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May 3 (UPI) - Kentucky Derby weekend brings with it the bonus of many other outstanding races around the United States as Churchill Downs bolsters the Derby and Oaks cards and other tracks entice fans to wager on live racing and enjoy the simulcast from Louisville. Former Derby contenders, Breeders' Cup winners and horses with experience in Dubai and Royal Ascot are in action from coast to coast. Here's how it shapes up by division:
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Classic
McKinzie, the beaten favorite in his last two starts, and Seeking the Soul, a disappointment in Dubai, seek redemption as the favorites in Friday's $400,000 Grade II Alysheba at Churchill Downs. McKinzie, a 4-year-old Street Sense colt from Bob Baffert's bounteous barn, last was seen a nose behind Gift Box in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap and, before that, 1/2 length back of Battle of Midway in the Grade II San Pasqual. Seeking the Soul, a 6-year-old son of Perfect Soul, was second in the Grade I Pegasus World Cup before finishing a dull eighth in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.
There's only one last-race winner among the 11 set to go in the Alysheba. That's Bourbon Resolution, victorious April 13 in the Grade III Ben Ali at Keeneland. He's 15-1 on the morning line.
In New Mexico, Runaway Ghost and Lookin at Lee are the morning-line favorites among six set for Saturday's $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap at 9 furlongs. Runaway Ghost, last year's Grade III Sunland Derby winner, finished 12th in the Grade III Commonwealth at Keeneland April 6 after being blocked at the start from the inside gate. Lookin at Lee finished second in the 2017 Kentucky Derby behind Always Dreaming but has only three wins from 22 starts.
Distaff
Blue Prize was scratched from a race she looked likely to win at Keeneland last month in favor of Friday's $500,000 Grade I La Troienne at Churchill Downs. The 6-year-old Pure Prize mare certainly fits but at 3-1 on the morning line, she's not the favorite among 10. That honor goes to Secret Spice, a 4-year-old filly by Discreet Cat who makes her first start outside California after winning the Grade I Beholder Mile in her most recent start.
Also at short odds on the La Troienne morning line are She's a Julie, winner of the Grade III Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park, and Divine Miss Grey, victorious in the Heavenly Prize at Aqueduct March 10.
In Argentina, Entropia scored a 70-1 upset win in Wednesday's Group 1 Gran Premio Criadores for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt, earning an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff this November at Santa Anita.
Entropia, a 3-year-old filly by Mount Nelson, trained by Jorge Meyrelles and ridden by Martin Valle, won her third race from eight career starts, and earned her first Group 1 victory. She gained steadily through the stretch, winning by 1 length over Seas Alabada with City and the Sex third.
"This was an unforgettable moment for me," said Enrique Piccardo of Stud El Quinton Lobos. "The filly gave us a big effort and Valle was great in the irons. Let's go for the Distaff now. It is a dream come true for all of us."
Turf
Bricks and Mortar looks about as solid as his namesake in Saturday's $1 million Grade I Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway has won three in a row since being off for more than a year -- a string that includes the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park in January and the Grade II Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds March 23. He does face the second- and third-place finishers from the Muniz, Markitoff and Synchrony, but his overall body of work is more impressive. The others are a mixed bag with Raging Bull, a stablemate in the Chad Brown barn, looking the toughest.
Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Fort Marcy at Belmont Park attracted some heavyweights among eight entries plus one "main track only" starter. Robert Bruce won last year's Grade I Arlington Million and ran second behind Channel Maker in the Grade I Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont. Channel Cat won the rich Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs. Dr. Edgar and Doctor Mounty are both recent graded stakes winners. Arrocha arrives from Brazil as a multiple Group 1 winner and now is under the care of Chad Brown's team.
Filly & Mare Turf
Newspaperofrecord, who should have been but wasn't the 2018 Juvenile Filly Eclipse Award winner, is the 3-5 favorite on the morning line for Friday's $250,000 Grade III Edgewood for 3-year-old fillies on the Churchill Downs grass. She was undefeated in three starts last season, culminating in her easy win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and has never won by less than 6 lengths. The field does, however, include the Florida Oaks winner, Concrete Rose, and the winner of the Grade III Herecomesthebride, Cambier Parc, so it's no walk in the park for the Irish-bred favorite.
Six plus two "main track only" rivals are lined up for Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Sheepshead Bay at 1 3/8 miles over the Belmont Park greensward. None is a giant-slayer but Holy Helena exits a win in the Grade III The Very One at Gulfstream Park and Santa Monica last was seen winning the Grade III Orchid over the Gulfstream green.
