Trainer Greg Foley will attempt to keep his stakes hot streak intact when Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry Stephens' O Besos makes his 5-year-old debut in Saturday's $125,000 Jeff Hall Memorial at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Ky.
The 6 ½-furlong Jeff Hall Memorial is slated as Race 8 of 9 with a post time of 3:22 p.m. (all times Central) First post is 11:45 a.m.
O Besos is a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Orb and an alumni of Kentucky Derby 148 where he crossed the wire fifth. The four-time winner finished fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and has been on the sidelines since. As a 3-year-old, O Besos finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Matt Winn (G3). Jockey Corey Lanerie will have the mount from post No. 2.
Last year's Jeff Hall Memorial winner Necker Island will defend his title for his owners The Scherr Boys and trainer Chris Hartman. The eight-time winning son of Hard Spun defeated two rivals last time out in the $225,000 Mighty Beau at Ellis Park, his first victory since last year's Jeff Hall Memorial. In last year's event, Necker Island overcame a tough start and edged clear late of Tut's Revenge for a neck victory. Jockey Mitchell Murrill will be back aboard from post 3.
Another accomplished horse that entered the Jeff Hall Memorial is Here Mi Song. Owned by Nathan Hayden and trained by Billy Stinson Jr., Here Mi Song pulled an 11-1 upset victory in the Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The 5-year-old gelded son of Cross Traffic sports a solid record of 20-5-7-1 with purse earnings of $599,193. Regular rider Alex Achard will be in the irons from post 9.
Here is the complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):
1. Chasing Time (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)
2. O Besos (Lanerie, Foley)
3. Necker Island (Murrill, Hartman)
4. Droppin G's (Luan Machado, Jerry Antonuik)
5. Solidify (Yoel Navas, Juan Cano)
6. Go West (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)
7. Classier (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kieron Magee)
8. Tut's Revenge (Francisco Arrieta, Shea Stuart)
9. Here Mi Song (Achard, Stinson)
The Jeff Hall Memorial is named in honor of the longtime Director of Racing Operations at Ellis Park who died last year at age 75. Ellis Park recently unveiled the new name for the winner's circle, “The Jeff Hall Winner's Circle.”
For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.
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