Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon Rivalry Continues In Louisiana Stakes

Lecomte, Risen Star, Louisiana Derby, Kentucky Derby, Haskell: this Saturday's 76th running of the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. will be the sixth time both Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon enter the starting gate as rivals. Mandaloun has bragging rights, winning or finishing in front of Midnight Bourbon in three out of five match-ups thus far.

The duo will be traveling 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, the same distance they ran in the 2021 Lecomte when facing one another for the first time. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon was fresh off a three-month layoff and wired the field. Now it's the even-money morning line favorite Mandaloun's turn to come in fresh. His last start was July 17 in the Haskell (G1) when he dueled through the final furlong finishing a nose short of Hot Rod Charlie, but an impending DQ awarded Juddmonte's Mandaloun his fifth career win out of eight starts.

“He needed time off. He made that decision easy,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We stopped on him and gave him time. For horses to progress, whether it be from (age) two to three or three to four, they need a break. He's received his break and he's come back. Listen, I'm not going to tell you that he's working better than ever because he's always a very, very good work horse to begin with. I think anybody that watched him train up to the Kentucky Derby could believe the way he ran (second at 26-1), the way he was training. He's definitely working as well as he was leading up to the Derby, or the Haskell, so we're in a good spot with him. I think this is a race that makes a lot of sense as far as getting back racing and seeing how it goes.”

Mandaloun will break from post two with his sole-rider Florent Geroux on board. He'll recognize the horse to his outside but not the rider.

On the track where it all began, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon has the neighboring spot in post three. Last seen setting the pace in November's Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs with jockey Joel Rosario on board, Midnight Bourbon ran well, only to be overtaken in the stretch by the classy Maxfield and Happy Saver. He gets a slight cut-back in distance to 1 1/16 miles for the Louisiana. As in the Clark, Rosario gets the call, his second on Midnight Bourbon who will break from the post three (6-5 ML).

This time, Midnight Bourbon has a new trick up his sleeve: blinkers.

“As good as he's been, I think there is more there,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “It doesn't look like he's finishing it (his races) off. He's not exhausted when he comes back. I think we can get a little more out of him. There is the possibility that it makes him more aggressive and that he gets in too big of a hurry. The Louisiana Stakes is the perfect time to try it.”

With a field of horses who have shown strong early pace, they'll have their hands full throughout. Starting on the rail: Chess Chief, Sprawl, Pirate's Punch, Warrant, and Spa City make up the field of seven.

Adele B Dilschneider and Claiborne Farms' Sprawl finished sixth last out in October's Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs, the race prior was his first graded stakes victory, leading most of the way in the West Virginia Governor (G3) at Mountaineer. Trainer Tom Drury Jr. brought him to Fair Grounds to ready him specifically for the Louisiana.

“That little horse fought some wars for us,” Drury said. “We've had this race in mind and we've worked backwards from it. After the Lukas Classic, we sent him to Robby Harris in Florida and gave him a little downtime. Ever since it's been like clockwork. He walked off the van (at Fair Grounds) doing good and he's been doing good ever since, but I'll be honest, I didn't anticipate the race coming up as tough as it has. That being said, Sprawl is a seasoned, older horse and we are going to take our best shot and see what happens.”

By City Zip, his pace-setting presence adds uncertainty to how the race will unfold. Fair Grounds' leading rider Colby Hernandez is on board from post four (10-1 ML).

“We are just going to let Colby ride his race,” Drury said. “I do think he's going to want to be forward, but I'd love to see him in a stalking-type position. I don't want to leave there shooting ducks trying to make the lead at all costs.”

Approximately half of Chess Chief's earnings have come from his five wins, each of them taking place at Fair Grounds. Possibly a horse for the course, but the Estate of James J Coleman Jr's 6-year-old has been ambitiously placed throughout his career, losing to Maxfield four times, Knicks Go, and other classy rivals. He's coming off a thrilling win in the $100,000 Tenacious on “Road to the Derby Kickoff Day” in which he bested Happy American by a scant nose. He is scheduled to break from the rail with Reylu Gutierrez aboard (12-1 ML), although trainer Dallas Stewart has indicated that a run in the Pegasus World Cup the following Saturday is also on the table.

