It’s easy to see why Chamberlain Bridge has been made the 2-1 favorite in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs Derby Day. The son of War Chant won the race in 2009, and he just missed winning by a neck in last year’s running. Perhaps the biggest factor is that he captured the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) over the Churchill grass last November.
Chamberlain Bridge, who has raced twice this year, will take on six rivals and carry top weight of 124 pounds in the Turf Sprint. The five-furlong grass event for 3-year-olds and up is the sixth race on the card and is scheduled to go off at 1:19 p.m. (EDT).
Owned by Carl R. Moore Management, Chamberlain Bridge began this year with a triumph in the Rail Splitter Stakes on turf at Sam Houston and then finished a close fourth in the Shakertown (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland in mid-April. Trainer Bret Calhoun has secured the return services of jockey Jamie Theriot.
The 5-2 second choice in the Twin Spires is Bridgetown, who has won both starts in front-running fashion this year, including the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in his 4-year-old debut. The Speightstown colt who races for Melnyk Racing Stables captured an allowance grass at Gulfstream Park March 18. Todd Pletcher trains, and John Velazquez rides for the second straight time.
Custom for Carlos and Regally Ready are each 3-1 in the morning line and are sons of More Than Ready . Custom for Carlos took on defending champion male sprinter Big Drama in the Mr. Prospector (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in January and finished second, beaten four lengths by the champ, in what has been Custom for Carlos’ sole start this year. Custom for Carlos, a two-time graded stakes winner last year, races for Homewrecker Racing and Avalon Farm. Julien Leparoux rides for trainer Eddie Kenneally.
Regally Ready, who ships in from California, has been out four times this year for owner Vinery Stables and sports wins in his last three starts, including the San Simeon Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita April 16. He raced at Churchill last November in an allowance race at five furlongs on turf and came away with a 7 3/4-length score. Steve Asmussen trains, and Corey Nakatani will ride.
The remaining five entrants in the Turf Sprint include 2011 stakes winner Early Return, who is next in the morning line at 12-1.
$100,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 6, 1:19 p.m.) 3-year-olds and up, 5 furlongs turf
PP Horse Jockey Weight Trainer ML Odds
1. Henry’s Time C H Borel 118 D W Lukas 30-1
2. Regally Ready C S Nakatani 121 S M Asmussen 3-1
3. Custom for Carlos J R Leparoux 118 E Kenneally 3-1
4. Southern Region C J Lanerie 118 R W Werner 30-1
5. Chamberlain Bridge J Theriot 124 W B Calhoun 2-1
6. Spectacular Kid J L Castanon 118 T Domenosky 30-1
7. Early Return S Bridgmohan 118 S Margolis 12-1
8. Bridgetown J R Velazquez 121 T A Pletcher 5-2
9. Bergerac E S Prado 118 J E Baker 50-1