Allowance looks like good spot for Saham to end skid

It’s been nearly three years since Saham posted his last victory, but the 6-year-old horse looks like he has found a spot to end the drought as the favorite in the Friday feature at Ellis Park in western Kentucky.

Saham was an up-and-coming 3-year-old when he won the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup on Sept. 26, 2015, on the Churchill turf. But while he has been remarkably consistent, never finishing worse than fourth in his last 11 starts, he has somehow remained winless since.

Saham, with Declan Cannon riding for trainer Brendan Walsh, has been assigned post 8 in the seventh of eight Friday races, a $44,000 second-level allowance scheduled for a mile on turf. Chocolate Ride, a multiple stakes winner in for an optional $40,000 claiming tag, figures as the chief threat.

The Friday card comes in the middle of the only five-day week of the 30-day Ellis meet. Ostrich and camel races will be held between races Saturday, and the first of 10 stakes at the meet, the $50,000 Ellis Park Turf for fillies and mares, helps to end the week Sunday. First post daily is 12:50 p.m. Central.