European invader Deauville returns to the United States for a third straight season, this time to target the $500,000 Old Forester Turf Classic (G1T), where an old foe is waiting May 5 at Churchill Downs.
A 1 1/8-mile test on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) undercard, the Turf Classic drew a field of 10 headed by 2017 Arlington Million XXXV (G1T) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) winner Beach Patrol, set for his season debut for trainer Chad Brown.
While Beach Patrol will race for the first time since his runner-up finish by half a length to Talismanic in the Nov. 4 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), Deauville comes off a second in the April 18 Bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes (G3) at Newmarket, a rebound off his back-to-back 11th-place runs in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) and Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T).
Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Mrs. Fitri Hay, Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith, Deauville won the 2016 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T), and was third in the Arlington Million that year and last year. The 5-year-old son of Galileo (IRE) departs from the rail with Ryan Moore in the irons.
Beach Patrol, who races for James Covello, Head of Plains Partners, Sheep Pond Partners, and Al Shahinia Racing, ran exclusively in grade 1 company last year. He was second in the Turf Classic at Churchill last spring, losing the advantage to Divisidero by half a length after setting the pace. Joel Rosario has the mount from the outside.
Brown also will saddle Kurilov, a closing runner-up in the Feb. 10 Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes (G1T) last out in his first step to top-level company in this country for Head of Plains and partners. The 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky won the 2017 Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile (G1).
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Shining Copper, back from a runner-up finish in the March 3 Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup to stablemate Sir Dudley Digges, figures to be involved early.
Other top contenders include the Bill Mott-trained duo of Channel Maker and Yoshida, both looking to break through at the top level, and the one-two finishers from the March 24 Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Pin Oak Stable's Synchrony and Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway's Arklow.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 05, 2018, Race 11Entries: Old Forester Turf Classic S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Deauville (IRE) Ryan L. Moore 120 Aidan P. O'Brien 3/1 2 2Shining Copper (KY) Luis Saez 120 Michael J. Maker 15/1 3 3Kurilov (CHI) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Chad C. Brown 6/1 4 4Camelot Kitten (KY) Mike E. Smith 118 Michael J. Maker 8/1 5 5Channel Maker (ON) Javier Castellano 118 William I. Mott 10/1 6 6Arklow (KY) Florent Geroux 120 Brad H. Cox 12/1 7 7Synchrony (KY) Joe Bravo 120 Michael Stidham 5/1 8 8Editore (BRZ) Drayden Van Dyke 118 Paulo H. Lobo 20/1 9 9Yoshida (JPN) Jose L. Ortiz 120 William I. Mott 15/1 10 10Beach Patrol (KY) Joel Rosario 120 Chad C. Brown 5/2
