Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

RSLP Racing Claims More Two-Year-Olds For Hiles Barn

In a partnership group headed by Louisville-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Brook Smith, RSLP Racing and trainer Jeff Hiles claimed a trio of horses from Race 4 Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. – a maiden $100,000 claiming event for 2-year-olds.

Smith's RSLP Racing, which stands for Rocket Ship Launch Pad, will be using former trainer Billy Denzik as their racing manager and Hiles as their trainer. The group claimed a duo of former Norm Casse trainees Just Call Ray and Braggadocio (FR), along with a former Ian Wilkes-trainee Versatile.

RSLP Racing has claimed seven horses so far this meet at Churchill Downs totaling $480,000.

Smith's RSLP Ventures focuses on empowering fellow entrepreneurs, according to his website. He actively participates in multiple organizations including the Purses for a Purpose program at the Churchill Downs Backside Learning Center where a portion of his horse's earnings are donated to help backside workers and their children.

Hiles is currently based at HighPointe Farm and Training Center in La Grange, Ky., located about 40 minutes northeast of Churchill Downs. Hiles, a former sergeant in the U.S. Marines, is the son of veteran trainer Rick Hiles and former assistant to Kenny McPeek.

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Art Collector Set For 2021 Debut In Kelly’s Landing

Bruce Lunsford's Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes winning-homebred Art Collector leads a field of nine colts and geldings that were entered in Friday's $110,000 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. – the penultimate card of the 38-day Spring Meet.

The seven-furlong Kelly's Landing was carded as Race 10 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. The 11-race program begins at 12:45 p.m.

Art Collector, a now 4-year-old son of Bernardini, is slated to make his seasonal debut in Friday's race following more than seven months away from the races. Trained by Tommy Drury Jr., Art Collector has been regularly training with Drury's string of horses at Churchill Downs and will once again be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.

“We've done everything we can right now for his first race back,” Drury said. “He worked a really good half-mile (Saturday in :47.40). He's ready to go and we're excited to get him back to the races.”

Art Collector was the early Kentucky Derby (GI) favorite in 2020 following his 3 ½-length Blue Grass (GII) win and 3 ¼-length score in the Ellis Park Derby. Drury and Lunsford had to scratch Art Collector the day of the Derby post position draw because a minor foot issue developed. He returned to run in the Preakness Stakes (GI) but finished fourth after tracking the early pace. Art Collector closed his 3-year-old campaign with an eighth-place effort in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile (GI).

The five-time winner drew post No. 9 in the Kelly's Landing.

Another accomplished colt entered in the Kelly's Landing is Tamaroak Partners' six-time winning homebred Bango. The Greg Foley-trained son of Congrats held off fellow Kelly's Landing rival Long Range Toddy in the $150,000 Aristides Stakes in his last start. Bango has recorded five of his six lifetime victories beneath the Twin Spires. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 6.

The complete Kelly's Landing field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Mucho (Gabriel Saez, John Ortiz); Strike Power (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Bourbon Calling (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes); Long Range Toddy (Jon Court, Dallas Stewart); Home Base (Manny Esquivel, Cipriano Contreras); Bango (Gaffalione, Foley); Aloha West (Florent Geroux, Wayne Catalano); Relentless Dancer (Martin Garcia, Mike Maker); and Art Collector (Hernandez, Drury).

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Bell’s the One Is Number One In Roxelana

Bell's the One showed her love for the Twin Spires Saturday in the Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 5-year-old mare, trained by Neil Pessin and ridden by Corey Lanerie, went four wide on the race's final turn and ran down Sconsin in the stretch to win the Roxelana by a three-quarters of a length.

In a field of six, Sconsin, who won the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes in her previous start, went into the gate as the favorite with Bell's the One as the second choice. At the break, longshot Jungle Juice grabbed a short advantage, but Four Graces and Julien Leparoux took over the lead with Jungle Juice and Sconsin tightly packed behind her. Bell's the One ran fifth in the tightly bunched field, Lanerie moving his mare to the outside as the field entered the final turn. As Sconsin and Tyler Gafflione passed Four Graces to take the lead, Lanerie positioned Bell's the One to Sconsin's outside and set her down for a drive in the stretch. Gafflione moved Sconsin to the rail, but her time at the front was brief as Bell's the One had more than enough left to grab the lead for the good. Sconsin held on to second place with Miss Mosaic third. Four Graces, Shesomajestic, and Jungle Juice rounded out the field.

Find this race's chart here.

