Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson and Deborah Easter's multiple graded stakes winning filly Finite tops Saturday's 35th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Run at one mile, the Chilukki is carded as Race 9 with a post time of 5:06 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post for the 10-race program is 1 p.m.
Finite, a 3-year-old filly by Munnings, was the narrow runner-up finisher behind Venetian Harbor in last month's $200,000 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland. Previously, the Steve Asmussen-trained Finite was on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail after victories in the $120,000 Rags to Riches, $300,000 Golden Rod (G2), $150,000 Silverbulletday and $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2). Following her fourth-place effort in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Finite underwent minor ankle surgery but returned to Asmussen's stable a few months later.
Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. has the call on Finite who will break from post position No. 2.
Among Finite's rivals entered in the Chilukki is Speedway Stable's Raven Run third-place finisher Grand Cru Classe. Trained by Bill Mott, Grand Cru Classe finished a half-length behind Finite in the seven-furlong Raven Run at odds of 20-1. The daughter of Bernardini has recorded three victories in just four starts including a narrow win in the $100,000 Weber City Miss Stakes at Laurel.
Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Grand Crue Classe and will break from post 3.
Also entered in the Chilukki is Fox Hill Farms' stakes winner Whoa Nellie. Trained by Larry Jones, Whoa Nellie is scheduled make her first start in more than nine months following a runner-up finish in the $200,000 Bayakoa (G3). The speedy daughter of Orb was in top form over the winter recording an impressive 2 ¾-length allowance score in December at Turfway and a dominating 4 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn in January.
Joe Rocco Jr. has the call on Whoa Nellie who drew post 4.
The other fillies and mares that entered the Chilukki are Scott Herbertson's 11-time winner Crazy Sexy Munny; Stonestreet Stables and LNJ Foxwoods' multiple graded stakes placed Gold Standard; Bluegrass Bred Racing and Breeding Farm's three-time winner New Roo; Ghost Hollow Farm's graded stakes placed Risky Mandate; and Matriarca's Chilean Grade I winner Sanenus; and Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch's stakes winner Unique Factor.
The complete field for the Chilukki from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): New Roo (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tommy Drury); Finite (Santana, Asmussen); Grand Cru Classe (Gaffalione, Mott); Whoa Nellie (Rocco, Jones); Gold Standard (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Risky Mandate (Miguel Mena, Tom Amoss); Crazy Sexy Munny (Crystal Conning, Bill Morey); Unique Factor (Corey Lanerie, Peter Miller); and Sanenus (Rafael Bejarano, Michael McCarthy).
The Chilukki is named after the three-time Churchill Downs stakes-winning filly. Trained by Bob Baffert, Chilukki set two track records beneath the Twin Spires – her 1999 4 ¼ furlong debut performance in :51 and a scorching one-mile clocking in 1:33.57, breaking the 31-year track record in this event in 2000.
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