The Churchill Downs spotlight shines on the 2-year-olds Saturday as the fall meet concludes with the $200,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) and the $200,000 Golden Rod (gr. II) for fillies.In The Gold and Runway Model vie for the favorite's role in a field of six fillies in the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod. Overbrook Farm's Storm Surge is a narrow 3-1 choice in the Kentucky Jockey Club, also at 1 1/16 miles.Storm Surge is following a sharp victory in the Lone Star Juvenile on Breeders' Cup Day at Lone Star Park. The homebred son of Storm Cat, who also finished second in the Bashford Manor (gr. III) at Churchill Downs for trainer Dallas Stewart, will be attempting a two-turn distance for the first time in Saturday's race.
"You're just hopeful until they do it," said Stewart. "But he relaxes nice and he's got a very good mind. He's a good sound colt, so we're hopeful."
Storm Surge has won three of five races and will break from post five under sizzling apprentice jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Lewis Lakin's Greater Good is proven at the Kentucky Jockey Club distance, scoring an emphatic victory in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (gr. III) at Turfway Park. Another proven at the distance, Bea Oxenberg and Laurie Plesa's B.B. Best, tallied in the $400,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder Race Course. The son of Yes It's True won two of the three races that make up the lucrative series for the
offspring of Florida-based sires.
The 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod looms as a rematch betweeb Live Oak Plantation's In The Gold and Naveed Chowhan's Runway Model, who last met in Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades (gr. II).
The Bernie Flint-trained Runway Model took the Alcibiades with a stretch-running victory in the Alcibiades while In the Gold finish a head back in third. Runway Model returned to run a troubled third to Sweet Catomine in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). In The Gold came down with a fever just before that race and was scratched by trainer Nick Zito.
In The Gold, who'll be ridden by Pat Day, is the narrow 6-5 morning line favorite over Runway Model, who is listed at odds of 7-5 with Eddie Martin Jr. aboard. $200,000 Golden Rod (gr. II), 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles
Post/Horse (Weight), Jockey, ML Odds
1. Runway Model (122), Eddie Martin, Jr., 7-5
2. In The Gold (116), Pat Day, 6-5
3. Mlle Lacs (116), Larry Melancon, 10-1
4. Quiet Optimism (118), Eddie Castro, 10-1
5. Kota (118), John McKee, 6-1
6. Summerly (116), Brian Hernandez, Jr., 8-1 $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
1. Highgrove (116), Eddie Martin, Jr., 10-1
2. Rush Bay (118), Eusebio Razo, Jr., 8-1
3. Wild Desert (118), Brice Blanc, 15-1
4. Greater Good (122), John McKee, 4-1
5. Storm Surge (120), Brian Hernandez, Jr., 3-1
6. B.B. Best (122), Eddie Castro, 5-1
7. Drum Major (113), Joe Johnson, 10-1
8. Magna Graduate (118), Pat Day, 5-1
9. Social Probation (118), Larry Melancon, 5-1