NBS Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Spooky Channel is set to clash with Foster Family Racing, Douglas Miller, and William Wargel's returning Grade 3 winner Kitodan in Sunday's sixth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Turf Cup Preview, one of four stakes contests on the nine-race program from Ellis Park.
The full field of turf specialists that entered the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview will go to post at 3:55 p.m. (CT) in Race 9. First post is 11:45 a.m.
The stellar afternoon of racing will feature a quartet of stakes contests where the winners will receive an automatic entry-fees paid spot to their corresponding race at Kentucky Downs. The winner of the KY Downs Preview Turf Cup will receive a berth to the $1.7-million Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (G2) Sept. 9.
Trained by Evansville, Ind. native Jason Barkley, Spooky Channel has spent the summer based at Ellis Park preparing for this start. The classy 8-year-old son of English Channel last ran in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs where he finished a gallant third behind Up to the Mark and Hong Kong Harry. Barkley claimed Spooky Channel for $80,000 on April 30, 2021 and five starts later won the Sycamore Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. In late March, Spooky Channel edged clear of Rising Empire to win the Muniz Memorial (G2) at Fair Grounds. Jockey James Graham will have the mount from post No. 11.
Kitodan is also a former $80,000 claim by his trainer Eric Foster. The son of Point of Entry is set to make his 4-year-old debut in the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview, his first start since his four-length victory in last year's Dueling Grounds Derby (G3). Kitodan's resume also includes a victory at Churchill Downs in the Audubon Stakes, three weeks after Foster claimed him from trainer Mike Maker. Jockey Francisco Arrieta will ride Kitodan from post 8.
Other accomplished horses that entered the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview include Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings, and Saratoga Racing Partners multiple graded stakes winner Get Smokin and trainer Mike Maker's duo of Texas Turf Classic winner King Cause and Schuster Memorial winner Me and Mr. C.
Here is the complete field for the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
1. War Campaign (Corey Lanerie, Phil Sims)
2. F Five (Rafael Bejarano, Brian Lynch)
3. Cellist (Martin Garcia, Rusty Arnold II)
4. Get Smokin (Luis Saez, Mark Casse)
5. King Cause (Rene Diaz, Maker)
6. Mount Rundle (Walter Rodriguez, Michelle Nihei)
7. Me and Mr. C (Gerardo Corrales, Maker)
8. Kitodan (Arrieta, Foster)
9. McLovin (Alex Achard, Rodolphe Brisset)
10. Siege of Boston (Jorge Ruiz, Jimmy Toner)
11. Spooky Channel (Graham, Barkley)
12. Camp Hope (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
AE 13. Vintage Print (Adam Beschizza, Paulo Lobo)
AE 14. Arturo Toscanini (IRE) (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally
Ultra-Consistent Safeen Top Pucker Up Stakes
Fergus Galvin and Rebecca Hillen's Safeen, who has yet to finish off the board from six career starts, will be in search of her first graded stakes victory against a field of nine 3-year-old fillies that were entered in the $300,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3).
The 1 1/8-mile Pucker Up Stakes, run on turf, will go to post as Race 8 at 3:22 p.m. The winner of the Pucker Up Stakes will receive an automatic berth to the $1-million Dueling Grounds Oaks on Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs.
Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Safeen scored her first stakes victory in the Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap two starts ago. Last time out, Safeen surged late but couldn't catch Xigera and Heavenly Sunday in the Tepin Stakes at Ellis Park. The regally bred daughter of War Front will once again have the riding services of Luis Saez, who will return to Kentucky from his summer base at Saratoga. The duo will break from post No. 4.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' stakes winner Lily Poo was entered in the Pucker Up and will attempt to score her third victory from eight starts. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Lily Poo was victorious in the California Oaks in late April at Golden Gate Fields prior to making her journey to her Kentucky base. In her last start, Lily Poo finished a solid third to Defining Purpose and Taxed in the Indiana Oaks (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Jockey James Graham will be back aboard from post 7.
Another intriguing prospect that entered the Pucker Up is Peter Brant's Frontal Attack. Trained by three-time Pucker Up-winning conditioner Chad Brown, Frontal Attack made an impressive rally from more than eight lengths off the pace to break her maiden on June 23 at Ellis Park. The daughter of War Front will break from post 2 under Gerardo Corrales. Brant teamed up with Brown in the 2019 Pucker Up with Cafe Americano.
The Pucker Up will run for the first time at Ellis Park. The previous 21 runnings were contested at Arlington Park.
Here is the complete field for the Pucker Up from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
1. Bling (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver)
2. Frontal Attack (Corrales, Brown)
3. Time to Race (Jack Gilligan, Michelle Nihei)
4. Safeen (Saez, Kenneally)
5. Hang the Moon (Francisco Arrieta, Mike Stidham)
6. Wonderfull Lady (FR) (Adam Beschizza, Brendan Walsh)
7. Lily Poo (Graham, McCarthy)
8. Champagne Calling (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes)
9. Freydis the Red (FR) (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
Mint Julep Winner Henrietta Topham To Meet New Year's Eve in Ladies Turf Mile Preview
Cambus-Kenneth Farm's recent Mint Julep Stakes (Grade 3) winner Henrietta Topham leads an over-subscribed field of 14 fillies and mares, including classy Grade II winner New Year's Eve, entered in the sixth running of the $200,000 KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview.
The KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview Stakes is carded as Race 7 of 9 with a post time of 2:50 p.m. (CT), and one-mile turf will provide the winner a berth to the $1-million Ladies Turf (GIII) Sept. 2 at Kentucky Downs.
Henrietta Topham achieved her biggest lifetime victory in early June when she surged late to win the Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs. Trained by Geoff Mulcahy, Henrietta Topham had a troubled voyage to finish third last time out in the Indiana General Assembly Distaff at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Jockey James Graham will retain the mount from post No. 2.
Trainer Brendan Walsh entered a trio of contenders in the KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview including Qatar Racing and Fergus Galvin's Grade 2 heroine New Year's Eve. The three-time winner has not found the winner's circle since her victory in the 2022 Edgewood (G2) at Churchill Downs but sports two graded stakes placings following that race in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) and the Modesty (G3). Jockey Luis Saez will have the call on New Year's Eve from post 9.
Walsh's other entries in the race are Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, and Kurz Equine Investments' Arm Candy, and Dewberry Thoroughbred's Princess Theorem.
Allen Stable's For the Flag will be in search of her first stakes victory in the KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile but enters the race on a three-race win streak. Trained by Jimmy Toner, the fleet-footed For the Flag broke her my 1¼ lengths in March at Gulfstream Park and has since easily gone through the allowance ranks. The 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo won a first-level allowance contest in April at Keeneland and a second-level allowance in mid-June at Belmont Park. Jockey Jorge Ruiz rides For the Flag from post 4.
Here is the complete field for the KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
1. Glenall (IRE) (David Cabrera, Caio Caramori)
2. Henrietta Topham (Graham, Mulcahy)
3. Fancy Martini (Chris Landeros, Chris Hartman)
4. For the Flag (Ruiz, Toner)
5. Sweet Dani Girl (Gabe Saez, Carlo Vaccarezza)
6. Boudoir Burlesque (Rafael Mojica, Anna Decker)
7. Sinfiltre (Francisco Arrieta, Todd Pletcher)
8. Querobin Dourada (Joe Talamo, Paulo Lobo)
9. New Year's Eve (Saez, Walsh)
10. Lady Hideaway (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)
11. Princess Theorem (Adam Beschizza, Walsh)
12. Takntothecleaners (Edgar Morales, Ethan West)
AE 13. Bhoma (Gerardo Corrales, Wayne Catalano)
AE 14. Arm Candy (Vince Cheminaud, Walsh)
Chiseler Headlines Competitive Turf Sprint
Hoolie Racing Stable's Dade Park Dash hero Chiseler returns to Ellis Park and will face an over-subscribed field of 14 turf sprinters that entered Sunday's sixth running of the $200,000 KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint.
Run at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint will go as Race 6 of 9 with a post time of 2:18 p.m.
Trained by Greg Foley, Chiseler recorded his first stakes victory in the Dade Park Dash when he strongly rallied from just off the pace to defeat five rivals by 2¼ lengths. Chiseler will be ridden by Corey Lanerie from post No. 8.
Surfside Stables' Oceanic was entered in the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint in search of his fifth-lifetime victory. The gritty son of Constitution finished a game runner-up to Lucky Score in the Highlander Stakes (G2) at Woodbine. Trained by Jordan Blair, Oceanic won last year's Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs and subsequently finished a narrow runner-up to multiple Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal in the Woodford Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. Jockey Rey Gutierrez has the call from post 4.
The classy Just Might is scheduled to make the 45th start of his career in the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint, but it will be his first race at Ellis Park. Co-owned and bred by trainer Michelle Lovell, Just Might has yet to find the winner's circle since his victory in last year's Might Beau at Churchill Downs. The 11-time winner's resume sports victories in stakes contests on both turf and dirt. In his last start, Just Might steadily closed ground late but could not catch Nobals and Charcoal in the William Garrett Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Regular rider Colby Hernandez will be aboard Just Might from the rail.
Here is the field from the rail out for the KY Downs Turf Sprint Preview (with jockey and trainer):
1. Just Might (Hernandez, Lovell)
2. Let My People Go (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver)
3. Collaborate (Luis Saez, Mike Maker)
4. Oceanic (Gutierrez, Blair)
5. Bakers Bay (Joe Talamo, Tom Drury)
6. Excess Magic (Francisco Arrieta, Bret Calhoun)
7. Charcoal (Alex Achard, Tracey Wisner)
8. Chiseler (Lanerie, Foley)
9. One Timer (E.T. Baird, Larry Rivelli)
10. Bad Beat Brian (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg)
11. Pure Panic (Walter Rodriguez, Eric Foster)
12. Red Hot Rod (Brian Hernandez Jr., Rey Hernandez)
AE 13. Mailman Money (Brian Hernandez Jr., Chris Hartman)
AE 14. Remuda (James Graham, Eoin Harty)
Ellis Park's Kentucky Downs Preview Days will kick off Saturday with a trio of stakes contests each worth purses of $200,000 – the Dueling Grounds Preview, the Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Preview and the Mint Millions Mile Preview. First post Saturday is 11:45 a.m. (CT).
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