Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week Kentucky Downs features six lucrative stakes races to take hold of the spotlight. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews can be found through the link for each race.
Saturday, Sept. 9
5:13 p.m.—$100,000 Seattle Slew Stakes at Belmont Park
Far From Over, the 2015 Withers Stakes (G3) winner, will look to earn his first stakes score since that effort early in the Triple Crown prep season in 2015. In two starts this year, the 5-year-old Blame ridgling has finished seventh in the Salvator Mile (G3) and a far-back second last time out in an optional-claiming allowance July 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Belmont Park, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 8Entries: Seattle Slew S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Backsideofthemoon (KY) John R. Velazquez 118 Leo O'Brien 10/1 2 2Doyouknowsomething (KY) Eric Cancel 116 A. C. Avila 8/1 3 3Conquest Windycity (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 118 Brendan P. Walsh 2/1 4 4Securitiz (KY) Manuel Franco 116 James A. Jerkens 5/1 5 5Royal Posse (NY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 122 Rudy R. Rodriguez 15/1 6 6Far From Over (KY) Javier Castellano 116 Todd A. Pletcher 7/5
5:18 p.m.—$350,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs
If Miss Temple City is anything close to her old self, the first move toward righting the ship could come when she will become the most accomplished horse to ever grace the unique venue at Kentucky Downs. The earner of more than $1.4 million towers in back class over the seven rivals she is set to face.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 7Entries: Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Beauly (GB) James Graham 125 Brendan P. Walsh 6/1 2 2Linda (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Ian R. Wilkes 5/1 3 3Hone In (KY) Jon Kenton Court 121 Victoria H. Oliver 30/1 4 4Zipessa (KY) Joe Bravo 121 Michael Stidham 7/2 5 5Miss Temple City (KY) Edgar S. Prado 121 H. Graham Motion 1/1 6 6Majestic Angel (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Eric R. Reed 30/1 7 7Susie Bee (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 125 Michael J. Maker 8/1 8 8Seeking Paradise (KY) Chris Landeros 121 Joe Sharp 30/1
5:35 p.m.—$75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington International Racecourse
The 10-horse field is headed by Yeaman's Racing Stables' 13-length debut winner Soul of Discretion. The colt by Discreetly Mine drew off impressively to win at Canterbury Park Aug. 25 going five furlongs on an off track.
Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 7Entries: Arlington-Washington Futurity
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Our Thomas (IL) Anthony Y. Nunez 118 Michael L. Reavis 30/1 2 2Kate's Golden Dude (KY) Carlos H. Marquez, Jr. 118 Thomas M. Amoss 6/1 3 3P R Radio Star (KY) Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. 118 Thomas H. Swearingen 20/1 4 4Captivating Moon (KY) Jose Valdivia, Jr. 118 Chris M. Block 5/1 5 5Soul of Discretion (KY) Leslie Mawing 118 Dan L. McFarlane 3/1 6 6East Rand (KY) Julio E. Felix 118 Kellyn Gorder 10/1 7 7Barry Lee (KY) Horacio Karamanos 118 Horacio DePaz 5/2 8 8Take Charge Dude (FL) Santo Sanjur 118 Michael B. Campbell 15/1 9 9Ghaaleb's Winner (IL) Christopher A. Emigh 118 Scott Becker 20/1 10 10The X (FL) Mitchell Murrill 118 Ben Colebrook 6/1
5:45 p.m.—$350,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs
Jackpot Ranch and Mike Rutherford's Mississippi Delta earned $205,680 with a win in last year's Ladies Sprint as the 3-2 favorite. The 5-year-old Giant's Causeway mare has won twice in 2017, including a score in Belmont Park's Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) at seven furlongs.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 8Entries: Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Mississippi Delta (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 125 Mark E. Casse 3/1 2 2Fair Point (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 121 Claude R. McGaughey III 7/2 3 3Corby (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 121 Brendan P. Walsh 20/1 4 4Miss Gossip (IRE) Corey J. Lanerie 121 Andrew McKeever 15/1 5 5Lull (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Christophe Clement 5/1 6 6Morticia (KY) Jose Lezcano 122 George R. Arnold, II 9/2 7 7Sea Cloud (KY) Robby Albarado 121 Brendan P. Walsh 30/1 8 8Scatter Gun (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Neil L. Pessin 15/1 9 9Marquee Miss (KY) James Graham 121 Ingrid Mason 10/1 10 10Happy Mesa (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Michael J. Maker 15/1 11 11Marquee Cal Gal (KY) Jack Gilligan 121 Philip A. Sims 10/1
5:58 p.m.—$75,000 E.B Johnston Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course
Defending race winner Soi Phet, a 9-year-old Tizbud gelding, will look to win his fourth stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course, but John Parker's homebred Gold Rush Dancer enters with momentum off a breakthrough score in the Aug. 13 Longacres Mile Handicap (G3) at Emerald Downs.
LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 3Entries: E.B. Johnston S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Lucky J Lane (CA) Edwin A. Maldonado 122 Steve Knapp 8/1 2 2Start a Runnin (KY) Brayan Pena 122 Hector O. Palma 15/1 3 3Gold Rush Dancer (CA) Evin A. Roman 124 Vann Belvoir 2/1 4 4Soi Phet (CA) Kent J. Desormeaux 124 Leonard Powell 5/2 5 5He Will (CA) Rafael Bejarano 122 Jerry Hollendorfer 3/1 6 6El Huerfano (CA) Flavien Prat 124 Peter Miller 4/1
6:05 p.m.—$75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse
Sagamore Farm's homebred Southampton Way ships in from the East. The daughter of Into Mischief broke her maiden at Saratoga earlier in the summer before she returned Aug. 12 with a second-place finish in the Adirondack Stakes (G2).
Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 8Entries: Arlington-Washington Lassie S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Presage (KY) Carlos H. Marquez, Jr. 117 Eoin G. Harty 15/1 2 2Ardor (FL) Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. 117 Eoin G. Harty 10/1 3 3Lemon Drop Twist (KY) Anthony Y. Nunez 117 Liane P. Davis 30/1 4 4Richie'slilwildcat (IL) Santo Sanjur 117 Larry Rivelli 5/1 5 5Espressa (KY) Nicholas Meza 117 Chris A. Ryan 15/1 6 6Southampton Way (MD) Horacio Karamanos 117 Horacio DePaz 5/2 7 7Fabriana (KY) Mitchell Murrill 117 Larry Rivelli 20/1 8 8Caramel Cream (KY) Edgar Perez 117 Brian Williamson 20/1 9 9Saucy At Midnight (KY) Julio E. Felix 117 Ingrid Mason 8/1 10 10Red Dread (KY) Jose Valdivia, Jr. 117 William R. Connelly 6/1 11 11Romantic Attack (IL) Jesse A. Lantz 117 James R. Childers 30/1 12 12Her Wild Lifestyle (FL) Christopher A. Emigh 117 Larry Rivelli 10/1 13 13Bet She Wins (KY) Jose E. Lopez 117 Chris M. Block 15/1 14 14Cowgirl Callie (IL) Olaf Hernandez 117 Leroy Hellman 15/1
6:05 p.m.—$200,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs
Mr. Misunderstood won the Aug. 5 Super Derby Prelude Stakes to earn a berth into the Super Derby, and is undefeated in each of his four turf starts. Trainer Mike Maker will ship Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Gorgeous Kitten. The Kitten's Joy colt will make his seventh turf start and enters the race off three recent graded stakes appearances at Arlington International Racecourse. He finished second in both the Arlington Classic Stakes (G3T) and American Derby (G3T) before he stepped up to the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) Aug. 12.
Harrah's Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 11Entries: Super Derby
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Fast Talkin Man (TX) Luis S. Quinonez 124 Danny Pish 8/1 2 2Gorgeous Kitten (KY) Colby J. Hernandez 124 Michael J. Maker 5/2 3 3Flying Honeypot (KY) Carlos L. Marquez 124 Benard Chatters 15/1 4 4Mr. Misunderstood (KY) Chris R. Rosier 124 Brad H. Cox 9/5 5 5Sonneteer (KY) Gerard Melancon 124 J. Keith Desormeaux 2/1 6 6Phat Man (KY) Roberto Morales 124 Joe Sharp 8/1
6:14 p.m.—$400,000 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Downs
The big names in the Turf Sprint include Wes Welker and Elizabeth Kumin's group 1 winner Undrafted, the 7-year-old gelding trained by Wesley Ward. A seven-time winner from 31 starts, Undrafted advanced from mid-pack along the rail to finish a close-up fourth in the Turf Sprint last year and has kept top company since.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 9Entries: Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Commend (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 123 William I. Mott 4/1 2 2Indy Hill (KY) Jon Kenton Court 118 D. Wayne Lukas 30/1 3 3Black Bear (KY) Robby Albarado 121 Randy L. Morse 15/1 4 4Tell All You Know (KY) Katie Clawson 121 Kellyn Gorder 15/1 5 5Bondurant (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Ian R. Wilkes 7/2 6 6Wyeth (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 121 Thomas M. Amoss 8/1 7 7Undrafted (KY) Julio A. Garcia 121 Wesley A. Ward 9/2 8 8Crewman (KY) Chris Landeros 121 Dee Poulos 20/1 9 9Mikes the Man (KY) Rogelio Miranda 121 Ronald Moss 50/1 10 10Hogy (KY) Florent Geroux 125 Michael J. Maker 5/2 11 11Dimension (GB) James Graham 121 Conor Murphy 30/1
6:42 p.m.—$600,000 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) at Kentucky Down
Postulation will try for a third straight stakes win when he starts from the rail in the Turf Cup. Runnymede Racing's gelded son of Harlan's Holiday finished off the board in his first two starts this year but found his best stride when stretched out to 1 1/2 miles for just the second time in his career—when he scored a six-length victory in the Cape Henlopen Stakes July 8 at Delaware Park. Off that front-running score, trainer Edward Graham entered Postulation in the 1 11/16-mile American St. Leger Stakes (G3T) Aug. 12 at Arlington. Distance again proved to be no problem, as the 5-year-old runner cruised to a 2 1/4-length victory.
Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 10Entries: Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Postulation (KY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 123 Edward L. Graham 9/2 2 2Lucky Ramsey (KY) Channing Hill 121 Randy L. Morse 30/1 3 3Muqtaser (KY) Joe Bravo 123 Kiaran P. McLaughlin 6/1 4 4Oscar Nominated (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 121 Michael J. Maker 7/2 5 5Crescent Drive (KY) Miguel Mena 121 Thomas M. Amoss 20/1 6 6Zulu Alpha (KY) Robby Albarado 121 Jose Fernandez 30/1 7 7Enterprising (FL) Corey J. Lanerie 123 Michael J. Maker 3/1 8 8Bullards Alley (KY) Marcelino Pedroza 121 Tim Glyshaw 12/1 9 9One Go All Go (VA) Declan Cannon 121 Pavel Matejka 20/1 10 10St. Louie (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 123 Michael J. Maker 30/1 11 11Taghleeb (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 123 Michael J. Maker 5/1 12 12Nessy (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Ian R. Wilkes 20/1 13 13Motivational (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 121 Jack O. Fisher 30/1 14 14Tobias (KY) James Graham 121 Rafael A. Fernandez 30/1
8:28 p.m.—Beverly J. Lewis Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course
Faypien exits a second-place run in the Aug. 5 Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga and will likely use the six-furlong Lewis as a prep for a run in the Breeders' Cup. Prior to her trip to New York, the Florida-bred filly won the two-turn Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park by a head over Mopotism.
LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Saturday, September 09, 2017, Race 8Entries: Beverly J. Lewis S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Queen Laila (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Simon Callaghan 9/2 2 2Delitefull Lady (KY) Mario Gutierrez 118 Richard Baltas 8/1 3 3Faypien (FL) Rafael Bejarano 122 Bob Baffert 4/5 4 4Freedom Journey (CA) Brayan Pena 120 Hector O. Palma 20/1 5 5Princess Karen (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 120 Jeff Bonde 8/1 6 6Chalon (KY) Martin Garcia 122 Peter Miller 4/1 7 7Auntjenn (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 120 Peter Miller 15/1
Sunday, Sept. 10
5:54 p.m.—$200,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs
Normandy Farm's Daddys Lil Darling will get some class relief after running in four straight grade 1 races. The Scat Daddy filly started the quartet well, with back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), but has missed the board in her last two tries—the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Kentucky Downs, Sunday, September 10, 2017, Race 8Entries: Dueling Grounds Oaks
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Daddys Lil Darling (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 3/1 2 2Lift Up (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Michael W. Dickinson 10/1 3 3Summer Luck (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Mark E. Casse 4/1 4 4La Manta Gris (KY) Jose Lezcano 118 George R. Arnold, II 6/1 5 5Thrice (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Michael J. Maker 12/1 6 6Holiday's Angel (KY) Alex L. Canchari 118 Chris A. Hartman 15/1 7 7Quebec (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 118 J. Kent Sweezey 5/1 8 8Gentle Kitten (KY) Robby Albarado 118 Michael J. Maker 8/1 9 9Point System (KY) Edgar S. Prado 118 H. Graham Motion 10/1 10 10Lantiz (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 118 Michelle Nihei 12/1
6:27 p.m.—$350,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs
The lone last-out stakes winner in a wide-open field of 11 is Lothenbach Stables' Giant Payday, who took the Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park Aug. 26. In the one-mile turf test, the Giant's Causeway colt closed from last in the 10-horse field—as many as 16 3/4 lengths behind the early leaders—to win by a length.
Kentucky Downs, Sunday, September 10, 2017, Race 9Entries: Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Giant Payday (KY) Chris Landeros 124 Ian R. Wilkes 6/1 2 2Bronson (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 124 Michael J. Maker 6/1 3 3Big Bend (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 118 Thomas F. Proctor 12/1 4 4Society Beau (KY) James Graham 118 Neil J. Howard 10/1 5 5Parlor (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 120 Eddie Kenneally 3/1 6 6Watch Me Whip (KY) Robby Albarado 118 Dale L. Romans 10/1 7 7Holiday Bonus (KY) Edgar S. Prado 118 H. Graham Motion 12/1 8 8Gorgeous Kitten (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Michael J. Maker 9/2 9 9Muggsamatic (FL) Luca Panici 124 Kathleen O'Connell 12/1 10 10Hollow Point (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Mark E. Casse 8/1 11 11Capture the Glory (KY) Dick Cardenas 118 William E. Gallagher 30/1
