Finding only the Saratoga-loving Casa Creed too difficult in the Kelso (G3) and Fourstardave H. (G1) over the summer, Annapolis avoids that rival entirely on Saturday when he heads a full field in the $2 million Mint Millions (G3) over one mile at Kentucky Downs.
A Todd Pletcher-trained son of War Front, Annapolis has enjoyed an admirably consistent career on the grass, finishing first or second in 10 of 11 outings over the green. The one flub came in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), in which he started near the back in the field of 14, but Annapolis had displayed truer colors in his prep for that, scoring in the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
Atone, who captured the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) back in January, will look to atone for his three interim outings, two of which resulted in poor finishes. The Mike Maker trainee fared well in this race last season, finishing second best behind Somelikeithotbrown. Maker will also saddle Max K. O., who would appear to have class to find but crucially owns a 2-for-2 record over the undulating Franklin, Kentucky, course.
Churchtown has early foot and should be prominent most of the way, while Smokin’ T has won two of his last three, including the restricted Lure S. at Saratoga. Stitched exits a 46-1 shock upset of the Wise Dan (G2) over a field that included subsequent Arlington Million (G1) winner Set Piece, while French Group 3 winner Ancient Rome invades from Europe following an upset score in the Chesterfield Cup, a historic 1 1/4-mile handicap held at the Goodwood Festival.
A competitive renewal of the $1 million Gun Runner S., for three-year-olds over one mile, features multiple graded stakes winner Major Dude and the highly-rated Talk of the Nation. The latter is exiting a pair of second-place finishes in the Jersey Derby and Manila (G3), while Wadsworth enters on a two-race win streak encompassing the American Derby and Dueling Grounds Derby Preview, both at Ellis Park.
The $1 million Music City S., for three-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs, has attracted graded winners Danse Macabre and Queen Picasso, as well as recent Galway S. heroine L J’s Emma, who rides in on a three-race win streak. Other notables in the main body of the field include Mohawk Trail, who upset Queen Picasso in the Ontario Colleen (G3) last out, and European invader Mammas Girl, impressive winner of the Nell Gwyn (G3) at Newmarket earlier this season.
