Sunday's GIII West Virginia Derby winner Red Route One (Gun Runner) is expected to make his next start in the National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 3 at the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs.
The Steve Asmussen-trainee began his career with a victory over the Kentucky Downs grass last year and owner Ron Winchell is a co-managing partner with Marc Falcone in Kentucky Downs and its sister The Mint Gaming Hall properties.
“I think since he had been successful there last year, we have always had our eye on Kentucky Downs to bring him back and run him this year,” said David Fiske, the longtime racing and bloodstock manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “Because he was successful and because the purses are what they are. We were hoping to get him into the richest race that made sense, and after winning (the $500,000 West Virginia Derby), the Dueling Grounds Derby looks like a real possibility.”
“It seems like all year long, he's been dropping out the back and the makes a big run, which is kind of like how a lot of turf races are run,” Fiske continued. “Slow early and fast late. Sometimes if there is enough pace in front of you and you can get there and sometimes you don't.”
Another Asmussen-trained graded-stakes winner from last weekend also is likely headed to Kentucky Downs. GIII Troy S. winner Cogburn (Not This Time) is set to contest the GII Ainsworth Turf Sprint, a six-furlong race Sept. 9 whose winner earns a fees-paid spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
“I think obviously he has excelled on the turf, being undefeated, and gave me a great feel today,” Asmussen told Saratoga's publicity team after the Troy S. “I feel great to beat the field that we did and now we can think big. We hopefully have a Breeders' Cup horse. We have had one Turf Sprint winner in the past (2011 winner Regally Ready), so hopefully we have another one. We had planned on running here and then Kentucky Downs, but we'll see how we come out of this and figure out what we should do.”
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