Turf Mile
Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Longines Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs looks like a sterling opportunity for Precieuse to make a statement in this division. The 5-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Tamayuz won the French 1,000 Guineas in 2017 but missed most of 2018. Now trained by Chad Brown, she comes off a win in the Grade III Honey Fox at Gulfstream Park March 2. The other nine will provide plenty of competition. Among them lurk Valedictorian, second in the Honey Fox; Capala Temptress, a close fourth in the 2018 French Guineas; and another talented Brown trainee, Environs.
Saturday's $400,000 Grade II American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs is a rerun of three races all mashed together -- the Grade III Transylvania at Keeneland April 5, the Grade III Palm Beach at Gulfstream Park March 2 and the Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream March 30. The Transylvania contributes its first three finishers -- Avie's Flatter, Henley's Joy and The Black Album, plus War Film (fourth), Louder Than Bombs (sixth) and Weekly Call (seventh). The first three from the Palm Beach are here -- A Thread of Blue, Casa Creed and the selfsame Louder Than Bombs. The American Turf also has Seismic Wave, Forever Mo and Prince, who finished first, second and fourth in the Cutler Bay.
Further clouding the issue: A Thread of Blue and Louder than Bombs were the first two home in the Dania Beach on Feb. 3. Casa Creed and Henley's Joy were 1-2 in the Kitten's Joy on Jan. 5. And Henley's Joy and Louder Than Bombs finished first and third in the Pulpit Stakes back in December. Don't you love handicapping?
Monmouth Park swings back into action "down the shore" in New Jersey with Saturday's $100,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes. Hawkish and Projected, the morning-line favorites, are drawn in the No. 1 and No. 3 gates in a field of nine.
The top three from the Grade III Providencia Stakes -- Hostess, Maxim Rate and Lady Prancealot -- feature in a field of six for Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
Already in the books:
Siem Riep shot right to the front in Thursday's $115,000 Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs and reaped the benefits of an uncontested lead, running on to win by 1 1/2 lengths at odds of 35-1. Hembree, Ballagh Rocks, First Premio and Om finished behind the winner in that order with no more than 1/4 length covering the lot. Siem Riep, a 5-year-old Tapit gelding, ran 1 mile on firm turf in 1:35.07 with James Graham up, winning for the first time since last June 23 -- his last appearance under the Twin Spires.
Turf Sprint
The ultraconsistent World of Trouble is the even-money favorite in Friday's $250,000 Grade II TwinSpires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old son of The Factor won the Grade I Carter Handicap at Aqueduct in his last start and overall has seven wins from 11 starts. Trainer Wesley Ward has two here, including Bound For Nowhere who likely would be bound for England with a good showing. The 5-year-old, also by The Factor, was third, beaten less than 1 length in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at last year's Royal Ascot meeting. Ward also saddles Undrafted, who still is capable of a good effort at age 9 and also has experience at Ascot.
Already in the books:
A Little Bit Me rallied from the middle of the field in Thursday's $125,000 Unbridled Sidney Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs and outfinished the favorite, Morticia, winning by a neck over that rival. Excessivespending was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. A Little Bit Me, a 5-year-old mare by The Factor, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on firm going in 1:04.57 under John Velazquez. She was dispatched at odds of 24-1.
Sprint/Dirt Mile
Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Churchill Downs Stakes packs a lot of punch into its 7 furlongs. The 12-horse field includes the 1-2-3 finishers from the Grade III Commonwealth at Keeneland April 6, Bobby's Wicked One, Warrior's Club and Limousine Liberal. Limousine Liberal and Warrior's Club finished first and second in this event a year ago. Also here are Whitmore, second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint over the track last November, and Mitole, who defeated Whitmore in the Grade III Count Fleet Sprint Handicap April 13 at Oaklawn Park. Promises Fulfilled returns from Dubai, where he was a good fourth in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on World Cup night. Do Share was a dominating, 6 1/2-lengths winner of the Grade III Tom Fool at Aqueduct in his last start.
If you like Roadster and Game Winner in the Derby, have a look two races earlier on the card -- the $400,000 Grade III Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs. The favorite is Instagrand, who did all the heavy lifting in the Santa Anita Derby before grudgingly yielding, finishing third behind Roadster and Game Winner. This is an eighth of a mile shorter and the opposition isn't nearly as scary. You do, however, have to like a potential exacta of Mr. Money and Mr Money Bags and you'd need some bags to carry the loot if it hit. It also would be fun to listen to the call of the stretch run. It's one turn from the chute.
