Resurrected by the sponsorship of Win-Star Farm, the Kentucky Cup Day of
Champions returns from hiatus on Saturday at Turfway Park. Although not boasting
the star power that was once on display in the program’s heyday, the five races
could still yield a sprinkling of Breeders’ Cup contenders.
The day’s marquee event, the $200,000
Kentucky
Cup (G2), has been shortened to 1 1/16 miles on the Polytrack. Formerly a 1
1/8-mile prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), its honor roll includes
Tabasco Cat, Thunder Gulch, Silver Charm, Roses in May and Hard Spun. The last winner, Furthest Land
(2009), went on to upset the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his next start.
The Kentucky Cup features two-time Grade 1 hero GENERAL QUARTERS
(Sky Mesa) and Grade 2 winner WORKIN FOR HOPS (City Zip), but neither of them
rates as the morning-line favorite. That distinction goes to the Mike
Maker-trained BARYSHNIKOV (Empire Maker), who has been tabbed as the slight
choice at 3-1 to earn his first graded victory.
Like Furthest Land, Baryshnikov is a well-bred reformed claimer who has
blossomed under Maker’s tutelage. He has the added advantage of being a true
horse-for-the-course at Turfway, where he has compiled a 13-5-1-3 mark. Since
his front-running success in the Tejano Run S. here on March 19, Baryshnikov has
placed in four straight graded stakes on turf. Runner-up to Paddy O’Prado in the
May 21 Dixie S. (G2), he chased Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) in the July 4
Firecracker H. (G2) and rallied for third in both the July 31 Oceanport S. (G3)
and the August 26 Bernard Baruch H. (G2).
The Bernard Baruch form looks particularly strong. The winner, Turallure (Wando),
came back to capture last Sunday’s Woodbine Mile (Can-G1), and the runner-up is
dual Grade 1 star Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic). Corey Lanerie, who guided
Baryshnikov at Saratoga, will be back aboard as he breaks from post 5.
General Quarters proved his proficiency on synthetic with a convincing score
in the 2009 Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland, and added the Woodford Reserve Turf
Classic (G1) to his trophy case the following year. His 2011 campaign has been
disappointing so far, with well-beaten sevenths in the Firecracker and the
September 3 Washington Park H. (G3), but owner/trainer Tom McCarthy might have
solved the puzzle. He discovered that General Quarters was unhappy racing in a
tongue tie, and he could be a different horse without it. The 6-1 shot, drawn on
the outside in post 8, warrants plenty of respect with regular rider Jamie
Theriot.
Workin for Hops, another turf/synthetic specialist, figures to exploit his
early speed from the rail. The winner of the first two legs of the grassy
Mid-America Triple last summer, the Michael Stidham pupil has run his two best
races this year on Polytrack. Workin for Hops rolled to a three-length decision
in the May 21 Hanshin Cup S. (G3) over a mile at Arlington Park, but just failed
to wire the nine-furlong Washington Park in his latest. He was subsequently
demoted to third for drifting out in deep stretch, but is eligible to rebound at
this shorter distance. Joe Talamo picks up the mount on the 7-2 second choice.
California shipper SHEDIAK (Fr) (Selkirk) won his last two at Del Mar, capped
by a strong score in the September 3 Windy Sands H. for Ben Cecil. HAVELOCK
(Great Notion), third to Workin for Hops in the Hanshin, has prospered on turf
of late. Coming off wins in the July 16 Arlington Sprint S. and the August 28
Play the King S. (Can-G2), the Darrin Miller trainee stretches back out while
reverting to Polytrack.
Multiple Grade 3 veteran DEMARCATION (Gulch) hasn’t visited the winner’s
circle since the February 19 Mineshaft H. (G3), but his close second in the
August 6 West Virginia Governor’s S., and a recent bullet work, signal that the
seven-year-old is rounding into form. Firecracker third STRIKE IMPACT (Smart
Strike) also exits a near-miss in a Mountaineer stakes and a bullet work, while
FUTURE PROSPECT (Freud) brings a three-race winning streak into his class hike.
One race before Stidham and Talamo team up with Workin for Hops, they will
combine with UPPERLINE (Maria’s Mon) in the companion $100,000
Kentucky Cup Distaff (G3). A creditable fifth versus much tougher in the
August 13 Beverly D. S. (G1) on the grass, Upperline should enjoy the surface
switch, and softer spot, on Saturday. Two of her biggest scores have come on
Polytrack, in last year’s Arlington Oaks (G3) and in the June 25 Trillium S. at
Woodbine two starts back, and she looms as the filly to beat in the 1 1/16-mile
test.