The Roxelana is Bell's the One's first win in three starts in 2021. Her previous wins at Churchill Downs include the 2020 G3 Winning Colors and the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff. Sired by Majesticperfection, Bell's the One is out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Street Mate. Bred by Bret Jones, the 5-year-old mare is owned by Lothenbach Stables. She was sold by Brereton Jones to Lothenbach Stables for $155,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Yearling Sale.

Corey Lanerie knew Bell's the One was ready for her race with Sconsin. “Today I let her run a little bit out of the gate because I didn't think the pace would be too fast. Then, I was sort of in the pocket (inside of Sconsin) and I didn't really like my spot because I know she needs to be outside of horses. I took her back from there to make sure I got first run at Sconsin. You could tell she was ready to run a big race and Neil had her ready to go.”

Neil Pessin has his sights set on Breeders' Cup for Bell's the One. “The last four or five days you could tell in her training she was ready to run a big race. She got a much better trip today than in her last start. Now, we'll look to get her ready for the Breeders' Cup. She'll likely run in the (Breeders' Cup) 'Win and You're In' at Keeneland (Grade II, Thoroughbred Club of America). I'm not sure yet if I'll run her once before then or not. We'll wait and see but the goal is the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year.”

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Maxfield Headlines Stephen Foster on Churchill Downs’ Closing Day

With five days remaining in the 2021 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs, next Saturday's closing day stakes spectacular is beginning to take shape. The 11-race program is scheduled to be headlined by Godolphin's Grade I winner Maxfield in the featured $600,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster Handicap, one of seven stakes events on the card.

Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, recorded his final work prior to the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster on Saturday at Churchill Downs with an easy half-mile move in :48.80 at 5:30 a.m. Maxfield enters the Stephen Foster following a convincing 3 ¼-length win in the $400,0000 Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet.

The talented son of Street Sense is slated to be joined in the gate by fellow graded stakes winners Chess Chief (trainer Dallas Stewart), Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun), and Warrior's Charge (Brad Cox). All three horses completed their major Stephen Foster preparation Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Virginia-bred Chess Chief, owned by the Estate of James Coleman Jr., worked a half-mile in :48.20. The four-time winner is scheduled to be ridden by John Velazquez in the Stephen Foster.

Owned by Tom Durant, Silver Dust breezed a half-mile in :49 under regular rider Adam Beschizza. The striking gray son of Tapit continued to gallop out past the wire and completed five furlongs in 1:01.20.

Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables' Warrior's Charge worked a half-mile in :48.20 at 7:30 a.m. Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride.

Other runners expected to take part in the Stephen Foster are Empty Tomb (Mike Maker) and possibly Visitant (Bill Morey), according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

The Stephen Foster is a “Win and You're In” race for the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. The winner receives an all entry fees paid berth to the season-ending championship event.

Here are the other probable runners for the six undercard races to the Stephen Foster, according to Bork:

$300,000 Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up, Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Distaff Division: Dreamalildreamofu (Brad Cox); Envoutante (Kenny McPeek); Point of Honor (Shug McGaughey); Singita Dreams (Phil Bauer); Spice Is Nice (Todd Pletcher); and Vault (Brad Cox).

$300,000 Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up: Field Pass (Mike Maker); In Love (BRZ) (Paulo Lobo); Ride a Comet (Mark Casse); Set Piece (GB) (Brad Cox); and Somelikeithotbrown (Mike Maker). Possible: Spooky Channel (Jason Barkley)

$150,000 Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-olds: Double Thunder (Todd Pletcher); Glacial (Norm Casse); Kavod (Jimmy Chapman); Landsdowne (Dallas Stewart); Red Run (Steve Asmussen); Vodka N Water (Steve Asmussen); Whatstheconnection (John Ennis); and Whistlewhileyoumow (Jon Arnett).

$150,000 Debutante Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies: Bandits Warrior (John Robb); Classiness (Jason Barkley); Mi Estrella (Genaro Garcia); Mollie Kate (John Ennis); Ontheonesandtwos (Norm Casse); She'sgotattitude (John Ennis); Sommer Velvet (Kevin Boniface); Take the Backroads (Tom Amoss); Tizplenty (Steve Asmussen); and Wicked Halo (Steve Asmussen).

$150,000 Tepin Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies: Adventuring (Brad Cox); Arm Candy (Steve Asmussen); Barista (Jimmy Baker); Bullseye Beauty (Andrew McKeever); Commanders Palace (Mark Casse); Fairchild (Mark Casse); Invincible Gal (GB) (Graham Motion); and New Boss (Bret Calhoun).

$150,000 War Chant Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-olds: Accredit (Pavel Matejka); Dyn O Mite (Keith Desormeaux); Helium (Mark Casse); and Royal Prince (Brad Cox).

Entries for Saturday's card take place Wednesday.

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