Peter Vego's Florida homebred Go Between is the slight favorite among nine 3-year-olds entered for Friday's $100,000 Crown Royal American Turf (gr. IIIT) on the Churchill Downs turf.
The Crown Royal American Turf, contested at 1 1/16 miles, is one of six stakes races on the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) Churchill card.
Go Between, who won the Palm Beach (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park March 12 before being upset in the Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs a month ago, is 5-2 on the morning line. Never out of the money in six lifetime starts for trainer Bill Mott, the chestnut son of
Point Given is to be ridden by Edgar Prado, who was aboard in the Palm Beach. Go Between was assigned 122 pounds.
Edgewood Farm's Tahoe Warrior held on stubbornly after leading most of the way to finish third in his last start, the Forerunner on the Keeneland turf April 20. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Garrett Gomez takes over the riding chores on the son of Carson City, 3-1 on the morning line.
The Nick Zito-trained Giant Basil is listed at 4-1 after beating allowance foes impressively in his first start against winners on the Keeneland turf April 8. Corey Nakatani replaces Julien Laparoux, who turns up on Stream Cat in the American Turf.
Also at 4-1 is Sacred Light, who failed to accumulate enough graded earnings to make the 20-horse Kentucky Derby (gr. I) field for trainer David Hofmans and Amerman Racing Stables. Sacred Light would be making his turf debut. The
Holy Bull colt is also entered in an allowance race as the 8-5 favorite Saturday.
The Patrick Bancone-trained Stream Cat, who was assigned 122 pounds, is an interesting longshot in his first outing since an eighth-place finish in the 2005 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). The
Black Minnaloushe colt won his only previous start on grass, Saratoga's With Anticipation Stakes in September, then followed that two weeks later with a victory in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (gr. III) at Turfway.
$100,000 Crown Royal American Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 4:47 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, ML Odds
1. Sacred Light (KY), Victor Espinoza, 116, 4/1
2. Stream Cat (KY), Julien R. Leparoux, 122, 6/1
3. Warrior Within (KY), Rafael Bejarano, 118, 15/1
4. Tahoe Warrior (KY), Garrett K. Gomez, 116, 3/1
5. Go Between (FL), Edgar S. Prado, 122, 5/2
6. Gaelic Storm (KY), Rene R. Douglas, 116, 15/1
7. Giant Basil (FL), Corey S. Nakatani, 116, 4/1
8. Act of God (PA), Brice Blanc, 116, 20/1
9. Malameeze (KY), Robby Albarado, 116, 15/1
