Aloha West set for return in Churchill Downs Stakes

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Aloha West is set to make his 2022 debut May 7 in the Grade 1, $750,000 Churchill Downs Stakes.

Aloha West, trained by Wayne Catalano for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has been based at Churchill since leaving Fair Grounds in late March. He worked five furlongs there Friday in 59.40 seconds, fastest of 44 breezes at the distance that morning.

Five-year-old Aloha West didn’t even make his career debut until February 2021 and didn’t start in a graded stakes until last October, when he was a close second in the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland. In the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Aloha West got up by a nose over Dr. Schivel, after which he was given a winter break before returning to training this winter.

Catalano said Aloha West had been considered for the Commonwealth Stakes on April 9 at Keeneland before the decision was made to await the Churchill Downs.

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“I didn’t want coming back quick in that race to be an excuse. He’ll be ready for Derby Day,” Catalano said.

Catalano, just before sending out Stellar Grace to win a claiming race Sunday at Keeneland, raved about Aloha West’s progress since last fall.

“The horse is amazing. He came back way better. He’s 5 now – he’s grown up. He’s taller, stronger, and a lot faster. He does those workouts in a two-minute clip,” he said.