The post-Triple Crown season for three-year-olds won’t be long in getting started as Churchill Downs hosts the $400,000 Matt Winn (G3) on Sunday afternoon. A field of 10 was entered for the 1 1/16-mile feature, including two Kentucky Derby (G1) alumni.
Iroquois (G3) winner West Saratoga, who received notable pre-Derby coverage as the entrant of veteran trainer Larry Demeritte, finished 12th in the field of 20. Ten lengths farther back in 16th place was Society Man, who in his previous start crashed the Wood Memorial (G2) exacta at odds of 106-1.
The Pat Day Mile (G2), also held May 4, has yielded a trio of Matt Winn entrants. Nash finished second to Seize the Grey, who subsequently won the Preakness (G1) two weeks later. Easy winner of the Hot Springs S. at Oaklawn over a mile two back, Nash was also entered in Saturday’s seven-furlong Woody Stephens (G1) at Saratoga.
Also exiting the Pat Day Mile is the Ohio-bred Who Dey, who was only a head and nose behind Nash in fourth place. Who Dey won his first four starts, including two in state-bred stakes company and an open entry-level allowance at Churchill. He finished a clear second in the Lafayette S. at Keeneland prior to the Pat Day Mile.
Northern Flame, whose best stakes effort was a third in the Rebel (G2), finished up the track in the Pat Day and is fairly exposed after 10 starts. In contrast, several rivals in the Matt Winn remain with upside.
Scatify, who ships in from Santa Anita for trainer John Sadler, is one after back-to-back allowance placings. The Brad Cox-trained Rocketeer figures to get support after running first and third his first two starts, both at Keeneland. Needing a bit more improvement are Mighty Message, a last-out allowance winner at Oaklawn, and Luna Tap, a debut winner Horseshoe Indianapolis last month.
