A big week lies ahead at Churchill Downs, which will host the 24th renewal of the Claiming Crown on Saturday and three stakes events on Sunday.
Saturday's 11-race program at the Louisville track will showcase some of the nation's top claiming-level horses competing for rich prizes beneath the historic Twin Spires. The series of eight races with starter allowance conditions features $1.05 million in prize money. In addition, registered Kentucky-breds will compete for an extra $10,000 to $25,000 in KTDF supplements.
One of the top horses scheduled to enter the Claiming Crown in the $100,000 Ready's Rocket Express is Built Wright Stables' well-traveled Beverly Park.
The 5-year-old son of Munnings is slated to make his 26th start of the year and 43rd overall in his storied career. Trained by Lynn Cash, Beverly Park has won a national-best 12 races so far in 2022 (four more wins than Exit Right and Fortunate Friends, who each have eight victories) and banked $249,828.
Cash claimed Beverly Park for $12,500 on Aug. 5, 2021, from recently retired trainer Dane Kobiskie. Since Cash has claimed Beverly Park, he's made 33 starts over the course of 453 days for an average of one start every 13 days.
“The plan is to run him (at Churchill) and twice at Keeneland prior to the Claiming Crown,” Cash said prior to Beverly Park's Sept. 21 victory at Churchill Downs. “It's a target we've been looking at all year.”
The plan didn't quite come to fruition for Cash to run him twice at Keeneland. However, Beverly Park finished third, beaten a neck on Oct. 15 at Keeneland then shipped to Charles Town where he won a seven-furlong starter allowance by 4 ¼ lengths three days ago.
Entries for the eight Claiming Crown events will be taken Wednesday and Sunday's card will be drawn Thursday.
On Sunday, a trio of stakes events will highlight the 10-race card led by the 43rd running of the $300,000 River City (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf along with a pair of six-furlong sprints: the open $300,000 Bet on Sunshine and $300,000 Dream Supreme for fillies and mares.
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