Oklahoma-bred Shotgun Gulch, winner of the Vinery Madison Stakes (gr, I) at the Keeneland spring meeting, will be gunning for her second stakes win at the Lexington track as she takes on 10 fillies and mares in the Thoroughbred Club of America (gr. II) Oct. 8. She totes co-highweight of 124 pounds.
The six-furlong TCA, which is the sixth race and scheduled for 4:01 p.m. EDT, is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 4.
A homebred for trainer C. R. Trout, Shotgun Gulch triumphed by a head over Amen Hallelujah in the seven-furlong Madison in what has been her sole win in six starts this year. The stretch-running Thunder Gulch filly finished third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Presque Isle Downs Masters (gr. II) Sept. 10 in her last start. Garrett Gomez, who was aboard in the Madison, will ride.
Also assigned 124 pounds is Switch, who ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last year. Since then, the Quiet American filly, campaigned by C R K Stable, has run in six grade I stakes and finished in the top three in all of them. The TCA will be her first test sprinting since she won the Santa Monica Stakes (gr. I) in January.
Switch, who shipped in from California where she ran third in the Clement L. Hirsch (gr. I) at 1 1/16 miles in early August, will be ridden by Joel Rosario. John Sadler trains.
Musical Romance, the Presque Isle Downs Masters winner, will shoulder the next highest impost, 122 pounds. The Concorde's Tune filly won the Masters by a neck under jockey Juan Leyva, who will be aboard her again. Musical Romance, who races for trainer William A. Kaplan and Pinnacle Racing Stable, boasts three other stakes wins this year and a runner-up effort in the Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I).
Devil by Design is the only other contestant in the TCA that will tote as much as 120 pounds. The Medaglia d'Oro 5-year-old mare will carry that much weight when she makes just the third appearance of the year.
She started out winning the Chicago Handicap (gr. III) at seven furlongs in July and then ran fifth in the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga in late August. Owned by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services in partnership with Tony Chedraoui, Devil by Design will be ridden by Robby Albarado for the first time.
The seven remaining members of the TCA will each carry 118 pounds.
$200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II, Race 6, 4:01 p.m.), Fillies and Mares, 6 Furlongs (Polytrack)
PP, Horse, Weight, Jockey, Trainer
1. Musical Romance, 122, J Leyva, W A Kaplan
2. Shotgun Gulch, 124, G Gomez, G Trout
3. Rapport, 118, B Hernandez Jr. R Werner
4. Diamond Song, 118, J Theriot, D Stewart
5. Holiday for Kitten, 116, J Garcia, W Ward
6. Dances With Ashley, 118, R Dominguez, M Maker
7. Promised Mandate, 118, M Criollo
8. Indulgence, 118, J Leparoux, M Wolfson
9. Devil by Design, 120, R Albarado, J Fernandez
10. Switch, 124, J Rosario, J Sadler
11. I Knot, 118, J Court, R Kohnhorst