American Turf matches full field of up-and-comers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Grade 2, $600,000 American Turf on Saturday at Churchill Downs became much more wide open when the connections of multiple graded stakes winner Endlessly, who likely would have been favored, opted to take their chances in the Kentucky Derby.

The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds drew an overflow group of 17, with 14 in the main body of the field, plus three also-eligibles. The starting group includes four graded stakes winners, in addition to six others who have won stakes.

Agate Road, a Grade 2 winner on turf, has made his most recent two starts on dirt and recently has been the workmate of Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness. Noted, a stakes winner on grass, finished well behind Endlessly last time out on Tapeta in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby at Turfway Park. Both colts will be returning to turf for Todd Pletcher.

Agate Road’s biggest win came in the Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes on turf last year in New York. Testing dirt this year, he was second in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, but then was seventh in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.

“We’ve always felt that, although he had a decent run in the Louisiana Derby, and in his debut off the turf, that he is better on the turf,” Pletcher said. “So, just happy to get him back on the grass.”

The last three weeks, Agate Road has breezed in company with Eclipse Award champion juvenile Fierceness.

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“It’s got some good conditioning into him,” Pletcher said of Agate Road’s works.

Noted, who adds blinkers Saturday, has shown some surface versatility. The winner of the Sapling Stakes on dirt last summer, he won the Pulpit Stakes on Gulfstream Park’s turf in December, and was also second by a nose in the Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes last fall at Keeneland to Can Group, who he will face again in the American Turf. Most recently, Noted raced in fourth early before fading to 10th in the Jeff Ruby.

“We added some blinkers a couple of works ago, and thought it kind of made a difference, so we’re hoping that putting those on will improve his performance a little bit,” Pletcher said. “He got a pretty bad trip in the Jeff Ruby – it looked like he was in contention, looking for a place to go, and then the hole closed and he had to steady, losing all chance. Regroup and come back here.”

Neat has won back-to-back turf stakes, the Texas Turf Mile in January at Sam Houston and then the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes by a nose after an adventurous trip at Keeneland on April 5. His form stacks up well, as he defeated several from the American Turf lineup in the Transylvania. Cugino, a very close second, finished a half-length ahead of third-place Lagynos. Lord Bullingdon was another length back in fourth.

Trainer Rob Atras is hoping Nea and jockey Reylu Gutierrez get a clean run into the first turn of the American Turf.

“He came out of [the Transylvania] really good,” Atras said. “He’s been sharp in the mornings. He’s held his form really well. He’s got to keep improving, but the signs are there that it’s possible.”

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Showing the depth of the American Turf, Neat is one of five entrants in the main body of the field riding a multi-race win streak.

Grade 3 victor Stay Hot has taken three straight stakes in California, while Legend of Time has won three straight at Meydan for the always-formidable Charlie Appleby.

Abrumar has won three straight since transferring to Saffie Joseph, Jr., including the Colonel Liam Stakes by a neck over Cugino. Fellow Gulfstream stakes winner Set is unbeaten in two starts.

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