Oaklawn Park continues to hold onto plenty of good horses as its extended meeting draws to a close. Exhibit A: Friday's $250,000 Oaklawn Mile, which drew a field of 11. Catching the oddsmaker's eye are the favorite, Pioneer Spirit, and Fight On, Exclamation Point and Snapper Sinclair.
Eight are set for Saturday's $200,000 Westchester at Belmont Park with Prince Lucky looking a likely one. The 4-year-old Corinthian gelding was the easiest of winners in his first two starts of the year, the Grade III Hal's Hope and the Grade II Gulfstream Park Mile --both at the same distance as the Westchester.
Don't overlook race No. 2 at Churchill Downs on Saturday. It's a $100,000 optional claimer at 1 mile out of the chute that has the quality of many a graded stakes race. The six-horse field includes graded stakes winners My Boy Jack, Conquest Tsunami, King Zachary and the 8-5 favorite, American Anthem. A year ago, My Boy Jack was a closing fifth in the Kentucky Derby after winning the Grade III Lexington. Thirteen months ago, Conquest Tsunami finished third in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai.
North of the border at Woodbine, Pink Lloyd's celebrated 11-race winning streak started in the 2017 Jacques Cartier and continued through the 2018 edition of the 6-furlongs race. While the streak now is history, the 7-year-old Old Forester gelding looks to continue his Cartier dominance in Saturday's $125,000 (Canadian) Grade III renewal. The Robert Tiller trainee, who disappointed in final two races last year, faces 11 rivals Saturday.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Marley's Freedom travels from California to contest Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Humana Distaff at 7 furlongs over the Churchill Downs course and runs into a couple tough ones in Spiced Perfection and Amy's Challenge. Marley's Freedom, a 5-year-old Blame mare, is a multiple graded stakes winner and most recently was second to Secret Spice in the Grade I Beholder at Santa Anita. If "spice" is her nemesis, look no further down this field than to Spiced Perfection, who won the Grade I Madison by a neck over Amy's Challenge at Keeneland April 6. Any of the other five could sneak into the picture here, too.
Bob Baffert left Mother Mother in Kentucky after she just missed winning the Grade III Beaumont at Keeneland April 7 and she now is the morning-line favorite for Friday's Grade II Eight Belles at Churchill Downs. The 7-furlongs race is wide open, though, with the undefeated Break Even and recent Keeneland allowance winner Del Mar May looking tough.
Break Even is a good name for a horse and reminds us of the possibly apocryphal story of the guy who walked into the track one afternoon, muttering to himself: "I hope I break even today. I need the money."
Marathon
Sonneteer loped along behind the lead pair in Tuesday's $115,000 Champions Day Marathon at Churchill Downs, got revved up when he hit the stretch for the final time and kicked away to win by 7 1/4 lengths. Royal Artillery was second after leading much of the way and Biblical finished third. Sonneteer, a 5-year-old son of Midnight Lute, finished 1 1/2 miles on a fast track in course-record time of 2:30.42 with Corey Lanerie in the irons for his 999th Churchill Downs win. He got No. 1,000 in the next race, joining Pat Day, Calvin Borel and Robby Albarado at that landmark.
"We've always wanted to get this horse to go long," said Julie Clark, assistant to winning trainer Keith Desormeaux. "When this race came about this year it was perfect for him. You don't find many 1 1/2-mile races around the country."
Nine are set for Friday's $100,000 Flat Out Stakes at Belmont Park but it's unlikely any of them will be running flat out for the full 11 furlongs. Rocketry makes his second start of the year after winning the Grade II Marathon at Churchill Downs on the Breeders' Cup undercard last fall.
Juvenile
Even before the 3-year-olds get their moment of glory Friday and Saturday, the 2-year-old stakes schedule is under way. Rookie Salsa rallied outside the leaders in the final furlong Wednesday at Churchill Downs to win the $125,000 Kentucky Juvenile by 1 1/2 lengths over Two Dot. Both of the top finishers went to the post at odds of 27-1, reflecting the uncertainties of competition among such young horses. The favorite, Marva, finished last of eight, never in contention. Rookie Salsa, a Florida-bred colt by Two Step Salsa, ran 5 furlongs on a fast track in 59.32 seconds with Angel Suarez up for trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer.
Otherwise:
Will Rogers Downs
Welder, the prohibitive favorite, drew off in the stretch run in Tuesday's $55,000 TRAO Classic Sprint Stakes for Oklahoma-breds, winning by 7 1/4 lengths. Timely Reply and Serengeti were second and third. Welder, a 6-year-old gelding by The Visualizer, ran 6 furlongs on a sloppy track in 1:09.54 with David Cabrera in the irons.
