Dynamic debut winners Magic Dance and Rowdy Yates are top draws for a pair of two-year-old stakes Saturday, the $125,000 Debutante and $125,000 Bashford Manor (G3), on closing day at Churchill Downs. The 38-day spring meet concludes with a 12-race card that includes the $120,000 Kelly’s Landing for sprinters.
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A Three Chimneys Farm homebred daughter of More Than Ready, Magic Dance registered a 91 BRIS Speed rating when romping by 4 3/4 lengths in her June 7 unveiling. That the top number from a juvenile race at Churchill Downs this year. Steve Asmussen trains the exciting dark bay and Ricardo Santana Jr. rides. Magic Dance counts the three-year-old filly Guarana, who improved to two-for-two with a six-length score in the June 8 Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park, as a half-sister.
Indy Takes Charge turned heads recording a 3 1/4-length tally at first asking on May 31, surprising at 21-1 odds for Pat Byrne, and the Take Charge Filly shows a three-furlong bullet work in preparation. Chris Landeros retains the assignment. Cholula Lips invades from California for Mike Harrington after rolling to a 3 1/4-length decision at Santa Anita the first time out and Rafael Bejarano will be back in the saddle.
My Good Girl, a runaway maiden winner at Indiana Grand, also rates as a contender among nine fillies in the six-furlong event.
Ten youngsters will go postward in the six-furlong Bashford Manor and Rowdy Yates looms as the probable favorite following a decisive maiden triumph on May 31, winning geared down by 4 3/4 lengths for Asmussen and Santana. The Oklahoma-bred son of Morning Line showed speed leading wire to wire and the L&N Racing colorbearer cost only $42,000 at auction last year.
Phantom Boss will take action after a sharp maiden tally at Santa Anita and Bejarano rides trainer Jorge Periban. Rookie Salsa, who won his first two including the May 1 Kentucky Juvenile under the Twin Spires, merits respect following a third in the June 7 Tremont at Belmont Park. Alec and Arthur enters on the upswing for John Hancock, posting a 3 ¼-length allowance win locally on June 6. Verb exits a good third over the track and rates as an intriguing prospect despite still being a maiden for Keith Desormeaux.
Warrior’s Club was no factor against the likes of Mitole when sixth in the Churchill Downs (G1) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard but the five-year-old should appreciate the class relief in the Kelly’s Landing. A close second in the Commonwealth (G3) two back, the Churchill Downs Racing Club-owned Warrior’s Club will meet eight challengers in the seven-furlong test and Jon Court has the call for D. Wayne Lukas.
His main challengers include Petrov, who missed by only a neck to Wilbo when recording an encouraging second in the June 1 Aristides; Uncontested, winner of the General George (G3) earlier this season; and Transatlantic Kiss, who tries stakes foes off a good-looking allowance win at Churchill Downs.
