Semaphore Man tops Aristides; Dogwood attracts nine

Semaphore Man successfully defended his Count Fleet Sprint title last out (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) Multiple Grade 3-winning sprinter SEMAPHORE MAN (Formal Gold) will make his first appearance since capturing the April 10 Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) when he heads to the starting gate in Saturday’s $100,000 Aristides S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. Eleven sprinters will contest the six-furlong test, which is one of two graded events under the Twin Spires. Two races earlier, nine sophomore fillies will square off over a one-turn mile in the $100,000 Dogwood S. (G3). Semaphore Man, who has won the last two running of the Count Fleet, will pursue his sixth career stakes tally while making his Churchill debut for trainer Kelly Von Hemel. The seven-year-old gelding knocked off a strong field last time as third-placer Accredit (E Dubai) came back to win the Churchill Downs S. (G2) in his following start, and the dark bay Kentucky-bred owns the highest last-out BRIS Speed rating of 100. Jesus Castanon will pick up the mount. Trainer Steve Asmussen will send out a pair of uncoupled runners in SOK SOK (Trippi) and PREMIUM WINE (Prime Timber). Four-time stakes hero Sok Sok defeated next-out Carter H. (G1) winner Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) when capturing the Duncan F. Kenner S. two starts back and will look to bounce back from a fifth in the Churchill Downs S. Shaun Bridgmohan will retain the mount on the chestnut four-year-old. Stakes victor and Grade 1-placed Premium Wine, who will make his 2009 debut and first start for the reigning Eclipse Award-winning conditioner, will get a new rider in Larry Sterling Jr.

Other Aristides contenders include VICARIAN (Vicar), who finished second in
the Bet on Sunshine H. last November and is a three-time winner at Churchill;
stakes winner BOLD START (Jump Start); GARIFINE (Belong to Me), who recorded a
couple of sharp victories sprinting at Fair Grounds over the winter; and
multiple stakes-placed GRAND SENSATION (Grand Slam), who exits a front-running
romp over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Arlington Park.

In the Dogwood, once-beaten SLIDES CHOICE (Devil His Due) will step up to
face open rivals for the first time. A two-time stakes victress over Ohio-bred
rivals last year, the Timothy Hamm-trained lass opened her three-year-old season
with a victory in the Royal North S. at Beulah Park and exits a 3 1/4-length
score in the May 16 Tomboy S. at River Downs. Five-for-six overall, Slides
Choice will receive a new rider in Corey Lanerie.

A couple of interesting last-out allowance winners will make their stakes
debut on Saturday. LUSTER (Touch Gold) rolled to a 6 1/4-length allowance tally
on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard for Al Stall Jr. and will test her
stakes mettle under new pilot Jamie Theriot. Trainer Rusty Arnold is responsible
for PERFECT FOR YOU (Giant’s Causeway), who will bring a two-race winning skein into
her first stakes attempt, including a seven-furlong allowance victory at
Churchill on May 14. Jon Court will take over in the saddle.

LADY’S LAUGHTER (Distorted Humor) rates as a top challenger off her
fourth-place effort in the Eight Belles S. (G3) on Derby Day, and maiden winner
TWEETER (Unbridled’s Song) is eligible to show more for D. Wayne Lukas following
her unplaced showing in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).