Cardinal

Twelve fillies and mares will take to the turf in Saturday’s $150,000
Cardinal H. (G2) at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile contest will be CLASSIC
STAMP’s (Regal Classic) U.S. debut.

The four-year-old filly has shown plenty of impressive performances north of
the border and brings her talents to Churchill Downs where she should fare well.
Conditioned by C.C. Hopmans Jr., she has yet to place off the board in a turf
challenge. In her last two performances, the dark bay miss earned triple-digit
BRIS Speed figures, while also earning century-topping BRIS Late Pace ratings in
six of her last seven. The distance seems to be ideal for Classic Stamp, as she
has already scored in three of four starts at 1 1/8 miles. She loses regular
jockey Patrick Husbands, but picks up pinch-hitter Pat Day.

FINERY (Lear Fan) comes off a victory in the Athenia H. (G3) at Aqueduct with
a good chance of repeating a win here. In her last two outings, she put up Late
Pace numbers of 113 and 116, respectively. With a possible duel between NANNYCAM
(Pulpit) and ANGELA’S LOVE (Not for Love) at the front, Finery should finish
well from just off the pace. The four-year-old will be under the command of John
McKee and, with morning-line odds of 8-1, the Billy Turner trainee could wind up
paying a good price.

AUD (Wild Again) comes off a close nose second last out in the Dowager S. at
Keeneland after finding herself five wide on the far turn. Brice Blanc offers
his services aboard the four-year-old filly for the first time, and trainer
Anthony Reinstedler has been on top of his game in the past two weeks, recording
four wins, a place and a show in 11 starts. The pair could combine for another
winner here. 

ON THE BUS (Ghazi) has placed off the board only once in eight attempts while
running on the turf. The filly has already found the winner’s circle twice at
this distance, with another second and third in the books. Trainer Dale Romans
brings the New York-bred four-year-old to Churchill for the first time, and she
should fare well here. SHACONAGE (El Prado [Ire]) will be making her first start
since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The gray
will be starting in her eighth straight graded stakes for trainer Mitch Shirota
and could improve as she drops to face Grade 3 competition.

The Bill Mott-trained NOISETTE (Broad Brush) is coming off a win in the
Gaviola S. early last month. Two races prior, she came in second in the All
Along Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) against good competition, losing to the Breeders’
Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Film Maker (Dynaformer). Noisette has proven
herself a versatile foe, just losing the All Along in the stretch and closing
from near the back to nearly take the Politely S. at Monmouth. BERET (Royal
Academy) posted century-topping Late Pace marks in her last two outings, and
pulled away to win by four after going six-wide at the quarter pole most
recently. She could grab part.

CHANCE DANCE (American Chance) will probably make a run for the lead in the
beginning. She captured the Estrapade H. at this distance on the dirt back in
June, but the competition for this race will be tougher than that one. Angela’s
Love, the second of Dale Romans’ entries, could make a run for the lead out of
the gate with Nannycam but both might tire at the end. MAY GATOR (Green
Alligator) comes off a close third last out, but appears to be outclassed in
this race. BEAUTIFUL BETS (Alphabet Soup) has yet to win a turf race in six
starts and only placed on the board once during this time. We don’t expect much
more against this field.

OCEAN SILK (Dynaformer) is on the also-eligible list and has fared well
against allowance competition, but she’ll probably be outclassed if she draws in
here.