Eight two-year-old fillies will contest the $400,000 Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, but much of the pre-race focus will be on a pair of unbeaten contenders.
West Sunset is the most accomplished of the two. Although only narrowly up in time to win her debut over the Churchill strip going six furlongs in September, the Brad Cox trainee was more authoritative in last month’s Rags to Riches S., dominating by 6 3/4 lengths over a sloppy 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Golden Rod.
Thorpedo Anna, from the barn of Kenny McPeek, was no less impressive in taking her first two starts by a combined margin of 17 1/2 lengths. Bettors figure to be a little more cool to her, though, given she defeated lesser company in an auction maiden at Keeneland before taking an open first-level allowance against five rivals.
The appropriately named Central Avenue (the street Churchill Downs lies on) arguably has the best piece of form heading into the Golden Rod, having finished second in the Frizette (G1) to Just F Y I, the presumptive division champion after following up that win at Aqueduct with a Breeders’ Cup title. Central Avenue finished 3 3/4 lengths in the one-mile Frizette after a troubled start.
Other notables in the field include Rags to Riches runner-up Gin Gin and the last-out maiden winners Intricate and Purloin from the barns of Brendan Walsh and Cherie DeVaux, respectively.
The Golden Rod will award 2024 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.
The final race of Saturday’s 12-race program is the $225,000 Fern Creek S., a 6 1/2-furlong dash for the more distance-limited two-year-old fillies. Dual stakes winner Youalmosthadme recently dominated the Myrtlewood S. by seven lengths and is the logical favorite.
Others to keep an eye on among the large field of 12 are Halina’s Forte, an impressive maiden winner three weeks ago, and Saratoga Secret, who was last seen finishing second in the Schuylerville (G3) at Saratoga in July.
