Several horses that have performed well recently in graded stakes will meet on the evening of June 15 in the $200,000 Centaur Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile on the grass at Indiana Downs.
The Centaur, formerly the Oliver Stakes, attracted a field of nine. Set of an 8:05 p.m. EDT post, It tops a 12-race card that includes two $100,000 turf stakes.
Top-weighted at 123 pounds is WinStar Farm’s General Election, who last time out used his strong closing kick to capture the grade III Arlington Classic at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for trainer Kellyn Gorder. It marked the first start on grass for the Harlan's Holiday colt, who previously finished second in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) on Polytrack at Keeneland.
Joe Rocco Jr., who has ridden General Election in his last two starts, gets the call again from post 8.
Maggi Moss’ Free World , sharp winner of the local allowance prep for the Centaur, appears the one to catch. The Stormy Atlantic colt wired that field in a strong 1:27.32 for 7 1/2 furlongs on firm turf.
Free World has won four of seven starts with two seconds. Jockey Chris Landeros gets a return call from trainer Tom Amoss at 119 pounds from post 7.
Also entered are Magdalena Racing's War Dancer , who rallied nicely for third in the American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs; and Ruler of Love, who finished third in the Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill for owners Matthew Rebo Jr., Frank Coniglio, Sidney Ritman, and Richard Rendina.