Stonestreet Stables' accomplished 5-year-old mare Pauline's Pearl tops a field of 11 entered in Saturday's 39th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Locust Grove at Churchill Downs.
The 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove, which serves as a local prep toward the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), will go as the 10th race on the stakes-laden 11-race program. Post time is 5:26 p.m. The stellar afternoon of racing will also feature the $300,000 Iroquois (G3), $300,000 Pocahontas (G3), $300,000 Open Mind (Listed) and $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society. First post is 12:45 p.m.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl gamely returned to the winner's circle in the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) where she dug in late to defeat Bellamore and A Mo Reay by three-quarters of a length. Prior to the Fleur de Lis, Pauline's Pearl was the half-length winner of the 2022 La Troienne (G1) at Churchill Downs. Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the mount in the Locust Grove from post No. 2.
The deep field in the Locust Grove also includes Grade 1 winner A Mo Reay; Groupie Doll Stakes winner Falconet; and multiple graded stakes winner Search Results.
Here is the complete field for the Locust Grove from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
- Soul of an Angel (Ajhari Williams, Gerald James);
- Pauline's Pearl (Santana, Asmussen);
- Le Da Vida (CHI) (Vince Cheminaud, Ignacio Correas IV);
- Search Results (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown);
- Misty Veil (James Graham, Mike Maker);
- Hidden Connection (Cristian Torres, Bret Calhoun);
- A Mo Reay (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox);
- Fannie and Freddie (Corey Lanerie, Al Stall Jr.);
- Music Street (Declan Cannon, Whit Beckman);
- Falconet (Gerardo Corrales, Todd Pletcher);
- Royal Take Charge (Rey Gutierrez, Al Stall Jr.).
Tamaroak Partners' crack sprinter Bango will attempt to notch his record-tying 11th win beneath the historic Twin Spires in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes. The six-furlong Louisville Thoroughbred Society was tabbed as Race 4 on the 11-race program.
In the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes, Bango would tie Ready's Rocket with a victory. Trained by Greg Foley, Bango hasn't finished worse than second in his last seven starts. As a 6-year-old, Bango has recorded victories in the St. Matthews Stakes and Kelly's Landing. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be back aboard Bango in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society from post No. 4.
The compact field in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society also includes The Scherr Boys' Mighty Beau winner Necker Island; Godolphin's multiple graded stakes placed Strobe and Kueber Racing's recent allowance winner Gulfstream Way.
Here is the complete field for the Louisville Thoroughbred Society in order of post positions (with jockey and trainer):
- Baytown Bear (Jane Elliot, Paul McEntee);
- Awesome Aaron (Rafael Bejarano, Troy Green);
- Strobe (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox);
- Bango (Gaffalione, Foley);
- Gulfstream Way (Ricardo Santana Jr., Norm Casse); and
- Necker Island (Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman).
Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes winning-sprinter Wicked Halo headlines a field of six fillies and mares that entered Saturday's 14th running of the $300,000 Open Mind (Listed). The Open Mind will go as Race 6 of 11 with a post time of 3:18 p.m.
Eight-time winner Wicked Halo drew post No. 2 in the Open Mind. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo has been the mark of consistency throughout her 15-race career. The daughter of Gun Runner has only finished off the board once and has banked purse earnings of $1,297,700. Wicked Halo's résumé includes victories in the Prioress (G2), Raven Run (G2) and Twin Bridges Stakes which she won seven weeks ago at Ellis Park. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be back aboard Wicked Halo in the Open Mind.
Chief among Wicked Halo's rivals in the Open Mind is Mr. and Mrs. Tsunebumi Yoshihara's five-time winner Yuugiri. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the speedy Yuugiri set the pace in the 2022 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) but faded to 13th. Following the Oaks, Brisset cut Yuugiri back in distance to one-turn and has notched victories in the Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn and Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows. Jockey Flavien Prat has the mount from the rail.
Here is the complete field for the Open Mind from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
- Yuugiri (Prat, Brisset);
- Wicked Halo (Gaffalione, Asmussen);
- Fire On Time (Martin Garcia, Dale Romans);
- More Than Vows (Rafael Bejarano, Brian Lynch);
- Ten Rings (Joe Talamo, Jeff Engler); and
- Sharp Hero (Julien Leparoux, Bradley Ross).
Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
The post Grade 1 Winner Pauline’s Pearl Tops Deep Locust Grove; Bango Chasing Record-Equaling 11th Churchill Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
