Frac Daddy will race at Churchill Downs for the first time since his off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Debry Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) when he starts in the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) Nov. 16.
Magic City Thoroughbreds' Frac Daddy placed 16th in the Derby and 14th in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) but the son of Scat Daddy has registered victories in two of his three previous starts, taking allowance races on the turf at Saratoga Race Course and the Polytrack at Keeneland, going into Saturday's 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds.
"It's a great next spot for him," said trainer Ken McPeek, citing Frac Daddy's 3 1/2-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile race Oct. 17 at Keeneland. "His last race was ultra-impressive. He has had a hard time getting over the hump against stakes horses, but his race in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) was really good."
Frac Daddy is still looking for the first stakes win of his career. He finished second in this year's Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and last year's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill.
The colt had little luck at the post draw for Saturday's race, where he landed in gate 12 of 13 under jockey Alan Garcia. But he comes into the CommonwealthTurf off a pair of sizzling bullet works over Keeneland's synthetic footing.
"The colt's doing really well," McPeek said. "It'll be a little tricky from the outside, but I think he'll run really well."
The field features four other stakes winners in Alto Racing's Lexington Stakes (gr. III) winner Winning Cause, Tucci Stables' River Seven, a stakes winner at Woodbine; Terry Hamilton's Dorsett, a stakes winner at Canterbury Downs, and Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Central Banker , winner of the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga.
$100,000 Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT, race 7, approximate post time 7:32 p.m. EST) 3yo, 1 1/16 miles, Turf
PP, Horse, Jockey, Trainer
1. Golden Sabre (ON), P. Husbands, 118, M. Pierce
2. Layton Register (KY), J. Court, 118, P. Oliver
3. Ruler of Love (FL), J. Castanon, 118, J. Scott
4. River Seven (ON), S. Bridgmohan, 120, N. Gonzalez,
5. Moro Tap (VA), J. Leparoux, 118, M. Maker
6. Winning Cause (KY), J. Rocco Jr., 120, T. Pletcher
7. Formidable Heart (KY), F. Geroux, 118, D. Miller
8. Braveman (KY), M. Mena, 118, R. Anderson
9. Kaigun (ON), L. Goncalves, 118, M. Casse
10. Dorsett (KY), B. Hernandez Jr., 120, M. Stidham
11. O'Prado Ole (KY), C. Lanerie, 118, D. Romans
12. Frac Daddy (KY), A. Garcia, 118, K. McPeek
13. Central Banker (KY), R. Albarado, 118, A. Stall Jr.