Finishing third last out in the Tenacious, Craig W. Dragner and Gulliver Racing's Pirate's Punch has not won any of his six races since his 2020 back-to-back graded stakes wins. Breaking from post five at morning line odds of 20-1, Corey Lanerie returns after taking him to the lead last out. The Grant Forster-trained 6-year-old gelding will have options to pass or press his half-brother Midnight Bourbon.

That's right, dam Catch the Moon and breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings must be proud.

The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Warrant (post six, Brian Hernandez Jr/Brad Cox, 12-1 ML), the 2021 Oklahoma Derby (G3) winner makes his 4-year-old debut; and Maggi Moss' Spa City (post seven James Graham/Tim Amoss, 20-1 ML), who was claimed for $40,000 four starts back.

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Top-Rated Knicks Go Leads Field Of Six In Saturday’s Lukas Classic

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, the top-rated horse for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1), headlines a compact field of six accomplished older horses that entered Saturday's $400,000 Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs – the marquee race on closing weekend of the September Meet.

The Lukas Classic, which could serve as a final prep prior to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, was carded as the eighth race on Saturday's 11-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Lukas Classic will go at 4:22 p.m. Named after Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the 1 1/8-mile race shares the Saturday spotlight with the $300,000 Ack Ack (G3), which goes as Race 10 at 5:26 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go won last year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) to close his 4-year-old campaign. The now 5-year-old son of Paynter started the year with a 2 ¾-length victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park and will enter the Lukas Classic following his dominating 4 ½-length score in the $1 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga.

Knicks Go has competed four times at Churchill Downs but has yet to record a win beneath the historic Twin Spires. The speedy Maryland-bred's career record is comprised of 22 starts with eight wins, three seconds and one third with purse earnings of $5,368,995. Jockey Joel Rosario, who has ridden Knicks Go in his last eight starts, will have the call Saturday from post No. 2.

Chief among Knicks Go's competition in the Lukas Classic is multiple Grade 2 winner Tacitus. The Juddmonte homebred is scheduled to make his first start since his seventh-place effort in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on Feb. 20. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 5-year-old son of Tapit has recorded graded stakes triumphs in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), Wood Memorial (G2) and Suburban (G2). New York-based jockey Jose Lezcano will travel to Churchill Downs Saturday for the mount from post 3.

Also entered is Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider's $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Cup (G3) winner Sprawl. Trained by Tommy Drury Jr., Sprawl gamely prevailed by 1 ¾ lengths in the Aug. 7 West Virginia Governor's Cup under jockey Joe Talamo. The chestnut colt by City Zip will have Talamo in the irons for Saturday's affair from post 6.

The complete field for the Lukas Classic from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. New Orleans Classic (GII) winner Chess Chief (James Graham, Dallas Stewart)
  2. Knicks Go (Rosario, Cox)
  3. Tacitus (Lezcano, Mott)
  4. multiple stakes winner Shared Sense (Brian Hernandez Jr., Cox)
  5. Pegasus World Cup third Independence Hall (Javier Castellano, Michael McCarthy)
  6. Sprawl (Talamo, Drury)

Fans who are unable to make it to Churchill Downs for the races can download and watch all the action on the Churchill Downs LIVE app. The Churchill Downs LIVE app is available free of charge on Amazon, Apple TV and Roku and features full access to the HD live stream of the Churchill Downs simulcast signal and three additional angles including the Saddling Paddock.

Action from Saturday's card at Churchill Downs is also scheduled to air from 12:30-6:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 2 as part of “America's Day at the Races.”

Wagering is available on www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks.

