The $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (gr. III), Turfway Park’s signature event for 3-year-olds, closed March 1 with 131 nominations.
The 40th running of the nine-furlong race will be held March 26 on Polytrack. Formerly known as the Lane’s End Stakes, the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes was downgraded from grade II to grade III this year.
Among the local nominees are Inhisglory, who won the Turfway Prevue, the first local prep for the race, and Twinspired, who won the second local prep, the WEBN Stakes. The final prep is the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, which will be run on March 5.
Inhisglory was moved to the barn of Michael Stidham after the Turfway Prevue, as owner Peter Redekop bought the gelding shortly before that race.
Twinspired is trained by Mike Maker for the partnership of Alpha Stables, Skychai Racing, and Sand Dollar Stable. Maker also nominated five others, including Derby Kitten and Derby Obsession for Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The trainer won this race last year for the Ramseys with Dean’s Kitten and also won in 2006 with Ron Peltz’s With a City.
The most nominated by one trainer is nine from the barn of Steve Asmussen, including Michael J. Ryan’s Silver Medallion, who currently ranks 19th among 3-year-olds on the graded stakes earnings list after winning the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) last month.
Also among nominated horses already appearing on industry watch lists are Sam F. Davis (gr. III) winner Brethren ; CashCall Futurity (gr. I) winner Comma to the Top; Fountain of Youth (gr. II) runner-up Gourmet Dinner; Risen Star (gr. II) victor Mucho Macho Man ; Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) winner J P's Gusto; Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) winner Santiva ; and up-and-comer Sway Away.
The Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes will highlight a 12-race card that includes four undercard stakes: the Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III), a prep for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I); the Rushaway, also for 3-year-olds; and the Hansel and Queen stakes, both sprints.
