Bet on Sunshine, the 10-year-old Paul McGee trainee, is the highweight for Saturday's $100,000-added Aristides Handicap (gr. III) at Churchill Downs. He'll have to hold off No Armistice, trained by McGee's brother-in-law, California-based Ron Ellis.
The Aristides is a 6 1/2-furlong contest for 3-year-olds and up. No Armistice ran a tough second to Kona Gold last out in the Los Angeles Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park.
The two trainers have met just once before in a race, the 1997 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Hollywood, when Bet On Sunshine finished third and Ellis' Exotic Wood was fourth behind Elmhurst. "I kind of owe him one," said Ellis.
The field for the Aristides, in post position order with jockeys and weights:
U.S. Jets (Lonnie Meche, 114)
Orientate (Robby Albarado, 118)
No Armistice (Pat Day, 116)
Binthebest (Craig Peret, 114)
Bet On Sunshine (Calvin Borel, 121)
Twilight Road (Charles Woods Jr., 113)