The final Twilight Thursday presented by Blue Moon of the calendar year will kick off closing week of the September Meet. Thursday's eight-race card has a first post of 5 p.m. and features $1 Blue Moon and select domestic beer, local food trucks and live music from Roadie. Racing on Friday-Sunday will have a first post of 12:45 p.m. Tickets and more information for racing this week can be found at www.ChurchillDowns.com/tickets.

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Sprawl Gets First Stakes Victory In West Virginia Governor’s Stakes

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Sprawl earned his first stakes victory in the $200,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's Stakes, which preceded the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in New Cumberland, W.Va.

The Kentucky homebred 4-year-old colt by City Zip grabbed the early lead from the inside post position under Joe Talamo in the 1 1/16-mile event, briefly lost the lead to Mighty Heart on the far turn, and fought back to pull away to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

Mighty Heart was second and Bourbon Calling third. Sprawl covered the distance in 1:44.95 and paid $5.20 to win as the favorite.

Claiborne and Dilschneider owned 2013 West Virginia Derby winner Departing, who returned three years later and finished second in the Governor's Stakes after having a two-length lead in the stretch.

“I thought he was done (heading into the stretch) but he switched leads and found another gear,” trainer Tom Drury said. “The inside is not so good on this track, but Joe did a great job riding him. This is my first graded stakes win for Claiborne, and after Departing finished second in the Governor's Cup, I guess they owed us one. I am so proud of this horse.”

Sprawl now has four wins in 16 starts and earnings of $401,653.

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Improving Sprawl Faces Tough Competition In Saturday’s Blame Stakes

Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider are hoping their improving homebred Sprawl can score his first stakes victory in Saturday's $150,000 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs, a race named in honor of his owners' prized stallion Blame.

“I'm very thankful to train a horse like this who has such a high quality pedigree and is owned and bred by one of the most historic farms in the world,” trainer Tom Drury Jr. said.

Sprawl, a 4-year-old son of City Zip, was made the 3-1 co-second choice on the morning line in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Blame Stakes. He'll be making his 14th-career start and fourth start since being transferred from trainer Bill Mott to Drury.

“We were very impressed with how well he won in his last start,” Drury said. “The timing from that allowance race set up perfectly to try him in stakes company again. Hopefully he can repeat his allowance win on Saturday.”

Sprawl recorded his third career victory May 9 at Churchill Downs with a front-running 7 ¼-length win in a 1 1/16-mile conditioned allowance event. The chestnut colt tried stakes company four times while in the care of Mott and recently finished fourth by three-quarters of a length in the $150,000 Ben Ali (Grade 3) at Keeneland where he was defeated by fellow Blame rivals Silver Dust and Night Ops.

Saturday's Blame Stakes, which will go as Race 6 with a post time of 3:18 p.m., is a prep for the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2) on June 26 at Churchill Downs. The Stephen Foster is a “Win and You're In” race for the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.

The Blame is one of seven stakes events on Saturday's stellar 11-race card. The others are the $150,000 Audubon (Race 5), $150,000 Shawnee (Race 7), $150,000 Regret (G3) (Race 8), $150,000 Matt Winn (G3) (Race 9), $150,000 Aristides (Listed) (Race 10) and $110,000 Douglas Park Overnight Stakes (Race 11). The program gets underway at 12:45 p.m.

The field for the Blame (from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

  1. Mighty Heart (James Graham, Josie Carroll, 12-1)
  2. Sprawl (Brian Hernandez Jr., Drury, 3-1)
  3. Night Ops (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 5-2)
  4. Guest Suite (Manny Esquivel, Cipriano Contreras, 12-1)
  5. American Dubai (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro, 6-1)
  6. South Bend (Tyler Gaffalione, Bill Mott. 6-1)
  7. Silver Dust (Adam Beschizza, Bret Calhoun, 3-1).

Saturday's National Weather Service forecast in Louisville calls for unseasonably mild temperatures with a high near 63 degrees and mostly cloudy skies.

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