A field of 12 distaffers will head to the gate for Saturday’s Grade 2,
$150,000
Chilukki at Churchill Downs, headed by Grade 1 winner Pure Fun and the
lightly raced Grade 3 vixen Sky Girl.
Pure Fun drew the far outside post under jockey Victor Lebron as she makes
just her second start since a sixth-place run in the May 3 Kentucky Oaks. The
chestnut filly, who captured the Hollywood Starlet last December for trainer Ken
McPeek, returned on October 5 and rallied for a 1 3/4-length victory in the
Indiana Oaks going 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy, sealed track.
“That was a great win for her,” McPeek said of the Indiana Oaks. “She had
problems in the spring — from a fever to an ankle — and we were behind the
eight ball trying to get her ready. She proved she’s a top mare.”
The three-year-old chestnut daughter of Pure Prize likely won’t face those
conditions on Saturday, as the forecasted rain and thunderstorms in the
Louisville, Kentucky, area are supposed to clear out by Friday. The late-running
Pure Fun should have clear sailing in the lane as she seeks to add another
graded credit to her resume.
“It’s unfortunate to draw the 12-hole, but we have a long run to the turn in
the one-turn mile so she should be OK,” McPeek added. “She’s hitting on all
cylinders.”
Sky Girl will break just to Pure Fun’s inside in the 11 post with Corey
Lanerie holding the reins. The Sky Mesa sophomore made her racing debut at
Keeneland in April, finishing third, then moved over to Churchill to break her
maiden by 4 1/2 lengths one race following the Kentucky Oaks on May 3.
Since then the dark bay lass has captured an optional claimer under the Twin
Spires and finished third in the Arlington Park Oaks before finding herself
transferring from trainer Paul McGee’s barn to the shedrow of Bill Mott. Sky
Girl captured her bow for her new conditioner when taking the Dogwood on
September 21, and will put her perfect three-for-three mark at Churchill on the
line in the Chilukki.
Others in with a chance on Saturday include Grade 3 winners Wine Princess and
Sisterly Love, third and fourth, respectively, in the Spinster last out at
Keeneland; dual stakes heroine Don’t Tell Sophia, who ran third in the Apple
Blossom Handicap in April before taking a break over the summer and just
returning to miss by a half-length in the October 5 Mari Hulman George at
Indiana Downs; and Devious Intent, who eked out a neck victory in the Gardenia
two back.
Earlier on Churchill’s Saturday card, Good Morning Diva seeks a return to his
winning ways in the $60,000
Bet on Sunshine at six furlongs. The Lion Heart four-year-old scored a 4
3/4-length optional claiming win at Churchill in June before running second in
the Don Bernhardt at Ellis Park and then returning under the Twin Spires to be
third in the Ack Ack Handicap.
Grade 1-placed stakes-winning gelding Right to Vote and multiple Grade
2-placed stakes victor Laurie’s Rocket, runner-up in last year’s Bet on
Sunshine, are also part of the eight-horse field.
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