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Churchill Downs Ends Turf Racing For Remainder Of November Meet; Turf Graded Stakes Put ‘On Hiatus’

Churchill Downs will not card any more turf races during the remainder of its November meet, out of “an abundance of caution,” per the track's overnights.

The statement in the overnights read:

“Out of an abundance of caution, there will be no turf racing at Churchill Downs through the remainder of the meet because the course has not satisfactorily responded to this fall's climate. Grass racing will resume next spring when the conditions become more optimum. As a result, there will be no turf entries taken for races scheduled to be run on turf from Nov. 25-29. All scheduled turf races in the condition book during this time period will be transferred to the main track and entries taken for the same conditions will be dirt only. Additionally, the $100,000 Cardinal (GIII) and $100,000 River City (GIII) will be put on hiatus this year.”

The announcement brings to a close what has already been a tumultuous fall meet for the Churchill Downs turf course. The track announced on Nov. 14 that it would be moving its turf races to the main track through Nov. 22. Races had already been taken off the turf on Nov. 13, and the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes was automatically downgraded to a Grade 3 when it was moved to the main track, and subject to review by the American Graded Stakes Committee for reinstatement to its original level.

The last turf race at Churchill Downs was the ninth race on Nov. 12, marred by the fatal injury to Grade 1 stakes-placed Winning Impression, who took a bad step at the finish and sustained a catastrophic leg injury as he was being pulled up.

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Finite Favored In Chilukki Stakes At Churchill Downs

Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson and Deborah Easter's multiple graded stakes winning filly Finite was made the 8-5 morning line favorite for 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 G2 Raven Run at Keeneland. Previously, the Steve Asmussen-trained Finite was on the Kentucky Oaks trail after victories in the $120,000 Rags to Riches, $300,000 G2 Golden Rod, $150,000 Silverbulletday and $300,000 G2 Rachel Alexandra. Following her fourth-place effort in the $400,000 G2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Finite underwent minor ankle surgery but returned to Asmussen's stable a few months later.

The complete field for the Chilukki from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): New Roo (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tommy Drury, 20-1); Finite (Santana, Asmussen, 8-5); Grand Cru Classe (Tyler Gaffalione, Bill Mott, 5-2); Whoa Nellie (Joe Rocco Jr., Larry Jones, 4-1); Gold Standard (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 15-1); Risky Mandate (Miguel Mena, Tom Amoss, 5-1); Crazy Sexy Munny (Crystal Conning, Bill Morey, 50-1); Unique Factor (Corey Lanerie, Peter Miller, 10-1); and Sanenus (Rafael Bejarano, Michael McCarthy, 20-1).

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 1/2-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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Bodexpress Joins List Of Clark Probables Alongside Code Of Honor, Mr Freeze, Owendale

Top Racing LLC, Global Thoroughbred and GDS Racing Stable's multiple graded stakes placed colt Bodexpress has added his name to the expanding lineup for next Friday's Grade 1, $500,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare, according to trainer Gustavo Delgado's assistant and son Gustavo Delgado Jr.

Bodexpress, a three-time winner, finished 13th in the G1 2019 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. The colt drew notoriety following his 71-1 runner-up effort behind Maximum Security in the G1 $1 million Florida Derby. While still a maiden, Bodexpress drew in off the also-eligible list to run in the Kentucky Derby. Most recently, the 4-year-old son of Bodemeister dominated a 1 1/16-mile allowance event at Gulfstream Park West by 11 ¼ lengths.

Other top older horses expected to enter the Clark include W.S. Farish's multiple G1winner Code of Honor; Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's 2019 Clark third-place finisher Mr Freeze; and Rupp Racing's three-time G3 victor Owendale.

Entries for the Clark will be taken Sunday. Additional horses that could join the field, according to Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork: Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust's two-time winner Coastal Defense; Bonne Chance Farm, LLC and Stud R D I LLC.'s recent Keeneland turf allowance winner In Love (BRZ); and Imperial Racing's 2019 UAE Derby (GII) winner Plus Que Parfait.

Trainer Bret Calhoun reported he nominated multiple graded stakes winners By My Standards and Mr. Money to the Clark. They are expected to work Friday and could enter the race.

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Sovereign Headlines Strong Cast For Friday’s Bahrain International Trophy

Friday's £500,000 (approximately US$591,750) Bahrain International Trophy has drawn a strong cast for the 2020 renewal, topped by 2019 Irish Derby hero Sovereign.

Supplemented at a cost of £10,000, Sovereign will be trainer Aidan O'Brien's first ever runner in Bahrain, and jockey Ryan Moore ships in to ride from post eight in the field of 14.

The Ballydoyle master said: “Sovereign is a strong mile-and-a-quarter horse. He is a very strong galloper who likes to go forward in his races, and we think the Bahrain International Trophy will suit him.”

Racecourse Media Group in partnership with the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club have secured widespread global coverage, and the race will be shown on on Fox Sports in the United States with an approximate post time of 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

Adding further top-level interest on Nov. 20 is the Japanese-trained mare Deirdre (Mitsuru Hashida), whose big wins include last year's Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Other strong contenders include: last year's Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters representing David O'Meara, dual Canadian International Stakes winner Desert Encounter runs for David Simcock, and Saeed bin Suroor calls on 2019 Jebel Hatta victor Dream Castle.

Barney Roy has suffered a minor setback and will miss the race, but Godolphin will still be doubly represented – with Mark Johnston's Royal Ascot winner Dark Vision joining Dream Castle.

John Gosden saw Turgenev finish second in the inaugural race last year and will be hoping to go one better with Global Giant, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori for owner HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

Andrew Balding and King Power Racing were sixth with Pivoine in 2019 and are back this year with Bangkok – while Lady Wannabe (Fozzy Stack), Certain Lad (Mick Channon), Pogo (Charlie Hills) and Quest The Moon (Sarah Steinberg) complete the European challenge.

Two spots in the field are guaranteed for locally-trained horses, and the two Bahraini-based contenders are confirmed as Port Lions (Fawzi Naas) and What A Welcome (Hesham Al Haddad).

Shaikh Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa, executive director of Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the class of horses that we have attracted to this year's Bahrain International Trophy.

“To have five individual Group One winners in the field – compared to only one last year – shows the leap in quality. We are very grateful to the trainers and owners for placing their trust in Bahrain, and we very much look forward to welcoming them.”

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