and is in search of his first victory since annexing last year’s GI Turf Classic at Belmont. Only fifth in the Pegasus, albeit at a trip short of his best, finished a head behind Admission Office in the GIII Louisville S. June 13 at Churchill ahead of a sixth in the Elkhorn. He adds blinkers off a fourth when favored last time in the U.N.
Hierarchy (Point of Entry), a solid second to subsequent GI Old Forester Bourbon Woodford Classic runner-up Factor This (The Factor) in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup over soft Ellis turf Aug. 2; and Saratoga allowance winner He’s No Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), rate longshot glances.
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