Saturday’s closing-day program at Churchill Downs includes a pair of intriguing stakes for two-year-olds, the $150,000 Bashford Manor (G3) and $150,000 Debutante.
Bashford Manor (G3) – Race 9 (4:55 p.m. ET)
Impressive debut maiden winners Glacial and Red Run are top draws in the six-furlong Bashford Manor.
A gray colt by Frosted, Glacial overcame a slow start on May 29, quickly accelerating to the front and leading wire-to-wire in a 2 1/2-length decision. Joe Talamo will be back up for Norm Casse, who is winning at a 32% rating (7-for-22) during the spring meet.
Red Run provided 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner with his first winner at stud when graduating on May 9. From the same connections as his freshman sire (Winchell Thoroughbreds and Steve Asmussen), the chestnut colt tracked the pace in third until the stretch, offering a fine late kick to draw clear by about two lengths under the wire. Ricardo Santana Jr. will be up.
Asmussen will also send out Vodka N Water, who exits a runner-up to Glacial as the 1-2 favorite. Jose Ortiz has the call. Double Thunder ships in for Todd Pletcher after posting a front-running win at Monmouth Park the first time out. John Velazquez will be up on the Super Saver colt. Lansdowne merits respect after posting a comfortable wire-to-wire victory in his initial outing for Dallas Stewart. The gray Super Saver colt will likely show speed from his inside post with Jon Court.
Debutante – Race 8 (4:22 p.m. ET)
Norm Casse and Asmussen also have contenders in the six-furlong Debutante one race earlier.
Ontheonesandtwos exits a good-looking debut tally on May 13, rallying from just off the pace to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths, and Florent Geroux will be back up on the Jimmy Creed filly for Casse.
Wicked Halo did not disappoint as the favorite in her first outing, graduating wire-to-wire by a two-length margin on June 5. Owned by Winchell, the gray homebred Gun Runner filly will break from the innermost post Saturday with Jose Ortiz.
Asmussen has another possible player in Tizplenty, who came back to win sharply on June 4 after finishing third to Ontheonesandtwos the first time out. Santana guides the daughter of Speightstown.
Behave Virginia rolled to a 5 3/4-length, wire-to-wire win at first asking for Kenny McPeek on May 28. Mollie Kate has been freshened since leading wire-to-wire over maiden foes at Churchill on April 28. Cartel Queen adds blinkers for Tom Amoss following a convincing win in her second outing.
After rallying dramatically up the rail to capture her debut, Catchusifyoucan invades from Lone Star Park for Bret Calhoun. Adam Beschizza picks up the mount on the Tom Durant homebred Practical Joke filly.
