Court Vision , second in last year’s Maker’s Mark Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland, will be making his 6-year-old debut in this year’s running of the $300,000 stakes for IEAH Stables and Resolute Group Stables. A multiple grade I winner and earner of more than $2.6 million, the son of Gulch takes on seven others in the April 15 event.
The Maker’s Mark Mile will be run as the ninth race and is scheduled to go off at 5:23 p.m. EDT.
Court Vision, who finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Karelian in the 2010 running, had two stakes victories in 2010, including the Woodbine Mile (Can-IT). The other score came in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT) at 1 1/8 mile after he was moved up to first following a disqualification.
Robby Albarado, winner of the Maker’s Mark Mile in 2003 on Royal Spy and in 1998 on Lasting Approval, has the riding assignment on Court Vision, who will break from the inside post and carry 119 pounds. Rick Dutrow Jr. is the trainer.
Also back from last year’s race is Charles Fipke and George Waud’s Society's Chairman , who was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in a third-place showing. Trained by Roger Attfield, Society’s Chairman was second to champion Gio Ponti in last fall’s Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland. He opened 2011 with a runner-up finish in the Canadian Turf (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park February.
Jose Lezcano has the mount on Society’s Chairman. By Not Impossible, Society’s Chairman will break from post 6 under a 117-pound impost.
Looking for his first stakes win on turf is 2009 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) winner Furthest Land, who opened this year with a triumph on the grass in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. Furthest Land returned to the lawn a month later at the South Florida oval and finished third. Julien Leparoux rides the son of Smart Strike for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, and trainer Mike Maker.
Sullimar Stables’ Get Stormy and Estrorace’s Workin for Hops, both grade II turf winners from last year, are looking for their first grade I triumphs. Get Stormy, by Stormy Atlantic , won last year’s Bernard Baruch (gr. IIT) and Fourstardave (gr. IIT), both at Saratoga. Regular rider Javier Castellano is back to ride for trainer Tom Bush.
Workin for Hops, by City Zip, won the American Derby (gr. IIT) last summer at Arlington Park and posted stakes victories on turf in the Grindstone at Fair Grounds and the Arlington Classic. Rosie Napravnik has the mount on Workin for Hops. Mike Stidham is the trainer.
$300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (gr. IT, Race 9, 5:23 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Trainer
1. Court Vision, 119, R Albarado, R E Dutrow Jr
2. Zifzaf 117 R Maragh, J Toner
3. Bim Bam 119 J R Velazquez, R Mouquett
4. Workin for Hops, 119 R Napravnik / M Stidham
5. Get Stormy, 119, J Castellano, T M Bush
6. Society’s Chairman 117 J Lezcano, R Attfield
7. Turallure, 117, S Bridgmohan, C Lopresti
8. Furthest Land, 117, J Leparoux, M Maker