An overflow field of 16 older fillies and mares headed by Brazilian import Movie Star and local star Delta Princess has been entered for Saturday's $150,000-added Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the turf at Churchill Downs.Movie Star, a 4-year-old Brazilian-bred owned by Gonzalo Torrealba's T N T Stud, is the 3-1 morning line favorite in the 1 1/8-mile test on the Matt Winn Turf Course.A maximum field of 12 horses will compete in the Cardinal, the featured ninth event on a 10-race program that shares the day's spotlight with "Kentucky Derby Legends Day" – a salute to owners, trainers and jockeys that have won the famed "Run for the Roses." Movie Star, a homebred daughter of Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT)) winner Royal Academy, was a group I winner in her homeland. She made a successful U.S. debut for trainer Bobby Frankel in a narrow win in the Navajo Princess at New Jersey's Meadowlands on Sept. 30.Rafael Bejarano, the leading jockey at the current meet, is set to ride Movie Star, who has been assigned 117 pounds.Her victory in her U.S. debut lifted her career record to 3-3-0 in seven races, which include six starts on the grass.Saud bin Khaled's Delta Princess (4-1), one of two entrants trained by Bill Mott, is another major contender. The 6-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy won the Early Times Mint Julep (gr. IIIT) and Locust Grove (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs during the spring meet and will be ridden by Robby Albarado. Mott will also saddle Noisette (20-1), the winner of the Modesty (gr. IIIT) at Arlington Park.Mott, the all-time leader at Churchill Downs in victories and stakes wins, has won the Cardinal a record four times.
Swettenham Stud's Stage Shy invades from California for trainer Neil Drysdale off a third-place finish against males in the Carleton F. Burke (gr. IIIT) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. Trainer Wally Dollase sends out a pair of contenders in Katdogawn (5-1), winner of the WinStar Distaff (gr. IIIT) at Lone Star Park, and Stupendous Miss (8-1), winner of the All Along Breeders' Cup (gr. IIIT) at Colonial Downs.Other notables include Humoristic, who defeated Delta Princess in the Violet Handicap (gr. IIIT) at the Meadowlands, and Finery, winner of Aqueduct's Beaugay (gr. IIIT). Godolphin Racing's Sundrop, runner-up in England's classic One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) in 2004, seeks to rebound after finishing last of 14 in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Belmont Park.
$150,000-added Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT), fillies & mares 3 & up, 1 1/8 miles (turf)
PP. Horse (weight), Jockey, ML Odds
1. Stupendous Miss (115), Eddie Martin, Jr., 8-1
2. Miss Nashwan (114), Corey Lanerie, 50-1
3. Paz Ciudadana (115), Shaun Bridgmohan, 20-1
4. Finery (116), Javier Castellano, 15-1
5. Humoristic (116), Calvin Borel, 6-1
6. Stage Shy (115), Kent Desormeaux, 4-1
7. Katdogawn (121), Mike Smith, 5-1
8. Movie Star (117), Rafael Bejarano, 3-1
9. Sundrop (115), Mark Guidry, 15-1
10. Lenatareese (113), Larry Melancon, 50-1
11. Delta Princess (118), Robby Albarado, 4-1
12. Noisette (118), Brice Blanc, 20-1
Also Eligible
13. Louve Royale (113), Julien Leparoux, 50-1
14. Very Very (113), Jesus Castanon, 30-1
15. Anegada (113), Jesus Castanon, 30-1
16. Strike Me Lucky (113), Dean Butler, 50-1