Todd Pletcher will send out AILALEA (Pulpit) in her synthetic debut. The
well-bred filly won two Grade 3 events on dirt earlier in her career — the 2009
Tempted S. (G3) and 2010 Dogwood S. (G3) — but hasn’t regained the winning
thread at four. Ailalea is moving in the right direction, having chased the
Gallant Bloom (G2)-bound Buckleupbuttercup (Najran) at Saratoga, and she could
improve on Polytrack. Regular rider Edgar Prado sticks with the bay, who will
break widest of all from post 7.
Multiple stakes queen KISS MINE (Mineshaft) has never lost in her three
career races at Turfway. In her last appearance here in December, the David
Vance mare prevailed in the My Charmer S. at this trip. Kiss Mine has since
spent her time on the turf, taking a pair of minor stakes at Mountaineer, before
finishing third in the off-the-turf Summer Finale S. Although she has come up
short in graded company on grass, the Distaff marks her first attempt at this
level on synthetic.
Also notable are fellow Turfway aficionado LA GRAN BAILADORA (Afleet Alex)
from the Maker barn, BELLA MEDAGLIA (Medaglia d’Oro) and the Dale Romans-trained
PERSUADING (Broken Vow).
The top three finishers will earn seasons to one of three WinStar stallions —
Super Saver, Colonel John and Hold Me Back — in addition to purse money.
WinStar hopes to celebrate a winner of its own with CAL NATION (Distorted
Humor) in the $100,000
Kentucky Cup Sprint (G3) for three-year-olds at six furlongs. A half-brother
to Bluegrass Cat, and a close relative of 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super
Saver, Cal Nation has yet to fulfill his promise. He dominated at first asking
in February, and crushed a second-level allowance in May, but is 0-for-3 in
stakes company. Third in the July 9 Carry Back S. (G2) and runner-up in the
August 6 Select S. in his past two, he aims to score a breakthrough with new
rider Jesus Castanon.
FREE ENTRY (Tale of the Cat) was a terrific second off a freshening in the
September 2 Distorted Humor S. at Saratoga, just edged by Wine Police (Speightstown).
Kent Desormeaux will reunite with the chestnut, who has drawn the rail in the
11-horse field. Distorted Humor fourth PHILIPPE (Mineshaft), on the other hand,
is in post 11. He ran well in both prior starts at Turfway last winter, breaking
his maiden and missing narrowly in the March 26 Hansel S. Philippe forms part of
a one-two punch for trainer James Baker, who also has WILL’S WILDCAT (Eurosilver),
the mount of Calvin Borel.
Maker is likewise double-handed, with LOU BRISSIE (Limehouse) and
MATTHEWSBURG (Ghostzapper). Lou Brissie is on a recovery mission. Last year’s
Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3) hero descended into the claiming ranks at Churchill
Downs on July 4, and Maker promptly haltered him for $75,000. In his first start
for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, he wound up a distant third in a seven-furlong
optional claimer at the Spa, but could regroup in his second start off the
claim. Matthewsburg, an impressive maiden winner at this track and distance,
comes off a runner-up effort in the East Hanover S. at Penn National.
While the Kentucky Cup, Distaff and Sprint have not been renewed since 2009,
the two juvenile races have been in mothballs since 2008. They are back on the
schedule at their previous distances, and each is worth $100,000.
Maker’s HANSEN (Tapit) is a top threat in the 1 1/16-mile
Kentucky Cup Juvenile S. A wire-to-wire, 12 1/4-length debut romper here on
September 9, the gray should have no difficulty stepping up to two turns. Among
his seven rivals are HOLLYWOOD SCRIPT (Gone West), a half-brother to Futurity S.
(G1) winner Bevo (Prospectors Gamble), who broke his maiden going a mile at
Arlington for Pat Byrne; Sapling S. (G3) fourth SPACE TRAVELER (Malibu Moon)
from the Pletcher brigade; twice stakes-placed PRYCE’S POSSE (Posse); and recent
maiden winners FINE (Flatter) and FUTURE (Mr. Greeley).
Debutante S. (G3) heroine FLASHY LASSIE (Flashy Bull) headlines a full field
of 12 in the one-mile
Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies S. The Garry Simms trainee was a late-running
second after a slow start in the August 6 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies S., and
is entitled to relish the added ground. Maiden winners RAINBOW BLOSSOM (Exchange
Rate), BEST OF TIMES (Mineshaft) and RUSTICANA (Pioneering) all appear
promising, while the Tom-Amoss trained CHARMING VIXEN (Bernstein) hasn’t missed
by much in her three tries and wouldn’t be a surprise to break her maiden on the
stretch-out.