Joint Effort the 'Horse for Course' in Chilukki

(from Churchill Downs report)
Trainer Dale Roman has the "horse for course" in Joint Effort, the tepid favorite in a field of 12 fillies and mares entered in the $150,000-added Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) Thursday at Churchill Downs.

Donald Dizney's 3-year-old daughter of Runaway Groom is the 4-1 morning line choice in the wide open field for the one-mile Chilukki, the first stakes race of Breeders' Cup week at Churchill.

Joint Effort has never finished worse than second in seven races at Churchill Downs. She has four wins under the Twin Spires that include stakes triumphs this spring in the La Troienne (gr. III) and Dogwood Breeders' Cup (gr. III).

Romans' filly comes off lopsided defeats by Bushfire in the Mother Goose (gr. I), where she finished seventh, and Swap Fliparoo in the Test (gr. I), in which she was tenth of 13 fillies.

Romans, though, is not completely sure that Joint Effort will race in the Chilukki. He is also considering the $200,000-added Very Subtle for older fillies and mares at six furlongs on the Breeders' Cup undercard on Nov. 4.

"It'll be one of those two races, but she is doing good and we look forward to running her back at Churchill," Romans said. "We just gave her a little time after the Test. I know she likes it here and I've been waiting to run her on her track."

Joint Effort has a career record of 5-3-1 in 15 races. She has earned $419,699.

Should Joint Effort pass on the Chilukki, the role of favorite could go to Charles D. Miller's Prospective Saint, winner of the $ Gardenia Handicap (gr. III) at Ellis Park in her most recent visit to Kentucky. Trainer Martin Wolfson's 5-year-old daughter of Saint Ballado has won half of her four starts in 2006 and has earned $483,343.

J. Paul Reddam's 3-year-old Vague was a stakes winner in Dubai over the winter but has failed to fire in a pair of off the board finishes in grade I races on turf and dirt since her arrival in the U.S. barn of Southern California-based trainer Doug O'Neill.

$150,000 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II, Race 9, 4:34 p.m.), Fillies & mares 3 & Up, 1 Mile
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, ML Odds
1. Wild Fit (FL), 116, Julien R. Leparoux, 12/1
2. Humorous Gal (KY), 116, Calvin H. Borel, 12/1
3. Vague (KY), 116, Garrett K. Gomez, 8/1
4. Golden Locket (KY), 118, Shaun Bridgmohan, 20/1
5. Indian Flare (KY), 118, Rafael Bejarano, 6/1
6. Mary Delaney (KY), 116, Corey J. Lanerie, 30/1
7. Joint Effort (FL), 118, Mark Guidry, 4/1
8. Lady Pegasus (KY), 118, Javier Castellano, 12/1
9. Prospective Saint (KY), 118, Eddie Castro, 5/1
10. Carmandia (KY), 118, John R. Velazquez, 8/1
11. Sangrita (KY), 118, Edgar S. Prado, 6/1
12. Trippi Street (FL), 116, Robby Albarado, 6/1