Glen Hill Farm's Rich In Spirit, a two-time stakes winner over Churchill Downs' Matt Winn Turf Course, heads a full cast in the $150,000-added Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIT) Sunday.The Tom Proctor-trained 4-year-old daughter of Repriced has been installed as the 5-2 morning line choice in a field of 12 entered in the 1 1/8-mile turf test for fillies and mares.
Rich In Spirit, winner of the 2006 Locust Grove (gr. IIIT) and the 2005 Regret (gr. IIIT) over the Churchill Downs grass, has battled some of the finest turf fillies and mares in America in 2006, including My Typhoon, Gorella and Film Maker. She recently finished second to Cardinal rival Stormina in Hawthorne's Indian Maid Breeders' Cup.Rich In Spirit is especially dangerous at Churchill Downs, where she has a record of 3-2-0 in five races. Mark Guidry will ride the 118-pound high weight.
Wertheimer and Frere's Stormina, a winner of five of seven 2006 starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, looms as a major threat. John Velazquez will ride the 3-1 second choice.Other contenders are Stronach Stable's Amorama, a well-traveled 5-year-old mare who won the Hillsborough Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Bobby Frankel, and Jay Lieberman's Sabellina, a New York-bred daughter of Langfuhr who was a close second last out in Belmont Park's Ticonderoga Handicap.Godolphin sends out the 3-year-old Silca's Sister (10-1). She was purchased by the Dubai-based stable last year following a victory over males in the Prix Morny (Fr-I) at France's Deauville, but has failed to win in a pair of 2006 races for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Godolphin won last year's Cardinal with the Japanese-bred Sundrop.
$150,000 Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT, Rqace 10, 4:46 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, ML Odds
1. Black Java (KY), James Graham, 112, 50/1
2. Royal Copenhagen (FR), Eddie Castro, 115, 15/1
3. Stormina (KY), John R. Velazquez, 116, 3/1
4. Amorama (FR), Rafael Bejarano, 118, 7/2
5. Dash of Humor (KY), Calvin H. Borel, 115, 20/1
6. More Than Promised (KY), Shaun Bridgmohan, 113, 15/1
7. Beautiful Bets (KY), Willie Martinez, 112, 50/1
8. Dynamist (KY), Brice Blanc, 113, 30/1
9. Rich in Spirit (FL), Mark Guidry, 118, 5/2
10. Sabellina (NY), Julien R. Leparoux, 115, 5/1
11. Silca's Sister (GB), Robby Albarado, 114, 10/1
12. Carolina Sky (KY), Larry Melancon, 115, 12/1