BACKTALK (Smarty Jones), a smashing 2 3/4-length debut winner over maiden
special weight rivals on June 11, will make his stakes debut in Friday’s
$100,000
Bashford Manor S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. Won by two-year-old champions
Favorite Trick and Boston Harbor, Canadian champion juvenile Kodiak Kowboy
(Posse) as well as classic winner Summer Squall in the
last 20 years, the six-furlong event will feature nine youngsters under the Twin
Spires.
Trained by Tom Amoss, the Gold Mark Farm-owned Backtalk registered a
field-best 103 BRIS Speed rating when capturing his first start, and third-place
finisher Red Rally (Reformer Rally) established the five-furlong event as a
possible key race when winning his next start by 3 1/2 lengths. The $250,000
yearling purchase will retain the services of Miguel Mena.
MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled’s Song) is the lone entrant with stakes
experience, finishing a late-running third to the fillies Aegean (Northern
Afleet) and Jealous Again (Trippi) in the Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3). The
latter posted a five-length score in the prestigious Queen Mary S. (Eng-G2) at
Royal Ascot last time out. Freshened since April 30, the Todd Pletcher-trained
Mission Impazible won at first asking in impressive fashion at Keeneland in
mid-April, rallying boldly in the stretch to catch Grand Times (Greatness), who
rolled to a four-length score next out at Calder. Regular rider John Velazquez
will be in to ride Mission Impazible, who counts 1999 Del Mar Futurity (G2) winner
Forest Camp (Deputy Minister) and Grade 3 sprint hero Spanish Empire (Pleasant
Colony) as half-brothers.
Steve Asmussen will send out GRAND SLAM ANDRE (Grand Slam), a 7 3/4-length
maiden special weight winner last out in his second career outing, and the D.
Wayne Lukas-conditioned WESTROCK GOLD (Touch Gold) could draw support off a
good-looking 2 1/4-length maiden special weight win in his second attempt.
BRASSY BOY (Storm and a Half) and SOUNDMAN (Songandaprayer), the respective
first- and third-place finishers in a highly-rated allowance test on June 11,
are also entered.